“If Federer hadn’t been there, Rafael would probably have won some more Wimbledon,” Toni Nadal talks about the Big Three’s careers coinciding and what negative effect it created

He talked about the Big Three's fierce rivalry.

“If Federer hadn’t been there, Rafael would probably have won some more Wimbledon,” Toni Nadal talks about the Big Three’s careers coinciding and what negative effect it created

Roger Federer, Toni Nadal and Rafael Nadal (Source: X)

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal‘s careers grew parallelly. Although Nadal turned pro a few years after Federer, the Spaniard soon caught up and, in fact, left the Swiss maestro behind. But until the time the two players competed against each other, it was a fierce rivalry but complete dominance by them.

Nadal and Federer used to win the title in almost every tournament. Novak Djokovic joined them too, and the three players dominated the Tour like no other trio. They were then called the Big Three of men’s tennis, and it remained the same way for quite a few years. 

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However, while the three players did not allow anyone to breach their respective fortresses, Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic pushed each other to the limit every time they met on the court. Their rivalry became folklore and is still cited as an example. 

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However, the fierce rivalry meant the three players finished with a lesser number of titles they could have won had they played in different Eras.

Nadal’s uncle Toni Nadal has made a similar claim as he has said that his nephew would have won more Wimbledon titles had Federer not been there. Toni says that Rafael was extremely talented and so were the other two players of the Big Three. 

My nephew is very talented because he is the player who has hit the best in uncomfortable positions, although he does not have the elegance of Federer. What is truly extraordinary is that the three best in history have coincided at the same time. It has helped them but 'the competition' also took away their trophies. If Federer had not been there, Rafael probably would have won one more Wimbledon.
Toni Nadal claimed. (H/T: ESPN)

Uncle Toni gives an update on Rafael Nadal’s retirement

While there used to be a time when the Big Three of men’s tennis used to entertain the fans with their consistent performances, it is not the case anymore. Roger Federer has retired and Rafael Nadal is on the verge of it. Novak Djokovic is also entering the last phase of his career.

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Toni Nadal and Rafael Nadal (Image via Imago)

While the Serbian still has a few years left, Nadal is only a few tournaments away from announcing his retirement. The 37-year-old is pushing hard to play at the 2024 Roland Garros, his best Grand Slam tournament. Fans speculate whether this could be the end of the road for Nadal; his uncle has shared an update.

Toni Nadal has claimed that if his nephew is going to the French Open, he would want to win it, and if that happens, there are chances that he might come back again next year. Otherwise, no one knows what will happen.

He is not going to drag himself down, he remains confident because of his mentality and way of being. He will not go to Roland Garros to lose in the second round, only if he believes he can win the tournament. His dream ending would be to win Roland Garros and retire, but I think if he does he will want to continue. He won't retire
Toni Nadal said about his nephew.

Notably, Nadal himself has not cleared the air on his retirement. It is to be seen if the Spaniard calls it quits this season or if there will be one more.

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