Rafael Nadal opened up about his exciting tennis career and rivalries in a recent podcast. Last year, he announced his retirement after winning 22 major titles, including a record 14 French Open trophies. With Nadal stepping away from the game, only Novak Djokovic remains from the famous “Big Three” of men’s tennis.
On Andy Roddick’s YouTube podcast, Nadal talked about his big rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. He believes his matches against Federer were more interesting for fans. Nadal explained, “My rivalry with Roger was more exciting because it had clear strategies.” He liked battling against Federer’s strong forehand while trying to break down his backhand.
Nadal said, “When Roger was hitting well, he would beat me. When I played well, I won.” He mentioned that he had more success against Federer on clay courts, while it was tougher on hard courts.
When it comes to playing Djokovic, Nadal felt differently. He said their games are not the same, and there’s no clear plan when he plays against Djokovic. “Against Novak, I have to play my best for a long time,” he explained. Nadal praised Djokovic’s incredible ball control, calling him “the best” at handling the ball. He had to change his tactics against Djokovic, like using more slices and playing to the middle of the court instead of giving Djokovic too many angles.
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