The “Big Three” of Tennis – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have ruled the court for nearly two decades, sharing 65 men’s major singles titles among themselves. The trio has faced each other in fierce clashes on numerous occasions, pushing each other beyond the limit.
Roger Federer was the first of the Big Three to step down from the tennis court, calling an end to a dazzling career with 20 Grand Slams to his name. However, former women’s top 10 player Andrea Petkovic believes that if the other two had not pushed Federer, he would not have accomplished such a prestigious feat in his career.
Andrea Petkovic on Roger Federer’s success
Roger Federer is widely known across the globe as one of the best players to ever grace the tennis court. The Swiss maestro has won many accolades throughout his career that lasted over 20 years, including 20 Grand Slams and a record eight Wimbledon titles.
Truly, Roger’s toughest adversaries across his incredible career were none other than Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Former German player Andrea Petkovic believes that a lot of Roger’s success is attributed to the competition Rafa and Nole presented.
“If we go back to 2009, when Roger Federer broke Sampras’ number. If Rafa Nadal & Novak Djokovic hadn’t appeared, Roger would’ve stopped at 17 Slams. 100%. We would’ve never seen these numbers,” Petkovic said.
Petkovic says Federer would’ve stopped at 17 Slams if Nadal & Djokovic weren’t there:
“If we go back to 2009, when Roger Federer broke Sampras' number. If Rafa Nadal & Novak Djokovic hadn't appeared, Roger would've stopped at 17 Slams. 100%. We would've never seen these numbers”… pic.twitter.com/1FweKrt9VT
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 13, 2023
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic Grand Slam accolades
Being the oldest, Roger Federer was the first to announce his retirement from professional tennis. Roger was the first-ever male player to break Pete Sampras’s record of 14 career Grand Slams and eventually extended his record to 20.
Rafael Nadal was soon to follow and match Roger’s record with a victory in the 2020 French Open, and he even took it a level beyond. Currently, Nadal is the king of the clay court, having won 14 French Open titles out of his 22 Grand Slams.
Then there’s Novak. The Serbinator matched Roger’s record of 20 Grand Slams with his victory in the 2020 Wimbledon. Novak went on to surpass everyone by winning the Australian Open and the French Open in 2023, extending his Grand Slam accolades to 23. The 36-year-old currently holds the most Grand Slam titles in men’s tennis and is sitting just behind Margaret Court’s record for the most Grand Slam titles of all time (24).
Whether Petkovic’s comments are justified or not, no one can deny that these three have been the greatest players on the court the world has ever seen. And it’s not just made up; their achievements and accolades in court speak for themselves!
Who is the greatest tennis player of all time in your opinion? Don’t forget to let us know in the comments section.
