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Rafael Nadal has been nothing but complimentary about his two biggest tennis rivals when he was asked about the key differences between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in a recent interview. Consisting of Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic, tennis' 'Big Three' had the sport in a chokehold during their period of dominance between the 2003 Wimbledon Championship and the 2023 US Open, with the trio claiming 66 of the 81 Grand Slams on offer during that time, sparking a label as the 'golden era' of tennis. Federer's doubles appearance alongside Nadal at the 2022 Laver Cup bookended a sparkling career which saw him claim 20 Grand Slams over a 24-year stint in the sport. Nadal then followed his rival into retirement just two years later in 2024. From the French Open to Wimbledon, the Spaniard proved a stern challenge for any and every opponent he faced, and left the sport having clinched 22 Grand Slams himself. Serbian Djokovic is the only player of the three to still be active, although he has recently succumbed to multiple semi-final defeats at the hands of the sport's newest stars, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Nevertheless, he is arguably the best of the trio, having won a record 24 Grand Slams, while also being the only player to have ever completed the Career Golden Masters, a feat he managed twice, by winning all nine active Masters 1000 tournaments. Rafael Nadal Discusses Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic Attending the 2025 America Business Forum, Nadal had nothing but kind words to say of his rivals when asked about the key differences between them both. “Well, I think that Roger is a person, and I would say a tennis player, a bit more from a magical point of view. From a point of view of pure talent and inspiration. And Novak, obviously, with enormous talent, but with a work ethic and a winning mentality that is difficult to compare. They’re different personalities, different ways of approaching careers, but on different paths taken to the limit and to excellence.” The 39-year-old also highlighted how the demands of competing against two greats forced one another to ensure they were at the top of their game, and that there was no margin for error.
