What Rafael Nadal said about his 'Big-3' rivalry with Djokovic & Federer, and what he wants Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner to take away from it

Rafael Nadal is proud of his era, where the 'Big-3' dominated tennis. The Spaniard, along with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, enjoyed a rivalry, complete with respect, admiration, and pushing for the best results.

Nadal, who won 22 Grand Slams, recently sat down for an interview with Jorge Valdano on the Movistar+ program Universo Valdano, shared that he is proud of the way his tennis career came to an end.

While talking about the start of the 'Big-3' rivalry, the Spaniard explained what success looked like when he first started, before adding that he had his rivals to thank for pushing him to the limits.

"We came from Pete Sampras, who had 14 Grand Slams," Nadal said. "It's only human that someone from our generation, when they reached 14, might have thought they'd reached the peak. Since there were three of us, not two, there was never any room for complacency.

"The demands were extremely high. We never stopped pushing each other. You couldn't afford to throw away tournaments. That's the greatness of our era. We were always in the final rounds competing for the most important tournaments. I don't think one of us alone could have done it."

The 14-time Roland Garros champion also explained how tennis has evolved from when he first began. He said that neither he nor his rival turned friend, Roger Federer, is big on information and such stuff.

"The world evolves, and the way the game is played is a little different," Nadal said. "You hit harder, you serve harder. I still believe in intuition, not playing like a robot trying to guess based on statistics. It's something I discussed with Federer, and he didn't like having too much information."

Nadal also pointed out that the most important thing that came out of his rivalry was the mutual respect everyone had for the other in the 'Big-3.'

"The positive thing about our time is that we've finished our careers and can go out to dinner together without any problem," Nadal said. "This is something to be proud of. We've competed for the most important things, but we haven't taken it to extremes. The rivalry has stayed on the track, and personal relationships have always been based on respect, admiration, and even a certain friendship with our rivals."

Rafael Nadal shares what Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz can learn from 'Big-3' rivalry

Ever since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's retirement from tennis, the sport has shifted to the other two big names. While Novak Djokovic is still active, he last won a Grand Slam two years ago. In the meantime, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken over tennis and formed a new rivalry between themselves.

In the same interview, Nadal asked both of them to have the right kind of relationship between themselves so that they leave the right kind of legacy behind.

"Without taking anything away from Sinner and Alcaraz, who want to do things right, I think we (the Big 3) have helped new generations understand that you can be a fierce competitor without hating your rival," Nadal said. "You can have an optimal relationship, not necessarily a friendship. It's a good legacy we've left behind."

Alcaraz and Sinner do share a cordial bond and share massive admiration for each other. The duo has been meeting in the final rounds of almost every major tournament and has yet to concede a Grand Slam to any third player in the last two years.