Pablo cuevas winning his first ATP 500 title, Credit : Marca Pais Uruguay
Federer's elegance, Nadal's dominance at Roland Garros and Djokovic's longevity - let's be honest, the last 20 years have been a tennis delight.
While the feast offered by our sport's three greatest legends satiated fans around the world, it also deprived many players of the glory they deserved.
From an accounting point of view, of course, it's hard to compete when 66 of the last 81 Grand Slams have been won by members of what has been known for so many years as the "Big 3".
But it's above all in terms of public recognition and attention that the main problem lies.
They haven't lifted 20 Grand Slams, nor dominated the competition for years, and yet some players were great champions who deserve all our respect.
Spotlight on 3 of the most talented players of the last few years, who would certainly have caught your eye, had they played in a different era.
Pablo Carreno Busta (Best ranking 10th)
Carreno Busta winning his first Master1000 title, credit : TennisTV
Perhaps the most difficult case to analyze. First of all, on a national level, there wasn't much room for Carreno Busta, as his compatriot Rafael Nada was taking up an excessive amount of space on the media scene.
Secondly and let’s face it : Carreno Busta's character and, above all, style of play were not particularly eye-catching.
Playing a stereotypical style of tennis, solid from the baseline without much madness, Carreno Busta was certainly not the kind of player to get fans out of their seats.
Despite his predisposition to play quietly, the Spaniard has nevertheless left his mark on the tennis world.
Pablo Carreno Busta has won 7 ATP titles (including 1 Master 1000) , reached two Grand Slam semi-finals and finished the 2017 season as world No. 10, but first and foremost the Spaniard has for many years stood as an insurmountable obstacle for many ATP players.
Athletic and above all flawless, the Spaniard often played long, exhausting games in which his opponents would eventually concede defeat.
He may not have been the “sexiest” player in the world, he may not have played with the crowd, he may not have produced extraordinary shots, and his name may not be celebrated when the time comes for him to retire, but who cares?
Carreno Busta will wear his Olympic medal proudly around his neck, knowing that in his own way, and above all with his own weapons, he has made a name for himself in the world of tennis.
Sam Querrey (Best ranking 11th)
Querrey upsteing Andy Murray at Wimbledon, credit : Wimbledon
5 ATP titles, a Wimbledon semi-final, 11th in the world at his best and yet... Sam Querrey certainly remains unknown to most of the new tennis fans.
Querrey's greatest misfortune, apart from the “Big 3” , was perhaps to evolve in a country that was gradually losing interest in tennis.
Sam Querrey will never become John MacEnroe, Agassi or Sampras, but he will nevertheless remain one of the bright lights of American tennis in the 2010s, alongside his compatriot John Isner.
Querrey wasn't exactly a "marketing" player, seemed rather reserved, didn't break his rackets and rarely interacted with the public.
But don't be fooled by appearances : beyond his quiet personality lay one of the biggest tornadoes of the ATP Tour.
As one of the biggest head-cutters of the recent years, the American not only defeated Djokovic and Murray at Wimbledon, but above all triumphed over members of the top 10 on 23 occasions throughout his career.
Querrey's career ended at the Us Open on a noiseless court 7, proof of the lack of recognition suffered by a player who, in his prime, could beat the very best...
Pablo Cuevas (Best ranking 19th)
Credit : TennisTV
Cuevas is quite a special case. Unlike the other players in this top list, the Uruguayan has an eccentric personality as well as a creative style that puts him in the category of entertaining players to watch.
It is however for an entirely different reason that Cuevas deserves his place in this ranking : behind his improbable shots and his charming personality lies one of the best clay-court players of the 21st century.
His lack of performance at Roland Garros combined with Nadal's ultra-dominance on clay certainly don't work in his favor, yet the Uruguayan must be considered as one of the greatest tacticians of his time on the red surface.
Pablo Cuevas and his one-handed backhand have won 6 ATP titles (all on clay), defeated Rafael Nadal in Rio and, above all, reached the 19th position in the world, essentially through his clay expertise.
Cuevas wasn't the most athletic or the most powerful, but he was perhaps the most intelligent, which is why a slow surface like clay suited him so well.
He didn't like the speed of grass, wasn't really dangerous on hard court, but Pablo knew it : he would get his revenge on clay while gaining some precious ATP points in the process.
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