Fin de Siècle

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Not exactly a new century, but as far as men's tennis goes, it might as well be: the old guard has had its card well marked, and the next generation has leapt from the wings to centre stage, and not before time. As great as the last couple of decades have been for the game; as with any sport, it's time to move on, and I hope that Carlos Alcaraz's victory in the Wimbledon final over Djokovic heralds the next great era of tennis: an era where proper, multidimensional play predominates. We've been waiting for this for ages, now: an end to the bangers, base-liners and one-trick ponies - Federer excepted, of course - and a move back to an era of power cut through with finesse, to serve and volley, to chip & charge, drop-shot and perfectly-judged lob; just with the added spice of modern athleticism and preparation. In short, a move back to complete tennis, which, after all is what we all want and love to watch...

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