Novak Djokovic gets honest on how Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer rivalries 'toughened' him

Novak Djokovic recently opened up about his world-renowned rivalry with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The three men are popularly called the 'Big 3' by the tennis fraternity due to massive accolades that separated them from the rest of the pack.

Djokovic is the last man standing out of the Big 3 with Federer having retired in 2022 and Nadal recently hanging up his racket at the Davis Cup Finals this year. The three men revolutionized the sport with their tennis leaving the world in awe. They share a staggering 66 Grand Slams, with Djokovic leading with 24 ahead of the Spaniard (22) and the Swiss (20).

During an interview with GQ magazine, Djokovic credited the Swiss Maestro and El Matador with being monumental in his career and instrumental in his success. The 37-year-old leads both men in head-to-head. He is up 27-23 against Federer and 31-29 against Nadal.

"Well, I don’t see them. I don’t see them much. But the rivalry that we had between the three of us, the rivalries are eternal, I think. It’s just something that leaves an incredible mark and legacy on this sport. Something that will last forever. Something that I’m very proud of, very happy to be part of that group," Novak Djokovic said.

"They’ve been an integral part of my success and the history that I made of the sport. The rivalries with them have toughened me up like nothing has done throughout my career. So that’s on the tennis side."

The Serb found himself behind Fedal (a nickname given to Federer and Nadal's pair) for the majority of his career. In 2010, Djokovic only had one Grand Slam to his name while Nadal had nine and Federer led with 16.

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"I do wish to have a drink or two with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal" - Novak Djokovic

The Big 3 at the Laver Cup (Source: Getty)

During the same interview, Novak Djokovic also expressed his desire to have a deep and meaningful conversation with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, where they would candidly discuss what they used to and currently think of one another and their illustrious rivalry.

“I do wish to have a drink or two with them and just open up and talk about the things that annoyed (laughs) annoyed everyone about me! Or vice versa, whatever it is. Let’s just put it all out there."

The World No. 7 thought it would send a beautiful message to sports fans all over the world, having three of the best to grace their sport, enjoying a fun time together. It is worth noting that Federer and Nadal have shared a close relationship over the years. The Swiss also penned a long emotional note for the Spaniard ahead of the final tournament of his career.

“I hope that in some kind of environment that is really relaxing, one day we can all open up and reflect. It would be great for us. But also I think it would send a great message to the people who follow tennis and sports that, hey, three of us getting together.”

However, Djokovic has not retired yet. The Serb is chasing bigger history at the 2025 Australian Open, where he is bidding to win an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam. He is set to face Nishesh Basavareddy in the opening round. Interestingly, he is in the same section as third seed Carlos Alcaraz, who could be his quarterfinal opponent.