Tennis has seen the rise of many greats, from its early days to modern stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. But few rivalries compare to the legendary “Big Three” era of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer—a trio that defined an era of excellence. Nadal was asked to name the toughest rival of his career between the Swiss maestro and the Serbian superstar.
With 22 Grand Slam titles and 209 weeks as the world’s No. 1, Nadal’s career has been shaped by the intense rivalries that pushed him to his limits. Early on, his battles with Federer took center stage, but as time passed, Djokovic emerged as another formidable opponent.
Nadal and Djokovic have faced off an astonishing 60 times, with Djokovic holding a slight edge at 31 wins to Nadal’s 29. Meanwhile, Nadal and Federer met in 40 matches, with Nadal leading their head-to-head 24-16.
Nadal reflects on Federer and Djokovic
In an interview with AS, Nadal opened up about how he views his rivalries with Federer and Djokovic. “Djokovic is the player I’ve faced the most, but for me, my greatest rival has been Federer,” Nadal admitted. “When I arrived on the circuit, it was Federer who was there first. During the years when I was at my best in every sense, it was Roger and Novak. But in the early years, which shape you in a special way, Roger was always there.”
Rafael Nadal during his semi final round match against Roger Federer at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. (IMAGO / ABACAPRESS)
Nadal elaborated further on why his rivalry with Federer felt unique. “With Roger, it’s clear—it was because of the sharp contrast in styles and the way we approached the game and the sport,” he explained. “With Novak, it’s been an incredible challenge. He’s a player who has maintained a very high level and improved every year. The numbers show he’s the best, which means his tennis level has been the best, and he’s also managed to stay the furthest away from injuries.”
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Praising the next generation
While Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic have dominated for years, the torch is beginning to pass to the next generation. Nadal singled out Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the standout talents of this new era.
“They’re both above the rest,” Nadal said of Alcaraz and Sinner. “I don’t see any rival who can consistently challenge them. On any given day, of course, there are many great players. But in the medium term, there’s no one who can truly compete with them, provided they stay injury-free and continue performing at this level.”
