Thomas Muster believes tennis has lost its soul

What's the story?

Former Grand Slam champion and World No. 1 Thomas Muster recently made several critical remarks about tennis in an interview with Tiroler Tageszeitung. The Austrian talked about the dominance of the Big 3 and the quality of their main opponents, as well as the impact that the increase of money has had on the sport as a whole.

In case you didn't know...

Muster was a clay-court specialist who peaked during the mid-1990s. Although he was only able to win one Grand Slam during his career, he still managed to reach the top of the rankings in 1996 thanks to a stellar run in 1995 which saw him win three Masters 1000 titles and the French Open.

The heart of the matter

Muster first commented on Rafael Nadal's well-documented rituals on the tennis court, stating that they did not make for pleasant viewing.

Rafael Nadal

"You cannot adjust everything 13 times like Rafael Nadal, you cannot watch him. It has something to do with nerves. It's like needing to have the same car and seat in a metropolitan, otherwise, I will not put myself at work."

Still on the topic of the Big 3, the Austrian acknowledged their dominance but criticized the quality of their opponents. Muster believes that the depth of the field today isn't as great as it should be, which is allowing the top player to dominate more than warranted.

"There are many top 15 players who do not belong to it. Andy Murray was injured, as well as Kei Nishikori. The quality you had there decreased."

Kei Nishikori (L) and Andy Murray

He then turned the topic on to money and social media and the impact they have had on the sport.

"Everything is photographed, shared on Instagram. I can't stand the digital world. Everyone gives his opinion on topics he does not know. There are rivalries in tennis only inside. But these hugs at the net, long speeches, these are ridiculous things."

"Tennis (has) lost its soul, it's like a car without motion. It has not a soul," he grimly concluded.

What's next?

Muster is not the only tennis expert who has decried the quality of the field on the ATP tour, because of which the Big 3 reign has been extended far beyond anyone could have imagined. These comments could possibly light a fire under the NextGen players, and motivate them to compete better at the Slams in 2020.