Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has disclosed that he had a “clear” strategy when battling Roger Federer, but conceded it proved more “unpredictable” against Novak Djokovic. Nadal boasted an extraordinary career, claiming 22 Grand Slam titles before hanging up his racket in 2024 following persistent injury troubles. The Spaniard formed part of the legendary ‘Big Three’ with Federer and Djokovic, whilst Andy Murray frequently entered the discussion.
Following his retirement, Nadal has been tipped to mentor Carlos Alcaraz as the emerging Spanish talent appears poised to take up the mantle for his nation. Nadal has since looked back on his clashes with both Federer and Djokovic, acknowledging the Serbian presented the greater challenge.
Speaking to AS, Nadal explained: “With Federer, the plan was clear. Especially at the beginning: pressure his backhand with high balls repeatedly until he stood still, waiting for the next shot, and then I could switch to his forehand.
“It was a mental effort for me, because I often saw the shot going the other way, but I knew that repeating it on the backhand would tire him mentally. I didn’t always feel like using that tactic, but it was the most feasible.”
Federer remains amongst tennis’s most revered figures, having secured 20 Grand Slam crowns and meeting Nadal across 40 encounters.
Nadal dominated their head-to-head 24-16 yet struggled against Djokovic, who held a 31-29 advantage over his Spanish rival in their head-to-head encounters.
Nadal remained the undisputed master of clay, yet confessed that clashes with Djokovic were far less predictable than his battles with Federer.
“With Novak, it was more unpredictable,” he explained. “On clay, it was a bit more unpredictable than on hard courts.
“On hard courts, in my later years, when my body couldn’t handle certain efforts anymore, it was much harder. To have a chance, I needed my body to respond, and it wasn’t.
“I had to shorten points, and beating Novak in two or three shots was very difficult. I sometimes tried to be more aggressive with my serve, but it didn’t work.
“On clay, I did find solutions, and on grass, I also had chances, although I ended up losing those semi-finals. I felt my chances were better on clay or grass than on hard courts, especially in my later years.”
Djokovic remains active on the circuit, unlike Nadal and Federer, who haven’t graced the tour since 2024.
The Serbian is pursuing a historic 25th Grand Slam title, though the continued rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner is making life increasingly difficult for him.