The Big 3 have dominated men’s tennis for the past fifteen years, winning 57 Grand Slam titles. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are currently represented in 20 majors after the Spanish phenomenon became the 13th
Time in his career at Roland Garros by making it to the world’s number 1 final, Novak Djokovic, destroyed. The Serb, on the other hand, who still has 17 Grand Slams, can comfort himself after finishing the season for the sixth time in the overall ranking of the ATP rankings (which corresponds to his idol Pete Sampras).
There is no doubt that the triumphs of the big three increased the popularity of tennis, but still prevented many excellent players from winning what they deserved. Among them are certainly Fernando Gonzalez placeholder imagewho beat Federer only once (at the Masters at the end of 2007) and Nadal three times.
Seven of the Chilean’s twelve defeats to King Roger came in the quarter-finals or later in the tournament, not to mention the Swiss preventing him from winning his first Grand Slam at the 2007 Australian Open.
Instead, it was Nadal who blocked his way at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, which sealed the Mallorcan’s rise to the top of men’s tennis after his triumph at Wimbledon. In an interview with Santo Tomas, the former number 5 in the world is delighted that she fought the best of all time.
González: “Happy to have fought with the Big 3”
“Maybe I played in the most difficult era of all time” – began the South American. “If Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray hadn’t existed, I would probably have more prizes and trophies at home, but I think it was an experience that really enriched me,” added Gonzalez.
Djokovic and Nadal will also be the men to beat at the 2021 Australian Open, which is expected to start in February, while Federer’s future looks bleak. The 20-time Grand Slam champion could choose not to travel to Melbourne to attend the Australian Open. Photo credit: Getty Images
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