Rafael Nadal once picked between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as his toughest opponent of all time.
The era of the ‘Big Three’ is coming to an end, with Djokovic being the only one that is still actively playing tennis after Nadal retired in 2024 and Federer two years earlier. Between them, they have won 66 Grand Slams with 18 Australian Opens, 18 French Opens, 13 US Opens, and 17 Wimbledon titles. Djokovic could still increase this number, as he faces world number one Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals on Friday, the 11th of July.
It’s safe to say that over the 2000s and 2010s, no one has come close to Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer. There is a constant debate as to which one is the best, but the Spaniard had his say on the argument after spending most of his career battling the pair.
What Rafael Nadal Has Said About Toughest Opponent
He initially sat on the fence, but eventually named just one.
When originally asked who his toughest opponents ever were, he sat on the fence by saying: “I would say Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
“My career is linked to both of them; the three of us have pushed each other to be better. That is why we have been able to have such a long career.”
But he did choose one over the other as his greatest rival… eventually.
Out of the two, Djokovic has the better head-to-head record against Nadal. They faced each other 60 times, with the Serb leading 31-29. He also won 15-13 in finals. However, at the majors, Nadal leads 11-7, with the record being 5-4 to Nadal in major finals. Federer and Nadal, meanwhile, played each other 40 times, with the Spaniard leading 24-16 overall and 14-10 in finals.
However, despite having a poorer record against Djokovic, Nadal has chosen Federer as his biggest rival.
“Djokovic is the player I’ve faced the most, but for me, my greatest rival has been Federer. When I first hit the circuit, Federer was already there. During my peak years, it was both Roger and Novak. But in those formative early years, Roger was always present. With Roger, it’s clear, our contrasting styles and approach to the game made him my rival.
“With Novak, it’s been an incredible challenge. He’s a player who has consistently performed at a high level and improved year-on-year. The stats prove he’s the best, which means his tennis skills have been superior, and he’s also managed to stay injury-free the longest.”
Nadal has gone for Federer, however, this definitely won’t stop the debate about who is the greatest out of the big three.
