Casper Ruud claims each member of the Big 3 has a claim to the GOAT title, says what Rafael Nadal has done at Roland Garros is special
Casper Ruud recently spoke about a wide range of topics, including the GOAT debate and his time spent training with his idol Rafael Nadal in Mallorca.
Men's tennis has been dominated by the 'Big 3' -- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic -- since the early 2000s.
Djokovic won his 19th Grand Slam title this month to move to within one Major of Federer and Nadal's record of 20, adding further fuel to the GOAT debate.
Speaking to AS, Casper Ruud said each member of the 'Big 3' has a claim to the GOAT moniker. But the Norwegian was quick to highlight Rafael Nadal's haul of 13 titles at Roland Garros.
“This is a very difficult question, because each of the three has arguments to say that he is the best. What Nadal has done is special, because winning 13 times in a tournament like Roland Garros is incredible," Casper Ruud said.
"They are all three very good, and are among the 10 or 15 best in history. Not tennis, but all sport," Ruud added.
"It is a great place to train, stay in shape, and also relax" - Casper Ruud on Rafael Nadal's academy
Casper Ruud has made giant strides over the past year or so, climbing to a career-high No. 14 in the ATP rankings.
During this period, the Norwegian has often traded hits with Rafael Nadal at the Spaniard's academy. When asked to describe the experience of training at the famed academy, Ruud was lavish in his praise.
The Norwegian lauded the atmosphere at the Spaniard's academy and also claimed players could sometimes practise with Rafael Nadal himself.
"I train for two hours a day and then I have an hour and a half in the gym. It is a great place to train and stay in shape. It has everything to continue adding and also to relax, like the spas," Ruud said.
"If Nadal is around, you can rally with him from time to time. There are also hard days, but they help you improve. The atmosphere is very good."