Overview
- Novak Djokovic said his attitude stayed consistent as he rose, but he felt “coldness and distance” from Roger Federer and a different rapport with Rafael Nadal.
- Rafael Nadal explained that his plan against Federer was to hammer high balls to the backhand, while matches against Djokovic were more unpredictable and heavily shaped by the surface.
- Head-to-head data reflects Nadal’s 24–16 edge over Federer and a Nadal–Djokovic rivalry split by courts, with Djokovic dominant on hard courts and Nadal leading on clay.
- Federer retired at the 2022 Laver Cup and Nadal ended his career at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, while recent joint appearances underscore renewed public respect among the trio.
- Djokovic remains active, set to open his 2026 season at the Adelaide ATP 250 from January 12–17 before targeting a record-extending 25th major at the Australian Open.