A bit more to
@Moxie:
I think the key underlying element to my feeling of disappointment and even worry is that I don't really want to go into another Big Three-type era or, in this case, Big Two. Been there, done that - and two might be even more predictable than 3/4. So I'm eager to see some guys who become good enough, if not to make it a threesome or foursome, at least soften the grade between Sincaraz and the field. During the Big Three era, I found those players interesting - but they were few and far between, with only short-lived flashes (e.g. Del Potro, Wawrinka, kinda Soderling). Guys who had periods when they rose above the "second tier." And more to the point: a feeling that more than just two or three guys were serious contenders at Slams.
The Open Era has had a variety of "sub-eras" that were configured differently. We've become accustomed to a very bifurcated, top-down environment with a small coterie of ruling elite and the rabble below, all jostling for their shot (and almost always failing).
To some extent, most of the Open Era has been like this to varying degrees. You had Laver and Rosewall to start, though this opened up quickly to include Ashe, Newcombe, and then Smith and Nastase. Then you had Connors and Borg, joined by McEnroe. As Borg faded, Lendl rose and then was joined by Wilander, Edberg, and Becker. Then Agassi and Sampras, who were, of course, followed by the Big Three.
But within that, there are variations. Looking back, I find the mid-80s to early 90s to be particularly interesting. For one, you had overlapping eras of great players: the fading of Connors and McEnroe, peak Lendl and Wilander, Edberg and Becker, and then the early years of Agassi and Sampras. Consider, for instance, the year-end top 5 in 1990: Edberg, Becker, Lendl, Agassi, Sampras. Has there ever been a better top 5, top to bottom? There have been top 5s with four ATGs, but not all five positions, as far as I can tell.
Furthermore, the gap between those guys and the field wasn't as stark as during the Big Four era. Sincaraz seem to be closer to the Big Four than other iterations, at least over the last year and a half. I suppose Novak makes it interesting, but if and when he's no longer a real contender, it is hard seeing someone emerge to at least put a seed of serious doubt. Fonseca is the best hope, and I suppose we can dream on guys like Mensik, Draper, even Fils and Shelton making things interesting.
Anyhow, the future is not written. But again, I'm just hoping for some interesting players in the mix and a new era that isn't just two guys passing Slam trophies back and forth.
