The trio dominated the sport for many years and the Spanish legend has revealed how contests between him and Federer were a "chess match" as both had clear tactical approaches.

Nadal told 'Served with Andy Roddick': "Against Roger the strategy was more clear. I was trying to do one thing. He was trying to do the other thing.

"I was trying to kill the backhand all the time. For me even if I had the chance to play the shot down the line (I would go for his backhand).

"If I had a chance to play the shot down the line it was only for two reasons. One is because I'm going for the winner, or two it's because I need to move him away from the side to create more space (elsewhere).

"And he was trying to avoid that. He was trying to play more aggressively. Every time he was hitting a forehand I felt myself move a step back because his forehand is the best I'd played against.

"So it's more of a chess match. Everyone knows what's going to happen and everyone knows what the strategy is going to be."

Nadal – who retired from tennis last year – admitted that he had no fixed plans going into matches against Djokovic other than to "play very well".

He said of playing the Serb: "The feeling is to play very well for a long time and know that I have to adjust things.

"Now I can't play too much against his backhand, especially with high balls because then he puts you in a very difficult position, so I started to use the slice against him, which sometimes served me well.

"And sometimes against Novak it was good to play through the middle. Don't give him a lot of angles.

"With Novak, when you are able to open him, if you don't create a lot of damage he is able to open you up. In terms of ball control he is the best I ever played against and the best I ever saw."