New Delhi, June 27 -- For years before Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal retired, fans of men's tennis obsessed about the coming vacuum at the apex of the sport. Then, at seemingly thunderbolt service speed, the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry blossomed. Their riveting five-set final at the French Open last year was lauded as among the finest ever played. The gods evidently love tennis.

If further proof were needed of a sport that has the gods watching over it, this year's topsy-turvy French Open showcased plenty of young talent in the men's game. Ahead of the tournament, Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal because of a persistent wrist injury made a Sinner victory seem a foregone conclusion. But, Sinner's meltdown in the second round after be...