The 2022 Laver Cup booked its place in history for three reasons: the Big Four — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray — all played on the same team, Roger Federer officially retired from tennis, and Team World finally beat Team Europe.

None of that has ever happened before.

Prior to the tournament, the news focused on Federer’s last match and the overwhelming talent on Team Europe. Never before had the four best tennis players of the last two decades been on one team. Nadal and Djokovic alone won the last six out of eight Grand Slams. Rankings wise, Team Europe had the World No.2, No.3, No.6, and No.7, while Team World’s highest ranked player was No.12 Taylor Fritz. But despite trailing 4-8 on the third day, Team World rallied to win all three matches on Sept. 25, clinching their first win at the Laver Cup.

The Big Four, for all their hype, fell short. In Federer’s last match, with doubles partner Nadal, the Swiss Maestro failed to convert match point on his serve and lost to two younger American players in the 10-point tiebreaker. Nadal withdrew from the tournament the next day for personal reasons. Djokovic, after a convincing couple of wins on the second day, fell in singles to a young Canadian. Murray dropped both of his matches to younger players. For all their accolades, the Big Four looked old and past their prime.

With this Laver Cup win and Federer’s retirement, the next generation of tennis players has finally taken over. Tennis fans everywhere, myself included, will miss Federer dearly, but it’s good to see the baton passed on to younger players like 24-year-old Frances Tiafoe and 22-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime, who contributed to Team World’s first win.

Tennis already has a new megastar, as well. Carlos Alcaraz, a 19-year-old Spanish player, became the first tennis player to win a Grand Slam since Rafael Nadal in 2005, and the only teenager to ever reach World No.1. Only a few months ago, Alcaraz beat Djokovic and Nadal back-to-back at the Madrid Open, the first time any player had toppled both greats in a row on clay.

Djokovic and Nadal will likely stay competitive for a few more seasons, but with Federer gone and new stars taking the lead, the Big Three era is over. The newest generation of tennis stars can finally forge their own legacies, create their own fanbases, and bring fresh life to the world of tennis.