Andy Murray 'only one that was very close' to Big Three says Rafael Nadal recounting memories of former rival
ATP
Rafael Nadal like Andy Murray will retire at some point during 2024 as two career rivals call it a day and as the former said himself, a player that has come up alongside him and been there since the start. He was asked about him after defeating Zizou Bergs at the Rome Open.
Murray will make his return at the 2024 Gonet Geneva Open next week before attempting to play Roland Garros, Wimbledon and likely the Olympic Games before calling it a day more than likely. In the view of Nadal, he was the only player that came close to the Big Three featuring himself, Federer and Djokovic.
He said that he did achieve less but that is simply because of the dominance of the leading lights but that he has still had an amazing career to look back on with pride. Many have come and gone but Murray has remained.
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"Yeah, well, we’ve know each other since we were small kids because I think he's one year younger. When we were playing by teams - Spain, Great Britain - he was on the team being one year younger. We know each other very well. We grew together on the tour, even when he arrived a little bit later than me," said Nadal in Rome Open press.
"Andy had an amazing career. I think in some way, I mean, I don't like to say he deserve more or less because at the end, if I say I deserve more if I don't have injuries, no? No, I don't, because I had the injuries, no?
"He had a lot of finals. He was an amazing player that probably played in a difficult moment of the history of tennis because he shared the tour at the prime time of Novak, Roger and myself.
"He was, in my feeling, the one that he was at the same level as us in general terms. In terms of victories, it's true that he achieved less. In terms of level of tennis, in terms of hold mentally the winning spirit week after week, he was the only one that was very close to be at the same level as us.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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