Over the past five years, players from more countries have been competing in the higher ranks. Paul Annacone remembers a time when men’s tennis felt — and looked — so good that American fans, in particular, believed things couldn’t possibly get any better. As Pete Sampras’ coach from 1995 to 2001, when the seven-time Wimbledon champ, five-time U.S. Open titleholder and two-time Australian Open champ was one of the faces of tennis, he recalls epic matches with players like Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, Boris Becker, Pat Rafter and Roger Federer. Fast-forward two decades and the “Big Three” — Novak Djokovic, with 16 Grand Slam titles, Rafael Nadal with 19 and Federer with 20 — have redefined what domination looks like in tennis, winning 54 of the last 64 men’s singles Grand Slam titles between them. The predictability of their success is akin to Alabama and Clemson always leading the conversation as likely BCS champions. It might also be hiding a fast-approaching shift in men’s tennis. | 