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.”

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.”

Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, specializing in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he made his initial strides as a writer. Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like Roland Garros. His ability to report on real-time events and write under pressure has established him as a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA. Gianni earned his degree in Communication from Deportea in Buenos Aires, Argentina.