Meet David Nalbandian: Only player to defeat tennis 'Big 3' in same tournament

David Nalbandian completed an iconic hat-trick to win the 2007 Madrid Masters.

Nearly two decades of tennis were dominated by the “Big 3”, which consisted of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. The trio shared 66 Grand Slam titles amongst themselves, and are recognsied as legends of the sport, widely across the world.

In an era dominated by the legendary trio, where even defeating one of them was considered as monumental as winning a Grand Slam, an unlikely hero emerged from the shadows.

Against all odds, he conquered not one, but all three giants of the game. Today, we take an in-depth look at his extraordinary journey.

Who is David Nalbandian?

Born in Unquillo, Córdoba Province, Argentina, David Nalbandian comes from a rich heritage with Armenian and Italian roots. On the junior circuit, he reached the World No. 1 ranking and pulled off a stunning victory over fellow rising star Roger Federer to clinch the US Open boys’ singles title.

When he turned pro in 2000, he made headlines with impressive outings against seasoned players like Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt.

He achieved a career-high ATP ranking of World No. 3 in 2006 and reached the Wimbledon final in 2002. Remarkably, he remains the only Argentine man to have reached the semifinals or better at all four Grand Slam tournaments. Known for his elegant two-handed backhand and sharp tactical acumen, Nalbandian is often regarded as one of the finest players never to have won a Grand Slam title.

The historic 2007 Madrid Masters Run

In 2007, David Nalbandian dropped out of the top-20 ATP rankings for the first time and entered the 2007 Madrid Masters ranked World No. 26. His campaign in Madrid began with a tough three-set win over Arnaud Clément; after that, he defeated Tomáš Berdych and Juan Martín del Potro to reach the quarterfinals.

There, he faced Rafael Nadal and produced a stunning performance to win 6–1, 6–2. In the semifinals, he outplayed Novak Djokovic 6–4, 7–6(4), showcasing his trademark backhand and relentless baseline play.

The final saw Nalbandian drop the first set to then World No. 1 Roger Federer, but he stormed back to win 1–6, 6–3, 6–3, completing the unprecedented sweep of the Big 3 in consecutive matches. This run is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in ATP Masters history.

Overall career

In addition to winning his second ATP Masters 1000 title, Nalbandian won a total of 11 ATP singles titles in his career, including the 2005 ATP Tour Finals, where he defeated Federer after being down two sets. Nalbandian was a consistent top-10 performer for five years and took Argentina to the Davis Cup final three times.

As with several others from this generation, he never captured a Grand Slam, so he retired as one of those who never lived up to their promise in the big tournaments.

Retirement and onwards

Recurring injuries, especially shoulder injuries, plagued David Nalbandian’s career and forced him to retire at 31 in 2013.

Nalbandian will be remembered for his dazzling shot-making, explosions, and temper tantrums, perhaps best exemplified when he was disqualified from the 2012 Queen’s Club final after accidentally cutting a line judge with his racquet. There were other potential reasons for a quick retirement.

After retiring from professional tennis, Nalbandian channeled his highly competitive nature into rock racing in his native Argentina to achieve an entirely different goal away from the big international tennis stage. Nalbandian’s legacy is still felt today.

His classic performance at the 2007 Madrid Masters – in which he became the first and only man to beat Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic in consecutive matches – confirmed his status as tennis’s most fascinating and enigmatic icon.

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