Gael Monfils: "Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic aren't champions"

• Tennis News
• Tennis Interviews

Gael Monfils said people need to stop comparing the Big 3 Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, to all other current players. According to the Frenchman, the Big 3 are more than just champions, they are legends, adding that Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka are also like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

During Game, Set and Talk, Gael explained: "We always want to compare the incomparable. Nadal, Djokovic and Federer are not champions. These guys are legends. People forget that. If we could achieve the same things as them, we too would be legends.

I always take the example of Roland-Garros. Who has won it 14 times? Has this ever existed? Two other legends have won it only three times, Roger once and Novak twice. And we get slapped on the knuckles. And we talk about these three players, but for me Murray and Wawrinka are also legends."

Rafael Nadal's word

In the meantime, we recall that Rafael Nadal withdrew from Roland Garros 2023, also explaining that 2024 could be his last season before definitively retiring from tennis.

Many topics touched by Nadal in his press conference. He also told: "I'm the reigning champion, I've won in Paris 14 times. That's why they said I was still the man to beat. Many hoped I'd play. But it's a historic feeling, not a current one.

I had two great rivals: Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Roger has now stopped, it's normal that Nole looks to me as his first rival. Roland Garros 2023? I will live it like the rest of the people. I don't think I will watch the whole tournament, but I will follow it." The season on clay, at least up to now, hasn't given Djokovic much satisfaction.

The Serbian reached the quarterfinals at Banja Luka and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, where he lost to Dusan Lajovic and Holger Rune respectively, and stopped in the third round at the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000. His hope is to find his best form in Paris: the Grand Slam tournaments are his real goal.