When Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi slowly faded out in the early 2000s, everyone was left wondering—who’s next? Who’s going to carry men’s tennis forward? Then came the Big 3. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. They debuted between 1998 and 2003 and took over the sport like a storm. The trio won a combined 66 Grand Slam singles titles. Together, they held the world No. 1 ranking in singles for a total of 947 weeks. That’s 18 years of domination. Federer and Nadal have now retired. Djokovic is the only one still standing. Naturally, with that level of competition, friendships off the court were never easy. Djokovic recently revisited his thoughts on this in an interview.

Let’s go back to 2008. At the Australian Open, a young Djokovic defeated Federer in the semifinals. That ended Federer’s streak of 10 straight major finals. Djokovic then beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final, who, by the way, had taken out Nadal in the semis. That win gave Novak his first Grand Slam. He had officially arrived. And he was ready to join the duo of Federer and Nadal, who had been dominating men’s tennis since 2005.

Their rivalry brought some of the most high-intensity matches the sport ever saw. But rivalries can also complicate relationships. Now that Federer and Nadal have stepped away from the sport, does that change things? Djokovic addressed this in an old GQ interview which he reposted on Instagram.

“I haven’t seen them, we don’t see each other very often, but the battles between the three of us are forever remembered. I think they are the greatest legends of this sport, they are something that will always live on, and I am very proud and happy to be a part of them. They have been a huge part of my success and the history that I have made in this sport. Our rivalry for life has made me stronger in a way that nothing else has in my entire playing life, and that’s just the tennis side of it,” he said back then.

Djokovic even got candid about their personal equations and continued, “But in terms of personal relationships, to be honest, it’s been up and down. I try to be respectful and friendly with them off the course, but it wasn’t really accepted at first because I was playing and talking and showing that I was confident that I could win, which I don’t think they liked at first, especially when everyone was thinking about playing with them and not thinking that they could win. And because of that confidence, maybe they distanced themselves from me, which is fine. I accept that. I understand the message that I got that we were just competitors, nothing more. And to be honest, it’s very difficult to be friends while you’re on tour, especially when you’re a big competitor. You’re always competing against each other. When you’re No. 1, 2, 3 in the world, it’s very difficult to be close, to have meals together, to go on family trips together.”

The Serbian entered the scene a little later. By then, the fans had already picked sides—Team Federer or Team Nadal. Djokovic stood out, and not in a good way. Even Federer admitted in his documentary Roger: Twelve Final Days that he didn’t give Novak the “respect he deserved” in the early days. Djokovic also said in 2024 that Federer “didn’t like the way” he behaved at first. As for Nadal, he’s always kept it honest. He’s said there’s no friendship, but no animosity either.

Djokovic added in his interview, “But then again, we have our own way of life and our own journey. With Roger, I think the last time we met, we talked about family, about travel. I would like to connect with them more, more deeply. I really do, but whether it will happen, I am not sure if they have the same thoughts and desires as I do.”

Still, who knows what the future holds? Look at Djokovic and Andy Murray. They were once fierce rivals, too. Now? Coach and mentee. Not something anyone would’ve predicted.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic is far from done. While the Big 3 era is almost over, he’s still pushing. The Serbian star is chasing his 100th career title. And he’s turning to the red clay to find it.

Novak Djokovic is ready to battle for his 100th title on the clay court

Novak Djokovic hasn’t lifted a singles trophy since the ATP Finals at the end of 2023. The 24-time Grand Slam champion did win a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, but that’s not an ATP title.

The 37-year-old came close to victory at the recent Miami Open, but 19-year-old Jakub Mensik denied him the chance. To make things trickier, Djokovic has been dealing with a swollen eye and has now revealed he had a “viral infection” during the match.

Djokovic was spotted practicing with Carlos Alcaraz as his coach, Andy Murray is taking a break and will join him at the Madrid Open. In Monte Carlo, the Serbian has a first-round bye. He’ll face either Stan Wawrinka or Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in the second round.

The field is stacked—Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jack Draper are all in the mix. The Monte Carlo Masters runs till April 13. As Djokovic steps onto the clay once more, the story of the Big 3 continues—just with one man still carrying the torch. Can the last man standing keep the legacy alive just a little longer?