‘I played Federer, Nadal and Djokovic – one gave me worst experience’ | Tennis | Sport

The debate about who the best is between Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer may never end – but Dominic Thiem has no doubt about who gave him the toughest challenge. Thiem, who retired in 2024, captured his sole Grand Slam title at the 2020 US Open, but he might have added more trophies to his cabinet if not for one recurring obstacle: Nadal.

The Austrian fell to Nadal in two French Open finals, in 2018 and 2019, and has described facing the ‘King of Clay’ on his favoured surface as one of the most grueling experiences of his career. “If you’re Rafa’s opponent in the Paris final, they don’t make it easy for you,” Thiem said on the Business of Sport podcast last month. “The presenter starts mentioning his titles: 2005, 2006, 2007… and the crowd goes crazy. You’re there listening, and you already feel like you’ve lost the match. It’s one of the worst experiences I’ve had in my career.”

In the 2018 final – Thiem’s first appearance in a Grand Slam decider – Nadal dominated, claiming victory in straight sets. A year later, their rematch was far tighter, but Thiem still couldn’t overcome Nadal’s relentless power and consistency, losing in four sets.

“In 2018, I knew I wasn’t 100 per cent physically fit, and he already had 10 titles [at Roland Garros],” he said. “That day, I understood it wasn’t my time. The following year, I saw it as a 50-50 match. I was convinced I could win. I played very well, but he raised his level impressively. It was incredible. Kudos to him.”

He finally won a Grand Slam in 2020, the US Open, but he couldn’t celebrate properly due to the Covid-19 pandemic: “In a normal year, the day after you win, you’re picked up at six in the morning to go on the biggest TV shows. I did it all over Zoom, in an empty airport, and while returning home during the lockdown,” Thiem recalled. “It was very different from what I expected. I couldn’t enjoy it like other champions.”

At his peak, Thiem climbed to No. 3 in the world rankings. He also held impressive records against the ‘Big Three’: winning six of 16 matches against Nadal, five of 12 against Djokovic, and notably five of seven encounters with Federer.

Shortly after claiming his first Grand Slam title – defeating Alexander Zverev in a five-set thriller at Flushing Meadows in 2020 – injuries began to take their toll. Thiem never again reached the latter stages of a major after that and fitness struggles forced him to miss five of the next 15 Slams.

He ultimately decided to retire after a defeat at the 2024 Vienna Open, at just 31 years old. At the time, he acknowledged that stepping away from professional tennis “hurts,” but felt it was the “right decision” due to a combination of physical and mental factors, particularly the lingering impact of a wrist injury.

“The last couple of years, it was so difficult to keep up with that [high] volume [of injuries],” he said. “The wrist was not able to hold up with that volume of practice, and also the other parts of the body got older and older.”

He added: “I think the way we do the sport, it’s not healthy, and at one point, one part or more parts of the body break down. You can see it with almost every player, there is no player who comes injury free through their career. That’s just the way of professional sport. And in my case, it was the wrist.”

For most tennis fans, Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer are widely regarded as the three greatest players of all time. Djokovic leads the pack with 24 Grand Slam titles, Nadal follows with 22, and Federer has 20 to his name. The debate over who is the greatest will rage on for years, but Thiem’s view is as valid as any: Nadal was the toughest of them all.