"Tired about these questions, I feel happy to be part of both" - When Rafael Nadal hit out at constant comparison of rivalries with Federer & Djokovic
Rafael Nadal once expressed frustration with the incessant questions asking him to draw a comparison between his rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Nadal forged two of the sport's greatest and most compelling rivalries with Federer and Djokovic, as the trio, collectively known as the 'Big 3,' dominated men's tennis for two decades.
The Spaniard faced Federer 40 times, holding a 24-16 lead in their head-to-head record. Meanwhile, he has met Djokovic on 59 occasions, with the Serb enjoying a narrow 30-29 winning record.
Given his intense rivalries with both players, Rafael Nadal often faced inquires about comparing the two. He fielded the same question after his narrow 7-5, 7-6(4) loss to Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Italian Open.
However, the Spaniard expressed frustration with the repetitive line of questioning, emphasizing that he was happy to be a part of both rivalries.
"I answered that question so many times. You know, let's talk about all of this -- I'm tired about asking these kind of questions. The only answer for me now is I feel happy to be part of both rivalries," he said in his post-match press conference.
"You know, have been both special ones and that's it. And we're gonna talk about that when we finish our careers. Hopefully not very soon," he added.
Nadal also humorously remarked that he felt both "lucky and unlucky" to be playing alongside great champions like Federer and Djokovic.
"And that's it. No, no, I feel lucky and unlucky at the same time to be at the same moment than those great players," he said.
"Elegance against a warrior" - Rafael Nadal on his rivalry with Roger Federer being more popular than that with Novak Djokovic
Despite Rafael Nadal's earlier reluctance to compare his rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, he addressed why his rivalry with the Swiss is more popular than either of their rivalries with the Serb in an interview with El Pais in January 2024.
The Spaniard attributed the widespread appeal of their rivalry to Federer's "radical" and contrasting styles of play, saying that the Swiss was "perfection" on an aesthetic level.
"It is a very radical combination of styles. Federer was perfection on an aesthetic level, on a level of elegance, on a technical level. have very good technique, a lot of it, but technique is not the same as aesthetics," he said.
"They are two different things. He had an incredible technique, making things very beautiful with impressive elegance," he added.
Nadal also highlighted how Federer's "elegance" pitted against his own "warrior"-like demeanor. He emphasized that this contrast, combined with their battles on the biggest stages of the sport, elevated their rivalry to an unmatched level.
"When I arrived, he was number one in the world, and he got a rival with long hair and an exuberant physique. Elegance against a warrior. There was a pack of combinations of personalities and styles," he said.
"And that, together with the fact that we have played many games on the most important stages, turned our rivalry into something that transcended more than any other duel," he added.