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Former world No. 6 Gael Monfils has revealed which member of tennis’ iconic ‘Big Three’ posed the greatest challenge during his career, placing Novak Djokovic at the top of his list.
Monfils competed in the same era as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic, navigating one of the most dominant periods in ATP Tour history.
Despite carving out a successful career that included two Grand Slam semifinal appearances, the Frenchman repeatedly found his path blocked by the sport’s most decorated champions.
Novak Djokovic: The ultimate puzzle
Speaking on the Silver State Sports & Entertainment Network, Monfils did not hesitate when naming his toughest rival.
“Of course, for me, number one is Novak Djokovic. I never beat him. I never beat him. And so far, maybe this year is my last chance if I have to face him.”
Djokovic holds a commanding 20-0 head-to-head record over Monfils, making him the only member of the trio the Frenchman never defeated. Reflecting on those battles, Monfils explained what made the Serbian so difficult to crack.
“But for me, Novak has this capability to actually answer all my questions. Because tennis is a lot of questions. You ask, you answer, you ask, you answer. He was just too good. And of course, he is a legend of our sport. So no shame in that.”
Rafael Nadal’s physical dominance
While Monfils managed to defeat Rafael Nadal twice, he admitted the Spaniard’s relentless intensity often tilted matches heavily in Nadal’s favor.
“Rafa, I could beat him, but the thing is, he beat me way more than I beat him. I think I only beat him twice.
“But he was extremely hard to play against with his physicality. He was imposing on you like a really rough and physical match.
“His capability of moving the ball was extremely different because he was a lefty. So he was just different as well. So another big legend.”
Roger Federer’s finesse and instinct
Roger Federer presented an entirely different challenge. Monfils highlighted the Swiss maestro’s anticipation and creativity as defining traits.
“Federer, he was just like a quicker thinker, quicker player. Everything that you may think that you want to do against him, he knew it sometime before you, and then he could put you in a very bad situation.
“It was unreal how he could escape as well from an awkward situation for himself. His finesse, his flair of tennis was completely different.”
Despite the lopsided records, Monfils views those encounters with appreciation.
“And somehow those three guys, three of the biggest legends of our sport, were just beautiful to play against, beautiful to learn [from] and also extremely fun for me to play against.”
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