Former World No. 1 recalls battling past Rafael Nadal

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• Rafael Nadal

Beating Rafael Nadal on any surface is a feat that will remain in your heart for a lifetime. The Big 3 have in fact dominated men's tennis as never before in the history of this sport, as well as precluding numerous talents from winning what they deserved.

The Spaniard shares an all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles with his eternal rival Roger Federer, while Novak Djokovic is just two points behind them. By winning his ninth Australian Open in February, Nole has further shortened the gap that separates him from eternal rivals.

In early March, the 33-year-old also broke Federer's record for weeks at the top of the ATP rankings. Among the players who have suffered most from coexistence with the three sacred monsters, there is certainly Andy Roddick.

During the '#AskAndy' show on the Tennis Channel, the former ATP number 1 recalled his victory over Nadal in the 2010 Miami Open semifinal. title in Florida.

Roddick picks victory over Rafael Nadal and Pete Sampras

“I won it twice… Beat Rafael Nadal in 2010, which was really cool.

But the one that’s probably my favorite is I played Pete Sampras there when I was 18 years old, he was three in the world and I was far from that and I got a win… That was a big, big deal for me, not only take the court with Pete but actually win,” said Andy Roddick.

Roddick played 10 matches against Nadal during his career, with the Spaniard having a 7-3 advantage in their rivalry. Roddick retired at the 2012 US Open after suffering a fourth-round defeat at the hand of Juan Martin del Potro.

The American ended his career with 32 titles, including one Grand Slam trophy at the 2003 US Open. The French Tennis Federation confirmed earlier on Thursday that due to the current COVID-19 situation in France and the associated restrictions, Roland Garros 2021 will start one week after its original scheduled date.

This new development has prompted the All-England Club to release an official statement on behalf of all of the four Grand Slams, stating that the tune-up to this year's Wimbledon will be shortened by one week. The Roland Garros organizers' announcement meant that the claycourt Slam would eat into an already jam-packed summer schedule.

And while the postponement of the tournament was justified given fears of a third wave of COVID in France, not all events on the calendar can afford the same flexibility.