Now that Novak Djokovic has ended the seven-year, five-month world No 1 duopoly of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the tennis planet is free to address the next burning question: who will end the Nadal-Djokovic duopoly, which is at 57 weeks and counting?
Wimbledon coverage
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Djokovic justifies supremacy with Wimbledon title win over Nadal. Read article
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Federer is still pleasing to the eye. Read article
It is hard to imagine, in an era of "one guy or the other" at the top, but four players (Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Juan Carlos Ferrera, Andy Roddick) fought their way to No 1 in the space of a tumultuous half year, in late 2003.
At present, Djokovic and Nadal are so far ahead of the rest that they could go on holiday for a month and keep their 1-2 spots.
Identifying the men who could climb over them to the top would seem to call for an examination of those of a certain age, 24 or under, who already have shown a capacity for winning tournaments.
Andy Murray is top of the list. At 24, he retains room for improvement. Also, at No 4 in the world, he already has a significant points platform from which he can campaign for the top.
Not that it would be easy. It remains very difficult to be No 1 without winning a grand slam, and Murray has never won one. No British man has since 1936.
Still, he is close enough to the summit to make an attack. If he can win every tournament he enters until, say, the Australian Open, he could be there.
It probably is safe to dismiss those behind Murray in the top 20 who are closer to age 30 than age 20, and there goes everyone aside from Juan Martin del Potro.
The towering Argentine, 22, might have the right stuff. A huge serve. Surprising athleticism. One grand slam (the 2009 US Open) already on his CV and a semi-final run in the French Open, which seems to demonstrate multi-surface capability. If he can stay healthy, he bears watching.
If it is assumed Djokovic or Nadal will be No 1 for another year or three, examining the credentials of players with more promise than championships makes sense.
Potential climbers among that group include Milos Raonic, 20, the big-hitting Canadian; Marin Cilic, the 22-year-old Croat who has been ranked as high as No 9; and Ryan Sweeting, 23, a rare American who is effective on clay.
Perhaps the most promising of all the young guys is Bernard Tomic, the 18-year-old Australian who made a run to the Wimbledon quarters, ousting Robin Soderling and Nicolai Davydenko en route.
One other man bears following. He has history of success against the top two, he never leaves a tournament early and he has lost only three times this year to someone not named Djokovic or Nadal.
He has been No 1, lost it, and regained it. Federer may be on a slow decline, but if he has one more surge in him, the next outsider to be No 1 could be the ultimate former insider.
poberjuerge@thenational.ae
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
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- Keep an open mind
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
The%20specs
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
