It’s rare to find a player who can boast victories over tennis icons like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic—let alone one who never reached the ATP Top 10. Former Slovakian star Dominik Hrbaty holds the distinction of not only defeating the “Big Three” but also maintaining a positive head-to-head record against all three.
Hrbaty’s legacy doesn’t stop there. He is the only player in tennis history to secure wins against Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Andy Murray, Andre Agassi, and Pete Sampras. That’s an astonishing feat for a player whose highest ATP ranking was No. 12.
Adding to his resume, Hrbaty holds an unmatched record: he remains the only player in history who doesn’t have a losing head-to-head against any of the four modern tennis greats. Against Nadal, he leads 3-1; against Federer, he’s up 2-1; he’s undefeated against Murray (1-0), and he’s tied with Djokovic at 1-1.
“It’s a spectacular statistic, it’s true, but it’s part of history. The past is the past,” Hrbaty told Relevo in 2023. “There’s no doubt I did something right because stats like these ensure I’m remembered as a solid tennis player”.
Dominik Hrbaty of the Slovak Republic in action during his match against Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Heineken Open at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland. (Dean Treml/Getty Images)
Hrbaty’s close call with the Top 10
It’s remarkable that a player with such an impressive record never broke into the ATP Top 10. Hrbaty’s career-high was World No. 12, but he came within a point of breaking through in 2001.
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That year, at the Dubai Open, Hrbaty faced Juan Carlos Ferrero in the semifinals. A victory would have catapulted him into the Top 10, but Ferrero ultimately prevailed. Ferrero went on to win the title after Marat Safin retired in the final due to injury.
Reflecting on his near miss, Hrbaty remains unfazed. “It’s not something that bothers me today,” he said, more than 20 years later. “I think my peers from that era remember me as a Top 10-caliber player, regardless of what the rankings said”.
Why Nadal was ‘easy’ for Hrbaty
Among the Big Three, Hrbaty had the greatest success against Rafael Nadal, boasting a 3-1 record against the Spaniard. The Slovak admitted that Nadal’s playing style worked in his favor.
“Playing against Rafa Nadal was very easy for me,” Hrbaty admitted. “Rafa always played his forehand to my backhand, which helped me take control of the match because I rarely missed. Then, when I imposed my flat, deep forehand, it caused him a lot of trouble. Plus, his serve didn’t punish me much”.
Hrbaty also shared that he thrived against Spanish players in general, citing their preference for topspin-heavy games as a significant advantage for his style. “In reality, Rafa was the perfect rival for me—left-handed, which I always preferred over right-handed players, and Spanish, which I handled well,” Hrbaty added. “I remember wins against Félix Mantilla, Álex Corretja, Carlos and Albert Costa. Spanish players love to spin the ball, and that suited me perfectly”.
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Hrbaty against the ‘Big Three’
Hrbaty’s connection to Federer goes beyond the court. The two have shared a friendship since their youth, and Hrbaty holds Federer in the highest regard. “Roger and I have been friends since we were very young. He was special with the racket,” Hrbaty said of the Swiss legend.
“He did things you can’t teach, and that’s something coaches still don’t fully understand,” he continued. “You can’t play tennis like Roger. You can’t think like him, see the court like him, or hit like him. He’s Roger, and we’re not”.
Hrbaty acknowledged that beating Federer was nearly impossible when the Swiss was at his peak. “If Roger was having a good day, you had no chance,” Hrbaty admitted. “His shots were from another universe. But if he was under pressure, there were slim opportunities. When he was against the ropes, Roger could falter”.
In contrast, Hrbaty described Nadal and Djokovic as relentless competitors. “Rafa was like a pit bull—he would bite and never let go until you suffocated. He never gave up, and if you wanted to win a point, you had to earn it,” Hrbaty said. “Novak had that same consistency, but he also added a style similar to mine, with hard shots, patience, and long rallies”.
