Albert Ramos Viñolas, 36, still competes on the Challenger circuit. The Spanish tennis player, who has dropped to 112th in the world rankings, gave a lengthy interview to the website puntodebreak. The section in which the Iberian recounts his Monte-Carlo final loss to Rafael Nadal is particularly important, since it describes the qualities of the Big Three who ruled tennis: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.
Ramos Vinolas accomplished his greatest Masters 1000 result in 2017, losing to Rafael Nadal in the Monte-Carlo final. When asked if it was truly unplayable that day on earth for Nadal (who won the final 6-1 6-3, ed), Ramos replied, “Yes.
Impossible. And this was especially true when Nadal was around. I repeat: it was impossible. I was a little exhausted going into the final because I had just played three games from three sets in row. I awoke that day and saw clouds; if it’s impossible with the light, picture it with clouds.”
Albert Ramos discusses the Big Three.
Albert Ramos then went into detail about his opponents’ strengths, including Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. “Rafael – Ramos claims – had a lot of strength; he beat you because he had the strength to drag you back.
Against the lefty, I had a terrific backhand cross, pulled it, and then took you very good with the forehand. Roger Federer was a better fit for me, given my game.
Novak Djokovic beat you bit by little, giving you the impression that he was winning you points and gradually taking control of the game. He would attack you more or less as he saw fit, but he always got his way. “I communicate with the past because I played with him many years ago.”