Speaking with Forbes, Sam Querrey gave his honest take on the current state of the U.S. Open. He suggested that the absence of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic would essentially 'level the playing field,' giving other competitors a genuine shot at winning the Grand Slam. Querrey admitted he would love to take advantage of such a situation to secure his first major title. At the same time, he praised the sheer dominance the Big 3 have maintained for a decade and a half, observing that this kind of elite control is a natural part of professional sports and has served tennis well.
American tennis player Sam Querrey in a recent interview with Forbes was being open about his thoughts when he was asked regarding this year’s U.S. Open tournament. Sam feels if the Big 3 (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic) of the sport indeed decide not to participate this year, then the tournament can open up for the rest of the players and someone else could win the Grand Slam. He said in such a situation he would love to win his first major and give his best in achieving it. He expressed that he admires the dominance the Big 3 have had on the game for 15 straight years impressive. He feels that dominance by a person or a small group of players exists in every sport and it has been good for tennis so far.
The American player emphasized that the U.S. Open needs to happen regardless of who decides to enter. In his view, the tournament's success doesn't hinge on a few big names for one single edition. The most important thing is to ensure the event takes place, leaving the results up to the players who choose to compete.
Querrey noted that since Nadal and Djokovic are so closely locked in a battle for historical records, neither is likely to want to give the other an advantage by sitting out. Meanwhile, Querrey has been competing in the All-American Team Cup in Georgia, an event pitting the top eight US players against each other in a team format. This marks the first US-based tournament since the pandemic began, though it has faced complications after a participant tested positive for the virus.
Roger Federer has already confirmed he'll be sidelined until next season to recover from surgery. Meanwhile, Nadal and Djokovic remain hesitant about competing this year due to COVID-19 concerns. Djokovic, in particular, has been in the spotlight recently after several attendees at his own event tested positive. With the sport's biggest stars potentially absent, the question remains: are we about to see a brand new Grand Slam champion?