As the tennis world turns its gaze to the Italian Open, the absence of one player still makes our hearts sink. And without him, even the “Big Three” are incomplete. As Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal start to swing their racquet in full rhythm, the space left behind by Roger Federer is felt acutely. And like all of us, Holger Rune also misses his idol’s presence.

While Rafael Nadal made a brilliant comeback in the Italian Open by winning the first round, Novak Djokovic is also getting ready to do the same in his opening round today. Like a true tennis fan, Holger Rune spoke about how only Roger Federer is left to come back now. “It is two of the three biggest legends, with Roger. We are just missing Roger to come back.”

The Danish player, who is about to play his first round tomorrow, sat down for an interview where he spoke about the influence that the three tennis legends have had on him as a kid. “It is amazing. I remember when I was a kid, watching them on T.V. when I was 10, 11 years old,” Rune said. This is true for all the tennis fans who once watched the three legends play on the clay courts of Rome and leave opponents, quite literally, in the dust.

While Rafael Nadal earned 10 victories in the Italian Open, it was not the same with Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer. Although Djokovic’s record comes close to Nadal’s with six victories, surprisingly, Federer has never earned an Italian Open title, even though he reached the finals in Rome four times!

His playful remark about “finally won Rome” still makes us laugh; he may not have won any titles in Roma but he did win in the food department! However, nothing surpasses the feeling of watching the legends compete in the same tournament. The last time they did so was in the Laver Cup of 2022. And it was also an emotional event for the tennis fans.

When Roger Federer, Novak Djoković and Rafael Nadal were on the same team at Laver Cup

After 2019’s Australian Open, the Big 3 played in the Laver Cup of 2022 for the last time. But what made the event more iconic was how Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal competed together in a doubles match against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. And the date of that match (September 23, 2022) is still imprinted in our minds. 

Why? Because it was the last time not only Nadal and Federer played together but also the last match of Federer before his retirement. And even in his emotional farewell speech, he acknowledged how “amazing” he felt to be with the same team as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. He concluded by saying, “It does feel like a celebration to me. I wanted it to feel like this at the end and it’s exactly what I hoped for. So thank you.”

Fans have never recovered from that match, even after almost two years. And Holger Rune’s wishful thinking further brings back those memories that we will cherish forever!