Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have no doubt in their minds on who their toughest opponent is.
The pair have a combined 44 Grand Slam titles between and are two of the greatest players to ever set foot on a tennis court.
The Swiss Maestro has now retired while the 24-time Grand Slam champion is still battling it out with the rest of the ATP Tour as he looks to add to his very long list of achievements.
But when Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic reflect on their illustrious careers, there is one man who pushed them to their limit no more than any other, especially on one particular surface.
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic name Rafael Nadal as their toughest opponent
Federer and Djokovic engaged in a fascinating head-to-head rivalry that included 50 matches.
They pushed one another to be better and helped raise the standard of tennis. But they were not alone, as Rafael Nadal also played his role in a trio who were at the forefront for two decades.
They contested numerous Grand Slam finals, but Federer and Djokovic were unable to beat Nadal in the championship match at the French Open, despite numerous attempts.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that they named facing the Spaniard in a Roland Garros final as their toughest opponent.
“His lefty silly spin to my backhand – [it] has been a challenge for me to say the least,” Federer said at the 2022 Laver Cup.
While in New York the following year, he said: “I struggled against Rafa the most. Yeah, just because of his topspin and [him being a] lefty, you know.”
“I can’t take anybody else but Nadal as my biggest rival, regardless of the rankings or what is happening on the tour, just because of the history of our rivalry and everything,” Djokovic told the ATP in 2023. “Nadal and myself, we go back a long time so definitely he comes in front.”
What are Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic’s French Open final records against Rafael Nadal?
Nadal featured in 14 French Open finals, and seven of them came against Federer and Djokovic.
Federer played Nadal in the 2006 and 2007 finals, and he succumbed to a four-set defeat on both occasions.
In the 2008 final Federer won just four games in a straight sets loss, and Nadal claimed a 7-5 7-6(3) 5-7 6-1 in the 2011 championship match.
Djokovic first reached his first French Open final in 2012, where he took Nadal to four sets before the Spaniard won a rain-affected game to win a record-breaking seventh title in the French Capital.
Djokovic once again made the final in 2014 and managed to take the first set. But Nadal fought back and went on to claim a 3-6 7-5 6-2 6-4 win.
The pair’s last French Open final took place at the rescheduled event in 2020, in colder conditions. Many fancied Djokovic to win, but Nadal was flawless in a straight sets performance to win his 20th Grand Slam title.
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