Facing the ‘big 3’ in the game was always a thing of concern for other players on the ATP tour. The way that stars like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic took the game by storm was a pure joy to watch. Throughout their years as professional players, different stars offered different perspectives. While some considered Roger to be one of the biggest threats, some considered Djokovic while some went for Rafa.

The same thing happened with former ATP star Gilles Muller. In an exclusive interview, the former Luxembourg player voiced his opinion when asked about the most difficult opinion that he has ever faced. What was even more surprising was the fact that Roger Federer, despite holding a mammoth record against him could not make the cut.

Gilles Muller reveals the toughest opponent he has faced from the ‘Big 3’

Gilles Muller, in an exclusive interview, sheds light on his encounters with tennis icons Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal. Despite wins and losses against all three, Muller revealed who among the three was a tough player on the court against him. He said that it was Rafael Nadal whom he considered one of his biggest challenges on the courts.

While every player presented a unique challenge in front of him, the Spanish legend proved to be a formidable force to play against. In Muller’s words, facing Nadal felt suffocating. Muller further added that even though Roger Federer destroyed him, there were moments where he presented opportunities to secure some points. Similarly, Muller talked about Djokovic’s style where he suggested the Serb’s knack for long rallies without completely overpowering his opponent.

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“It may sound funny but in my opinion the toughest opponent was Rafa, even though I beat him. But the intensity he brought to the court made you feel like you were suffocating on the court. Federer destroyed me but somehow in a nice way. He always gave me chances, he gave me one or two free points in one or two games. Djokovic also makes you play a lot of balls,” said Muller in the exclusive interview.

“But he gives you time, it’s not like he’s totally destroying you. I mean, that’s how I felt on the court. I know every player is different, but yeah, in my opinion, Rafa was the toughest opponent because he was suffocating me on the court,” he further added.

Thus, these insights from a former ATP professional reflect on the dominance that the big 3 had on the game. While facing every opponent had its own sets of ups and downs, Muller found it difficult to play against Nadal.

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While the rivalry between the two was a classic, every time the two faced, one thing was certain, these two produced some of the best matches. Here’s what the head-to-head rivalry between Rafael Nadal and Gilles Muller looks like.

Rafael Nadal vs Gilles Muller: Head-to-head

Throughout their career as professional tennis players, these two faced each other a total of 7 times. Out of those, Rafael Nadal managed to secure victories on 5 occasions while the player from Luxembourg managed to secure victory 2 times. Their first encounter came at the Open Castilla y Leon. A young Rafael Nadal was determined to lay his hands on victory and 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Interestingly, Muller had a strong hand when it came to the grass courts. The two encounters that he managed to win came at the grass courts of Wimbledon. The last encounter that the two had was a fierce one at Wimbledon back in July 2017. The match that went to a 5-set absolute thriller saw Muller progress further.

Thus, these two have produced some of the best matches so far. Despite having faced all of the 3 players from the ‘Big 3’ Muller credited Rafa to be the toughest opponent he has ever locked horns against.

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