Former major finalist says he always felt he could beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal but not Novak Djokovic

Debate has raged on for years over who the greatest out of the three of them is, with fans still undecided to this day.

However, former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis recently suggested that Djokovic was the toughest to face.

Marcos Baghdatis discusses playing the ‘big three’

In an interview with Tennis 365, Baghdatis said: “I think, whenever I played Novak, [they were] pretty close matches.

“That’s my thinking. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s what I remember. But I think I once got a nice beating out of him, and it was in Indian Wells.

“It was a 6-1, 6-2 (6-1, 6-3). I came off the court, and I felt the guy gave me a lesson. And I never felt like that with another player.

“I never felt like that with Roger or with Rafa, even when I was younger, and I played Roger, I always felt like, ‘Next time I can beat him’. I always felt that.

“But with Novak it was… I didn’t have that feeling, especially after that match.”

Marcos Baghdatis’ record against each of the ‘big three’ in tennis

Baghdatis managed to get a win over both Federer and Nadal during his time on the ATP Tour.

He triumphed over the Swiss at the 2010 Indian Wells Open, four years after losing to him in the 2006 Australian Open final.

The Cypriot’s 1-7 record against Federer is marginally better than that of Nadal, which is 1-9.

His one victory against the Spaniard also came in 2010, when Baghdatis beat him in the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals.

Against Djokovic, however, Baghdatis never won a match, and he trailed in the head-to-head 8-0.