Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have been an almost invincible trio – winning an incredible 53 Grand Slam titles between them, and with no intention of slowing down.
What drives them? Well, a burning boyish passion for their sport is one answer. But an equal motivation is surely to finish as the all-time greatest winner, to be the ultimate History Man.
They force each other on to reach the stars – well, that’s certainly the view of Federer himself.
“I think we definitely became better because of one another,” said the 37-year-old yesterday.
“And I don’t know if we’d all still be playing if we’d been around in different eras.
“We have pushed each other to greater heights – to improve maybe Rafa’s grass, Novak’s hard courts and, I don’t know, my game on clay.
“I think it’s great. It also shows that, side by side, we can have incredible careers. Funny enough, you always think somebody takes away something from the others. Probably we have.
“But it’s been fun. I hope the fans enjoyed it – because I think we’re all very different characters. They could like whichever player they prefer.”
Federer, the most elegant, is still out in front at the moment as the biggest winner of the three, with 20 Grand Slams. It’s clear that his legacy, his place in history, matters hugely.
Nadal, the most intense, is now on 18 after capturing the recent French Open, while Djokovic, the most relentless, has 15.
They are the top three players of all time, and Pat Cash, the perceptive former Wimbledon champion, said: “These are crazy numbers. But I think they will get larger. I think they can all play until they are 40.They have an amazing strength.”
A raw, unquenched passion for the game seems to be the prime stimulation for Nadal, who declines to dwell too much on the numbers – the race for the most titles by the end of their stellar careers.
“I really never thought much about that,” said the 32-year-old Spaniard recently.
“I just do my way. Roger does his way. Let’s see when we finish. I still have the passion and the love for the game. I still want to compete and still feel the nerves every time that I go on court.”
He was in philosophical mood as well yesterday when asked about the trio’s domination.
“We have been talking about that enough, I think, no?” he said.
“We have been playing well for such a long time.That’s something unique in this sport because, of course, it’s never happened in the past that three players achieved so much during the same time.”
Nadal shows no appetite for slowing down, for giving the youngsters of men’s tennis more of a chance of glory, or for leaving the way open for Djokovic to power past his Grand Slam tally.
Maybe he heard the open desire expressed by Djokovic, after winning his 15th Grand Slam at the Australian Open, to hunt down whatever number of Grand Slam triumphs the other pair finish with.
“I am aware that making history of the sport that I truly love is something special,” said the 31-yearold Serb.
“Of course it motivates me.The hunger is always there. How many seasons are to come? I don’t know. I’m not trying to think too much in advance.
“I definitely want to focus on improving my game and maintaining a high level for years to come, and have a shot at eventually getting closer to Roger’s record. It’s still far away.”
Djokovic (left) also recalls a time when he was the young gun on the outside.
“I wasn’t so happy to be part of the Federer-Nadal era at the beginning of my career,” he said yesterday after a practice session on the grass of SW19.
“I wasn’t winning the major events then, but it’s a different story right now and I’m very grateful to be part of this era.
“It’s made me a better player – because they made me understand what I needed to do in order to surpass and overcome the biggest challenges.
“I think the rivalries we have between the three of us, and Andy Murray of course, has been positive for men’s tennis.”
