Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are widely regarded as three of tennis’ all-time greats (Image: Getty)
The debate over which member of tennis’ ‘Big Three’ deserves to be crowned the greatest of all time shows no sign of ever being settled. Eras blur, numbers stack up and loyalties harden. But for former professional Steve Darcis, there is no debate at all. The Belgian – forever etched into Wimbledon folklore after his shock win over Rafael Nadal in 2013 – had the rare distinction of facing the Spaniard, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic when each was operating at the peak of their powers.
Few players can claim to have stood across the net from all three in their prime. Fewer still can articulate the difference. Each match offered Darcis a revealing – and often brutal – education in elite greatness, exposing the subtle and not-so-subtle traits that made the trio so dominant for so long. Yet among those encounters, one stood apart. One left Darcis feeling not merely outplayed, but utterly powerless. “The best for me by far is Roger. He killed me,” the 41-year-old said, speaking exclusively to Express Sport.
“I played Rafa… he will usually beat you, but even if you lose 6-2, 6-2, there are [lots of] rallies. You have the feeling that you probably cannot win, but that you are not so far [away from winning].
“It’s the same with Djokovic,” he added. “I played him a few times, I could have won sets, I was serving for the set one time. I had a few chances. Even if you lose at the end, you feel like you’ve played tennis – it’s just that he is better than you. He is more solid, mentally stronger. But you have the feeling you are not so far.
“But with Roger, if he is in a good day, you have the feeling that you cannot play tennis. After 30 minutes it’s already 6-1, 3-0. It’s very tough.”
Steve Darcis is a former two-time Davis Cup finalist (Image: Getty)
Darcis is quick to acknowledge that, when measured purely in silverware, Djokovic’s claim to the greatest-of-all-time crown is difficult to argue against. The numbers, he admits, tell a compelling story. But in his own mind, the hierarchy remains unchanged – and Federer still sits at the very top.
“If you have to pick someone [as the greatest of all time], you have to read the statistics. And there is only one guy who is winning all the statistics. This is Djokovic. But if you ask me which is the best player in one match, I think it’s Federer.”
Across a 17-year professional career, Darcis carved out a solid presence on the ATP Tour, winning two titles and helping Belgium reach two Davis Cup finals. But his legacy is defined less by longevity than by one extraordinary afternoon at the All England Club in 2013.
Darcis famously beat Nadal in the first round of Wimbledon in 2013 (Image: Getty)
Darcis walked onto Court One as a virtual unknown, ranked 130 places below Nadal. The Spaniard arrived as one of the tournament’s leading contenders, fresh from another French Open triumph and expected to cruise through the early rounds.
Instead, Darcis delivered one of the greatest shocks SW19 has ever witnessed, dismantling his opponent in straight sets. It was Nadal’s first-ever first-round defeat at a Grand Slam – and a result that ensured the name Steve Darcis would never be forgotten.
“I was thinking the same thing as everybody else might [when the draw was made],” Darcis admitted. “It’s a bad draw, I’m not going to be here long. I’m soon going to be at home.
Darcis’ win sent shockwaves around SW19 (Image: Getty)
“But then I thought to myself, I’m playing good, let’s try and let’s play my game, not his. I wanted to risk a little bit more, to go for it, because if you want to play the rally against Rafa you know you have no chance. I really tried to push myself to be a bit more aggressive.”
Darcis sealed the greatest victory of his career with a 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 triumph. For a brief moment, it was pure euphoria – the shock of Wimbledon, the downfall of Nadal, the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. But the high barely lasted.
Midway through the match, something had already gone wrong. A sharp pain shot through Darcis’ shoulder, growing steadily worse as the contest wore on. By the time he left the court, adrenaline was the only thing keeping his arm moving at all.
After beating Nadal, Darcis was out injured for the best part of a year (Image: Getty)
The upset that stunned the tennis world came at a devastating personal cost. In toppling Nadal, Darcis had torn a ligament in his shoulder. The damage forced him to withdraw from the tournament immediately and would ultimately sideline him for an entire year, requiring surgery and a long, punishing recovery.
“I had really bad shoulder pain during the match. I had this pain for two games and then it was over. But like 10 minutes after the match I couldn’t lift my shoulder,” he recalled. “After the match I knew it was really bad, I couldn’t move my arm… I had a torn ligament, I had to have surgery and I couldn’t play for one year.
“It was one of the best wins of my life, but it started one of the worst years… I tried everything to keep playing, injection, to have a small chance, but when my coach threw me the first ball of the practice two days after I couldn’t hit the ball. It was bad. Mentally, I was feeling very bad.”
A victory that should have opened every door instead closed them all – leaving Darcis with immortality in Wimbledon folklore, and the lonely cost of what it took to get there.
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