Former tennis player Yannick Noah chose Rafael Nadal as his favorite among the Big 3, referring to Roger Federer, Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. During a conversation with La Nacion, Noah expressed admiration for Nadal due to his humble nature and the way he respects others.
Yannick Noah’s observations on the Big 3
Noah, the winner of the 1983 French Open and once ranked No. 3 in the world, shared that he found tennis less interesting in recent decades. “As a spectator, I had less interest because the game was the same, the finals were the same, it was always the same players,” he said. He recognized that the Big 3 were three distinctive personalities and praised each for their unique attributes.
Appreciation for Federer and Nadal
The Frenchman labeled Federer ‘an artist’ and praised him for his exceptional accomplishments. “Federer was an artist… He did things with the racket that I never saw. Rod Laver did some things, [John] McEnroe did some things, but Federer did everything the greats did and more.”
However, Noah expressed a preference for Nadal over Federer because of the Spaniard’s humility. “Rafa, of the three, is the one I like the most because he respects the ballboys, the transport people, the people when there are no cameras… Rafa won 22 Grand Slams and when you see him, he is still the same humble guy he has always been.”
Disconnect with Djokovic
Despite his success, Noah admitted feeling the least connected to Djokovic. He reasoned that Federer and Nadal were more charismatic. “Djokovic? I’m not sorry, but I don’t know for what reason. The other two have more charisma. I don’t feel attraction for him. When he wins a match point, I don’t connect with him.”
In other news, Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from the 2023 French Open after failing to recover from a hip injury he suffered at the Australian Open. This will be the first time since 2004 that the 14-time Roland Garros champion will not participate in the Paris tournament, where he has a 112-3 record, with a winning percentage of 97%. The 2023 season currently sees Nadal with 1-3, dealing with numerous injuries in the last few years. As a result, he is set to drop out of the ATP Top 100 once Roland Garros concludes.
