Botic van de Zandschulp has claimed that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer still have something over Novak Djokovic even though the Serb has ended the ‘greatest of all time’ debate.
Djokovic has won the most Grand Slam titles in the Open Era and spent the most weeks at No. 1.
But the Dutchman said it was complicated to rank the Big Three as he explained where Nadal and Federer had an edge.
Van de Zandschulp could well become the last man ever to face Nadal. The former world No. 1 is set to retire at next week’s Davis Cup Finals, with Spain taking on the Netherlands in the quarter-final.
If the 22-time Grand Slam champion feels ready to play singles, he will be drafted in against the world No. 81 in the first rubber of their tie. Ahead of a potential showdown with the retiring star, van de Zandschulp had his say on Nadal’s legacy.
Describing the Spaniard’s career, he told Marca: “Incredible, that’s the adjective, even though he had to live with injuries for a long time.
“He was the best warrior ever seen on a tennis court. He wanted to win every point, he played them all at 100 per cent. Few tennis players can say they have had a career as successful as Rafa’s.”
Asked to rank Nadal among the best in history, Van de Zandschulp admitted it was tough to deny Djokovic’s records. But he still thought the ‘Fedal’ duo had something special.
“It’s a complicated answer. If you look at the numbers, it’s clear that the number one is Djokovic,” the 29-year-old said.
“If you look at the impact they’ve had on tennis, I’d say Roger. Perhaps Nadal and Federer had a bigger impact on our sport”
Whether or not he gets to play a retiring Nadal at the Davis Cup next week, Van de Zandschulp has already shared the court with the 92-time title winner twice.
They faced off at the French Open and Wimbledon in 2022 with the former No. 1 coming out on top both times.
The Dutchman remembers feeling Nadal’s presence before they even took to the court for their first meeting. “It was when we played at Roland Garros two years ago,” he explained.
“I saw him in the locker room and the way he walked you could tell he was someone with a different character, with an aura that few have.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk