Fed, Djoker, Murray, New Big Three?

Okay Eye On Sports tennis fanatics, maybe it’s me, but I sense a ‘new world order’ when it comes to the top of the ATP Tour rankings.

Yep, I sure do – and I’m generally very good with my predictions (I should be since I am one of the top handicappers in the country).

With the return to No. 1 by Roger Federer, a drop in form by current World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, a much steeper fall from grace by World No. 3 Rafael Nadal – and now – an run through the Olympic field en route to a gold medal by World No. 4 Andy Murray, things are definitely changing at the top of the ATP Tour world rankings – even if the numbers don’t show it just yet.

Hell, a nice run through the Olympics and Bronze medal win over Djokovic tells me that a return to grand slam-winning form by World No. 8 Juan Martin Del Potro is looking more and more legitimate with each passing tournament.

So, really, these are the pertinent questions. 

Is the Federer-Djokovic-Nadal ‘Big Three’ done as we’ve come to know it the last four or five years? Does Murray really have what it takes to beat any of the aforementioned trio at a major? Or, can Del Potro become slam relevant again and add to the Big Three’s fading dominance?

My answer to all three of those questions is a resounding ‘yes’ Eye On Sports tennis fans! I believe the stranglehold that Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have had on the men’s ATP Tour is done as we know it (they’re still the most likely slam winners though) and now, with his increasing mental stability, I believe Andy Murray will have as much of a chance of winning majors as the now-defunct Big Three moving forward.

Clearly, Andy Murray is in better mental shape now than he’s ever been after hiring ATP Legend Ivan Lendl to mentor – and his results at the last two big-time tourneys (Wimbledon and the Olympics) seem to suggest that Murray is now going to be an even more consistent force than he previously had been.

As far as Del Porto is concerned, I believe his near win over Federer in their Olympic semifinal classic – and his Bronze medal win over Djokovic – will spur him on to even greater heights while giving him a very legitimate shot to win his second U.S. Open when it gets underway later this month.

One thing’s for sure, the last few months of the 2012 season are going to be very interesting for all of the aforementioned players and tennis fans across the globe.