Rafael Nadal on Next Gen: "They haven't achieved Slam success because we haven't left"

Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic - the 'Big 3' of tennis - have held complete sway over the men's tour the last decade and a half. The three legends have won an astounding 56 out of a total of 67 Grand Slams since Wimbledon 2003, and aren't looking like slowing down any time soon.

It is remarkable to note that no player born in the 1990s or later has won a men's singles Grand Slam title so far. The very fact that the youngest Grand Slam champion among the active ATP roster is 31-year-old Marin Cilic speaks volumes about the sheer dominance of the Big 3.

Discussions about when and how the dominance of the trio will end have been going on for well over five years now, with several past legends also giving their take on the perpetual question - "When are we going to see a youngster lift a Grand Slam title in the men's game?

The question of which player will break the stranglehold has been posed to the trio on many occasions, and they have always handled it with grace and poise. In a candid conversation with Argentine former World No. 4 and two-time Roland Garros semi-finalist José Luis Clerc on ESPN Tenis, Rafael Nadal was asked that same question again.

Nadal touched upon a variety of topics during the chat, including his motivation to win Slams at 34 years of age and the training regimen that he has recently started post the easing of the lockdown restrictions. And when it came to talking about the 'Next Gen' and their chances of success, the Spaniard was forthright as usual.

Rafael Nadal on the generational change in the men's game

Rafael Nadal at the Mexico Open

Many in the tennis world have criticized the younger players for their inability to supplant the Big 3, but Rafael Nadal doesn't look at it that way. Instead, the 34-year-old lefty - a winner of 19 Grand Slam titles - praised the new talent on the circuit and said they have already arrived.

“The reality is that they are already there," Nadal said. "There are many young players fighting for the maximum and winning important things."

Stefanos Tsitsipas (R) proved with his ATP Finals win that the Next Gen can win the big titles

Rafael Nadal then explained, in his usual understated manner, why the Next Gen haven't yet been able to dethrone the legendary Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and himself in the Grand Slam circuit.

"They have not been able to do it in Grand Slams, also because we have not left," Nadal pointed out. "So now there is a very nice fight between young people and old men that I hope will last as long as possible."

#TENISxESPN ¿Cuándo dará el golpe la #NextGen? En un mano a mano con #ESPNTenis Rafa Nadal habló sobre las estrellas jóvenes del circuito. https://t.co/pZ6T66FSDE

— ESPN Tenis (@ESPNtenis) May 26, 2020

The last couple of weeks have seen the Big 3 speak to many great legends of the sport on a variety of topics. What has been clear through it all is that their intent and motivation to win big titles post the resumption of the ATP tour is very much intact.

The trio have won 13 Grand Slam singles titles in succession, but will they be able to continue exercising their supremacy once tennis is back? The debate rages on.