Spanish legend Rafael Nadal recently shed light on his approach to tennis, which he believes aligns with Roger Federer’s mindset. He also spoke about the Big Three era, during which he, Federer, and Novak Djokovic dominated, and how the evolution of tennis has taken place.
The icon also made his return to the court for a practice session with the current world No. 50, Alexandra Eala, who had graduated from the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2023.
Rafael Nadal Speaks on His Mindset, Intensity of the Big Three Era, and the Evolution of Tennis
During his recent interview with Jorge Valdano on Universo Valdano, Nadal shared his thoughts on the Big Three Era, a moniker given to him, Federer, and Djokovic, who were the top-notch, elite players in tennis for more than 15 years.
Furthermore, the Manacor native also reflected on the intensity of the rivalry period and how the three influenced each other to achieve more and elevate the competition. He mentioned,
“We came from Pete Sampras, who had 14 Grand Slams. It’s only human that someone from our generation, when they reached 14, might have thought they’d reached the peak. Since there were three of us, not two, there was never any room for complacency. The demands were extremely high. We never stopped pushing each other. You couldn’t afford to throw away tournaments.”
Nadal reflected on how the American Hall of Famer, Pete Sampras, set the standard high by winning 14 men’s singles majors. This record was later surpassed by Federer, who won 20 major men’s singles titles. Then the Spanish icon broke the record with 22 major slams, and Djokovic now stands with 24 major titles.
Nadal further highlighted how their contest led them to compete at the major tournaments: “That’s the greatness of our era. We were always in the final rounds competing for the most important tournaments. I don’t think one of us alone could have done it.”
Considering his tennis strategy in alignment with his longtime on-court rival, Federer, and how the game is evolving, Nadal added, “I don’t think it would change that much. The world evolves, and the way the game is played is a little different. You hit harder, you serve harder. I still believe in intuition, not playing like a robot trying to guess based on statistics. It’s something I discussed with Federer, and he didn’t like having too much information.”
In October 2025, Nadal was honored with an honorary doctorate from the prestigious University of Salamanca. The public research University is one of the oldest institutions, having been established in 1218 by King Alfonso IX, King of Leon.
