Berdych about Federer: "If you met him in the dressing room or somewhere else backstage, you wouldn't know what he is. On the contrary, he had moments when he acted like a boy and did stupid things."

Tomas Berdych battled the big three many times and was able to witness first-hand how important to tennis they are.

The importance of the big three for tennis is widely understood but even in their legendary tiers of importance, Berdych still thinks one stands out. It's Roger Federer who said goodbye to tennis in London recently with the Czech player explaining that his absence will have the biggest impact on the Tour:

"Those who wanted to compare the greatest aces by numbers would find arguments for different players. The number of Grand Slam titles may be the most objective measure, but there are athletes who have left a huge mark. I think Roger will leave a bigger dent than Djokovic. I think he is a bigger icon than Nadal. Maybe because he started this great era. What he did for tennis cannot be outweighed by any results."

He continued:

"Roger behaved humanely and pleasantly. If you met him in the dressing room or somewhere else backstage, you wouldn't know what he is. On the contrary, he had moments when he acted like a boy and did stupid things."

Berdych finally concluded:

"There were a lot of people who watched matches or started playing themselves because of his skill and performance on the court. That's what makes him superior to others. Though of course, I can understand if a fan finds something special about Nadal, Djokovic or other players."