End of an era

The last time it happened was in early 2005 at the Australian Open. A decade has gone by since a grand slam final will not feature at least one of Federer, Nadal, Novak or Murray. As staggering as that piece of stat is, it puts in perspective the dominance of the quartet that ushered in the golden era in men's tennis. As with all good things, the end of this hegemony seems near and the gong has been beaten. And how. Not many saw Maran  Cilic and Kei Nishikori upset the top two seeds in a day and the way Cilic blasted Roger off the court was a sight to behold. We will have four separate grand slam champions on the men's side this year and two of them would be outside the big four. The open era should truly be open very soon but the proponents of a rivalry that amazed us over the last few years can stand proud in what they have achieved. As for the prediction for the champion, Kei may have the legs but Maran should comfortably pull the rug from underneath those with serves that remind one of his coach's exploits.

When you part ways, you play your part better. Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki may have called it quits but it certainly aint showing in their games. Rory shot down the field to bag the Open Championships and is now widely considered to be the man to beat on a golf course. He is the numero uno in the standings and the front runner to top the birdie and eagle charts when it comes to the majors. His erstwhile fiancee, Caro the Dane did not live up to her billing while she was number one on the WTA rankings. Having not won a grand slam, she was always considered to be at the top by the design of her fellow players rather than her own doing. She will have a good chance to undo that blot today. She goes up against the indefatigable Serena Williams for the US Open crown and while she will be the underdog, reputations count for little on this grand stage as a couple of fighters showed on the men's side of the draw. Serena would try to blast her off with her serves but if the number 10 seed can get a reasonable number of returns back, we may have a game on our hands.

Louis van Gaal's initiation has been stiffer than expected. Many believed he would be the rainmaker for the struggling devils in the new season but has not been able to hit the ground running. With two losses and a draw in the first three games, a repeat of last season's horror show raises its ugly head in the minds of the Old Trafford faithful. He has roped in the charismatic Di Maria to inject some much needed boost at front but whether the Argentine can prove to be an "Angel" for the Dutchman is a question only time will answer. Chelsea and Liverpool have started well, the former buoyed with Diego Costa's form and the latter untroubled with the departure of Luis Suarez. Swansea have been the surprise table leaders with three wins out of three but with the season in its infancy, the listings will change quickly. Liverpool have drawn Real Madrid in the Champion's League group fixtures and while both will hope to qualify for next round, a hiccup for either side may mean early curtains at the European stage.