Rafael Nadal reflects on his rivalry against Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic: 'Pushed me to my limits all these years'

Nadal faced Djokovic and Federer a combined 100 times in his professional career.

During his recent visit to the United States, Rafael Nadal was honoured with the key to the city of Florida. During the event, the former Spanish tennis star did not forget to mention his two biggest rivals, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who helped him achieve significant success in the sport.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion said (via Tennis World USA), “Roger and Novak are two different personalities, but ultimately, they share a great passion and love for the sport. They are major rivals who pushed me to my limits all these years.”

Addressing his former archrivals, Nadal affirmed that Roger Federer and Djokovic share a very different style of play. According to Nadal’s admission, the Swiss Maestro has possessed a magical prowess and was an inspirational player in terms of talent and finesse.

Also Read: Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic? Rafael Nadal names player who was easier to face

Meanwhile, Djokovic’s hard work and high work ethic motivated him to compete against the top stars on the tour. However, Nadal also eventually claimed that both his top competitors shared a similar passion towards tennis.

The Spaniard spoke about the difference between his former rivals, “Roger was a somewhat more magical player in terms of pure talent and inspiration, while Novak is someone who is a bit more hard-working with a work ethic and a winning mentality that are difficult to surpass.”

The former Spanish tennis star faced Djokovic 60 times in his professional career, winning 29 matches. Their last official meeting was in the second round of the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Djokovic recorded a straight-set triumph.

Nevertheless, they also crossed paths against each other in the third-place match of the 2024 Six Kings Slam in Riyadh.

Also Read: Novak Djokovic makes yet another Roger Federer record his own after top-four finish in final ATP rankings of 2025

Meanwhile, Nadal played a total of 40 matches against Roger Federer, winning 24 times. They last locked horns in the 2019 Wimbledon Championships semifinals, where the 20-time Grand Slam champion won in four sets.

Following his performance at Wimbledon, Federer’s professional career suffered significant setbacks due to injuries.

He underwent three knee surgeries in 18 months, which eventually ended his career after a hiatus. Interestingly, Federer and Nadal teamed up against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock in the 2022 Laver Cup during the Swiss Maestro’s farewell game. Unfortunately, they lost the Laver Cup fixture against Team World.

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