The last two and a half decades of men’s tennis were defined by the Big Three. Roger Federer was the first to emerge on the circuit, followed a few years later by Rafael Nadal, and then shortly after by Novak Djokovic. All three were fierce competitors with distinct styles and operated under the clear understanding that they would not have achieved such heights without the presence of their great rivals.
It is clear that all three would have been great champions, but the reality is that they constantly pushed each other to the limit in their quest to win, making them lethal competitors. This competitive pressure is easy to understand when one considers that before the Big Three’s emergence, the all-time leader in Grand Slam titles was Pete Sampras with 14 crowns.
Djokovic currently holds 24 Majors and, in the final stretch of his career, dreams of reaching number 25. Rafael Nadal retired in 2024 with 22 Majors, and Roger Federer did the same in 2022 with 20 Grand Slam titles.
On the court, they were massive rivals who competed for absolutely everything, but the relationship among the three was fundamentally based on respect, which remains one of the great legacies these legends left, alongside their immense title haul.
Nadal poses for a photo with Federer and Djokovic on Court Philippe-Chatrier. (Getty Images)
“I feel happy to have been able to be part of this history. Without taking any merit away from Sinner and Alcaraz, who want to do things well, I think we have contributed to new generations being able to think that one can be a fierce competitor without needing to hate the rival. You can have a relationship that is not one of friendship, but excellent. It is a good legacy that we leave in an era of maximum competition,” Nadal emphasized during an interview with Jorge Valdano on Universo Valdano.
Nadal on his relationship with Djokovic and Federer
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There is no doubt that the rivalry among the members of the Big Three is the greatest in tennis history, as all three players mutually helped each other reach the supreme level they displayed on the court.
Nadal explained that initially, the competition among the three was lived more intensely, but that things softened over the years as they all matured, leading to a healthy rivalry.
“I believe you go through phases; in the end, when you are younger, you live everything in a much more intense way. Then with the years, things soften, we all grow up, and I believe the positive thing about our era is that we have ended our careers and we can go out to dinner together without any problem, and I think that is something to be proud of,” explained the 14-time Roland Garros champion.
“In the end, we have been competing at the highest level, for the most important things you can compete for in our sport, and aside from the very marked rivalries, we have not taken them to the extreme. I believe the rivalries stayed on the court and the personal relationships were always of respect, admiration, and I believe even a certain friendship toward the rivals,” he concluded.