Nadal, Federer, Murray: Which tennis legend has missed the most Grand Slam tournaments due to health problems?

The tennis world has witnessed the greatness of figures such as Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who have dominated the circuit for the past two decades. However, it has not all been glory, as injuries and external circumstances have also played an important role in their careers, often depriving them of being able to play the most important tournaments;

Rafa Nadal, known for his hard-hitting, go-for-broke style of play, has been one of the players most affected by injuries. The Spaniard, winner of 22 Grand Slam trophies, tops this list having had to sit out 17 times until his retirement. With 68 majors played in total, Nadal has not been available for 25% of the major tournaments that have been played throughout his career as a tennis player;

The Swiss master, symbol of elegance and dominance on a tennis court, also had to step aside on several occasions, missing 10 majors in total in his career. It should be noted that unlike Rafa, Federer's injuries and absences came at the end of his career, having been in good health during his best years.

Unlike Nadal and Federer, Djokovic has shown remarkable durability throughout his career. To date, Nole has been absent from 3 Grand Slams. For injury reasons the Serb missed the 2017 US Open; but due to external restrictions, such as those related to the COVID-19 pandemic the 37-year-old sat out Wimbledon and the 2022 US Open.

Andy Murray, who has won no less than three Grand Slam titles, has faced serious hip problems that forced him to undergo multiple surgeries. These injuries kept him out of 10 Grand Slams. Despite his numerous attempts to return to the top level, the Scot was never the same, which ended up shortening his career.

Finally, Juan Martin del Potro, known for his powerful forehand, has been one of the most injury-plagued players. He has missed 16 Grand Slams, mainly due to problems in his wrists and knees. These complications forced the Argentinean to undergo several surgeries and miss years of competition to rehabilitate.