Nadal: Murray was the only player close to level of Federer, Djokovic and myself

Rafael Nadal has hailed Andy Murray as the closest to “the same level” of tennis’ big three of the last two decades, as the British star gears up for what is expected to be his final French Open.

Murray is on the comeback trail after another year full of injuries, making his return at the Geneva Open later this month. He is widely expected to have one more appearance at both Wimbledon and the US Open before calling time on his career.

Those are the two Grand Slam titles he has won – the former on home soil in 2013 and 2016, after victory in New York City in 2012. That career return, and over £50 million in prize money, would be viewed a lot more fondly in any other generation.

Unfortunately for Murray, he has shared an era with the three most successful men in tennis history. Novak Djokovic is on 24 Grand Slam wins and counting, Nadal trailling on 22, and the retired Roger Federer on 20.

Affecting his shot at glory throughout was also a battle with injury. Indeed, the 36-year-old has played in just one French Open match since making the 2017 semi-finals at Roland-Garros.

Reflecting on the career of Murray, Nadal told reporters at the Italian Open: “I don’t like to say he deserved more or less, because at the end it’s just like, if I say I deserve more, if I didn’t have injuries. No, I don’t, because I had the injuries.

“He had a lot of finals. He was an amazing player that probably played in a difficult moment of the history of tennis, because, he shared the tour at the prime time of Novak, Roger and myself. And he was, in my feeling, the one that he was at the same level than us, in general terms.

“Then, in terms of victories, it’s true that he achieved less, but in terms of level of tennis, in terms of holding mentally, the winning spirit week after week… He was the only one that was very close to, to be at the same level as us.”

The 14-time king of clay at the French Open said: “I have Roland-Garros in just two weeks and a half. So the moment arrived that I need to prove myself if I am able to push my body to the limit, that I need to push to feel myself ready for what’s coming.

“I’m not talking about only about Roland-Garros, I am talking about the next matches. I need to lose this fear – matches like today help. Some moments I was moving faster, some moments not. I need to get used to taking that risk. But it’s a moment to make that happen. And I feel more ready to try it than before.”