Over the past two decades, the Big Three have defined an era in modern tennis. Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal dominated the ATP Tour, battling each other for the No. 1 ranking, Grand Slam titles, and every major honor in the sport.
Throughout their years of competition, the three legends developed a relationship built on mutual respect and professionalism, though it never quite reached the level of friendship. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Djokovic opened up about his dynamic with the Swiss and Spanish icons.
“Nadal is only a year older than me, and we’re both Geminis. At the beginning, we even had dinner together a couple of times, but even with him, friendship is impossible,” the Serbian said, explaining that the intensity of their rivalry prevented a closer bond.
“I’ve always respected and admired him greatly. Thanks to him and Federer, I grew and became who I am today. That will always connect us, and I’m very grateful for that. Nadal has been part of my life — I’ve seen him more than my mother over the past 15 years. We’ve never been friends. Between rivals, it’s impossible, but we’ve never been enemies,” he continued.
Rafael Nadal poses for a photo with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. (Getty Images)
Djokovic also shared words of admiration for Federer’s legacy in tennis, adding, “I’ve always respected Federer; he was one of the greatest of all time. He had an extraordinary impact, but I was never close to him”.
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Djokovic on competing against Sinner and Alcaraz
In the same interview, the Serbian also spoke about his current form and the growing challenge of competing against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the two rising stars who have recently gotten the better of him in head-to-head matchups.
“I can only do what I can,” Djokovic said. “It will be very difficult in the future to overcome the obstacle of Sinner and Alcaraz in best-of-five matches at the Grand Slams. I think I have a better chance in best-of-three formats, but over five sets, it’s tough. That said, I’m not planning to give up on the Grand Slams. I’ll keep fighting, trying to reach the finals and compete for at least one more trophy”.
Djokovic misses a big chance at the Shanghai Masters
With Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominating the ATP Tour, it has become increasingly difficult for Novak Djokovic to capture titles at major tournaments. However, the Shanghai Masters presented a golden opportunity, as both superstars were forced to withdraw due to injury.
The Serbian appeared to be the clear favorite to claim the trophy and secure the 101st title of his storied career. But in the semifinals, the World No. 204 Valentin Vacherot stunned everyone by defeating Djokovic in straight sets — and then went on to beat Arthur Rinderknech in the final to capture his first ATP title as a professional.
