Roger Federer had a pretty unique approach when it came to his biggest rivals. He simply wouldn’t practice with them.
That’s according to Andy Murray, who recently spilled some interesting details about life in tennis’s elite circle during an appearance on the Stephen Hendry Cue Tips YouTube channel.
We’re talking about one of the greatest tennis players ever here. Federer’s 20 Grand Slam titles and that effortless style made him a global superstar who brought millions of new fans to tennis.
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The Big Four Practice Sessions
His epic battles with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Murray were some of the most exciting matches in tennis history. But behind the scenes? Federer kept his distance.
Murray revealed that while he’d regularly hit with Djokovic and Nadal, the Swiss maestro had different ideas.
"I would practice with them, I’d practice with Djokovic and Nadal. When I first started, I would practice with Federer. But after a year or two he stopped, he wouldn’t practice with me anymore. He never practiced with Djokovic or Nadal, I think because he considered them to be a competitor."
Federer did practice with Murray early on. But once Murray became a real threat, those practice sessions stopped.
Did It Actually Work?
Here’s where it gets interesting. Federer’s strategy might not have paid off the way he hoped.
Djokovic dominated their rivalry 27-23. That’s a pretty significant gap when you’re talking about two all-time greats.
Nadal was even more successful against Federer, winning 24 of their 40 matches.
The only Big Four member Federer consistently beat? Murray himself, ironically.
Murray’s Different Approach
Murray saw those practice sessions completely differently. For him, they were like taking the temperature of his game.
"I like practicing with them just because it gave me the chance to see where my game was at. I wouldn’t practice with them a couple of days before a big match, but a couple weeks out from a major tournament, then I would practice with those guys."
Smart timing there. Get the intel you need, but not close enough to a match that they could figure out your game plan.
Compare that to today’s young stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who regularly practice together despite being fierce competitors.
No Dinner Dates Either
The separation went beyond just practice courts. Murray admits he kept social distance too during his playing days.
"I was never going for dinner with them. Whereas now I’d love to do that, see them a few times socially."
Makes sense when you think about it.
"Generally, if I’m socialising with friends and family, you want to feel like you can tell them if you’re struggling with something. But if you’re competing against them, you wouldn’t do it."
The mental game was just as important as the physical one. One casual conversation about struggling with your serve could become a weapon against you in the next match.
Now that Murray’s retired, those barriers have come down. He’s looking forward to actually getting to know these guys as people, not just opponents across the net.
It’s fascinating how different players approached the same rivalries. Federer built walls, Murray gathered intelligence, and somehow they all ended up as legends anyway.
