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Lionel Messi hailed Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic as the "GOATs" of tennis and noted how they have transcended the sport while maintaining close friendships with one another. Among the three, Djokovic continues to make strides on the court, further solidifying his status as the most decorated tennis player of all time.
Novak Djokovic emerged in the upper echelon of men's tennis when Federer and Nadal dominated. He made it to the top three for the first time in 2007, winning five titles, including two Masters and reaching the US Open semifinals. He had his breakthrough year in 2011, winning three Major titles and earning the No. 1 rank, elevating himself to the dominant tier of Federer and Nadal.
Popularly known as the “Big Three” of tennis, Djokovic and his fellow luminaries have amassed a combined total of 66 Grand Slam titles. They also broke multiple records and continue to inspire the up-and-coming generations.
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In recent news, football titan Lionel Messi expressed his admiration for the trio, stating that they made the sport bigger while maintaining friendly bonds with one another.
"I greatly admire tennis players like Federer, Rafa, Djokovic. I think the three of them made the competition much bigger than it was. And competing for so long to be the best and being so close to each other, it made everything much more fantastic," he said. (via NBC News)
Messi attended the Miami Open in 2025, watching the Serb in action as he won the semifinals.
Novak Djokovic shared why the nature of the 'Big Three' rivalry made it impossible to forge a friendship
Roger Federer was the first to rise to prominence in 2001 with his epic win over Pete Sampras at Wimbledon. Nadal followed in 2005 when he claimed his first Grand Slam title at the French Open. The Serb arrived later but went on to win the most Major titles and break the most records.
In an interview with TNT Sports earlier this year, the 24-time Grand Slam winner stated that their rivalry was never about friendship, but he had great admiration for Federer and Nadal.
"I have always respected and greatly admired him. Thanks to him and Federer, I grew up and became who I am. This will unite us forever, therefore I feel gratitude towards them. Nadal is a part of my life, in the last 15 years, I’ve seen more of him than my mum. We have never been friends. Between rivals, it is not possible, but we have never been enemies. I’ve always had respect for Federer, he was one of the greatest of all time. He had an extraordinary impact, but I’ve never been close to him."
The Olympic gold medalist reached the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters before losing to eventual champion Valentin Vacherot.
