“If anyone says I am better than Roger, then he doesn’t know anything about tennis.” How often in sports do you see one arch-rival praising the other? It’s a rare sight, right? But Rafael Nadal is built different. The 14-time Roland Garros champion’s battle of the highest order with Federer always used to be a spectacle. 40 of those iconic encounters are still etched in the hearts of the fans. While they never gave each other an inch on the court, what remained a constant was their respect towards each other. Yes, Federer was his biggest rival, alongside Novak Djokovic, but those heated face-offs never turned sour. Why? Nadal’s got a very simple answer.

The Spaniard recently sat down with the 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick to have a conversation on his podcast ‘Served,’ dated March 11. The latter was curious to know Nadal’s perspectives on rivalries. More so about his equation with the likes of Federer and Djokovic. “I think we, as rivals, we showed the world that we can be the biggest rivals, but at the same time, we can be colleagues. I mean, I don’t say best friends, but we can have a good personal relationship, you know?” the 22-time Major winner said.

As has been witnessed, there’s never been bad blood among the three. In fact, they have always admired each other. Nadal and Federer’s friendship is quite famous already. When Nadal announced his retirement ahead of the Davis Cup in November last year, Fed wrote a letter for him and shared it on social media. Nadal had good chemistry with Djokovic as well. “Of course, with Roger, it has been special, but with Novak too, I have a good relationship,” he admitted in an interaction with DAZN Sport last October.

Reiterating his thoughts on Roddick’s podcast, the former World No.1 also provided a tip to the next generation of tennis players. “I think that shows a positive example to the next generations. I am proud of that. You know, we grow this with this, I mean, in some way, wild rivalry that we had between Roger, Novak, myself.” His simple message to new players is that they need not “hate the opponents”.

“You can respect, you can appreciate the opponent, because at the end, they are an important part of your lives, and you don’t need to hate the opponents to give your best,” the 38-year-old added.

Well that’s one great advice for rising stars like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Similar to Nadal and Federer, Sinner and Alcaraz’s clashes have also caught the attention of fans across the globe lately. The king of Clay believes the two youngsters are quite amazing in their conduct, especially Alcaraz. What more does Nadal have to say about his compatriot?

Rafael Nadal is impressed with Carlos Alcaraz’s character

Apart from being compatriots, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal share a close bond off the court. “Was my idol, he is still my idol,” Alcaraz previously said. Perhaps that’s why he was left upset when the news of Nadal’s retirement surfaced. Back in October 2024, the Spanish great shared a video message on his Instagram account where he revealed he was bidding adieu to the sport. “I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis,” he announced.

Later, in an interview, when Alcaraz was asked to express his feelings on Nadal’s decision, he said, “If someone had told me that I had a chance of convincing him to continue, I would have done it.”

Continuing further, Alcaraz revealed, “I asked him if it was a tough day when he announced his retirement, if it was a tough decision to make. He said yes, but it is a decision that has been carefully thought out because these decisions are not taken lightly.” However, the World No.3 confessed that, as a fan, he didn’t “want to see him off the track yet.”

Nadal, on the flip side, also thinks highly of the 21-year-old tennis phenom. On the same podcast with Roddick, he revealed, “I think Carlos is a great kid, great guy with a very good family behind him, with positive values.” Mentioning the influence of family members on Alcaraz, he added, “They are humble, they are good persons. That’s why I think Carlos is having this, because at the end, the values you receive at home, the way that you are educated, the way that you show up, no?”

Just like the King of Clay, Alcaraz seems to be on the path of unending glory. At just 21, he’s clinched four Slams and is poised to win more. Not to mention his French Open dominance, similar to Nadal. Alcaraz has already won back-to-back titles at Roland Garros in 2023 and 2024. This year, he will look to pull off a three-peat. For the uninitiated, Nadal won five straight French Open trophies between 2010 and 2014. Can Carlitos achieve this feat going forward? Only time will tell.

For now, Alcaraz is looking to win his third Indian Wells title on the bounce. After dominating the Californian desert in 2023 and 2024, he’s looking to replicate his invincible run this season, too. The Spaniard has already made it to the fourth round, where he will face Grigor Dimitrov on Thursday.