The 2020 US Open Men’s semifinals was the first time since 2004 that neither Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic (collectively tagged the “Big Three”) featured in the last four of a Grand Slam. Back then (in 2004), three Argentinians (David Nalbandian, Gastón Gaudio and Guillermo Coria) and one Englishman (Tim Henman) had reached the semifinal of the French Open. After that, everything changed as the Big Three domination truly began.
When Dominic Thiem clinched the US Open title last year in 2020, thereby winning his maiden Grand Slam title, he ended an incredible run of 14 consecutive Slams won by one member or the other of the Big Three. The last player before Thiem who wasn’t part of the holy trinity and went on to bag a Slam title was Stanislas Wawrinka, when he won the 2016 US Open.
Let’s take a quick look at just how completely and utterly one sided results in Men’s singles Grand Slam have been over the last 16 years and one Slam played this year in 2021:
Overall, since 2005 till now (counting the 2021 Australian Open), there have been 64 Grand Slam tournaments played (4 Slams per year minus the 2020 Wimbledon which was cancelled due to COVID-19). Out of this the Big Three (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic) have won a whopping 54 titles.
The only other players who have managed to register their names on the Grand Slam champions’ list since 2005 are Marat Safin (2005 Aus Open), Juan Martin del Potro (2009 US Open), Andy Murray (2012 US Open, 2013 Wimbledon & 2016 Wimbledon), Stanislas Wawrinka (2014 Aus Open, 2015 French Open & 2016 US Open), Marin Cilic (2014 US Open) and Dominic Thiem (2020 US Open). All of them combined have won just 10 Slams out of the 64 played since 2005 till now.

Out of the 52 titles that Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have shared between themselves since 2005 till now, Federer has won 17, Nadal has won 20 and Djokovic has snapped up 18. Federer’s total tally of Slam titles is 20. He won three of them before 2005 (2003 Wimbledon, 2004 Australian Open & Wimbledon).
As things stand right now, Federer and Nadal are locked at 20 Slam titles each and hold the joint record for Men’s singles Slam titles. Federer last won a Grand Slam title at the 2018 Australian Open. Nadal extended his record at the French Open to 13 titles last year and equalled Federer on 20 Slam titles overall. Djokovic meanwhile has 18 Slam titles, after winning the 2021 Australian Open. He was the only one among the Big Three in the tournament’s semi-finals draw this time, after Nadal lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarters. Federer had pulled out of the tournament. He in fact hasn’t competed since the 2020 Australian Open, where he lost in the semi-finals to eventual champion Djokovic. Since then he has undergone two right knee surgeries.