Retired WTA star Andrea Petkovic talked about the importance of rivalries in tennis and resonated with the impact of the Big 3 in maintaining healthy competition for over over 15 years.
Speaking to Tennis Channel Podcast, Petkovic was understandably apprehensive that Iga Swiatek's dominance on Tour in the past year would be detrimental to the player and the WTA in the long term. This is because she lacked a new set of challenges to improve as a player.
But the emergence of new Grand Slam winners like Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka has lifted Petkovic's spirits. She adds that the situation of the men's Big 3 is a case in point, highlighting how each of the three-man band improved as a player to record such incredible numbers.
"I was so excited at the beginning of the year when Sabalenka won the Australian Open because I know from my personal experience and just from watching tennis for 20 years now almost, how important rivalries are. Right."
"I was worried if Iga Swiatek just dominates the tour for the next three, four years, that she won't get better and she won't improve as a tennis player."
The former WTA No. 9 believes men's tennis is undergoing a transition period right now and called for new stars to challenge the seemingly unstoppable Carlos Alcaraz who has already bagged two Grand Slams titles in his embryonic career, citing Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as prime examples in pushing Roger Federer to win 20 majors.
"Exactly, that is the danger. If we put ourselves back into the shoes of 2008, 2009, and 2010 when Roger Federer broke Pete Sampras' number. If Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic hadn't appeared on the tour, he would've stopped at 17 [Grand Slam titles]. A 100%. We would've never seen these numbers."
Petkovic adds that competition extends beyond the tennis landscape in order to break new barriers and create masterpieces. Winning big tournaments shouldn't be just about one player, according to Petkovic.
"That's the most important thing, not only in sports, (but also) in politics and art, where ever it is needed to create something really great, to create masterpieces, or to become the best at what you do, you need those rivalries. I was so excited when Sabalenka and Rybakina found that consistency and started winning those big tournaments."
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