Rafael Nadal was left feeling embarrassed during a recent reunion with Andy Murray when the Brit toured a room dedicated to the Big Three in his museum, but Murray said it was not a problem. The retired Murray headed to Mallorca earlier this month for the Rafa Nadal Academy Slam, an exhibition event celebrating 10 years of Nadal's academy in his hometown of Manacor, Mallorca.
Museum Tour Highlights Awkward Moment
Nadal headed up his own team alongside Carlos Moya, David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet. They went on to beat Team Murray, which also included Dominic Thiem, Fabio Fognini and Marat Safin. The three-time Major champion documented his flying visit to Manacor in a new video on his YouTube channel, The Set, a joint project with his brother, Jamie.
During the trip, Murray and the other retired stars got a special tour of Nadal's museum, which features signed memorabilia from his own career and from other sporting stars. Among the exhibits is a room dedicated to the Big Three: Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic. Murray had also spent years battling the trio for the sport's biggest titles, and their group was often referred to as the Big Four.
Nadal's Reaction to the Big Three Room
Nadal was left feeling embarrassed as the Brit headed towards the Big Three room, given that Murray wasn't included. At one point in his YouTube video, the two-time Olympic champion is given a heads-up as they approach the display. “Rafa won’t tell you, but he doesn’t feel good, because we have a room about the Big Three. I know it’s fine for you, but he told me like, because it was not his decision to make [the room]. He won’t tell you,” a member of the academy informed Murray as they walked through the museum.
Although Nadal had been concerned, the three-time Major winner didn't mind at all. “That’s fine. It’s fine, not a problem,” he replied. Murray, Thiem and co entered the room, watching a video that played on the screens. “I think the Big Three represents sort of a, maybe a bit of a golden generation,” Federer is heard saying in the clip.
Trophy Talk and Match Outcome
During the walkthrough, Nadal and Murray also discussed the different trophy replicas they received from Grand Slam tournaments. “US Open is the only one that they give you the replica exactly the same,” the Spaniard said. Murray pointed out that one of Nadal's 14 Roland Garros trophies was bigger than the rest. And the 'King of Clay' revealed that he once complained that the players' copy of the trophy was too small, so it was briefly changed, before they went back to giving their champions the miniature versions of the cup.
“To be honest, I was complaining [for] a couple of years. I say, like I asked, ‘It’s unbelievable that they give us that’. Then they make it a little bit bigger for one year, and then they come back again to the smaller one,” Nadal laughed. “But that’s true, it makes no sense. They give me that one for one year. I say, ‘Wow, they improved a little bit!’ Then the next year, they come back to the smaller one.”
Team Nadal and Team Murray later faced off in a series of 10-point tiebreaks, alternating doubles pairings within their squad. And it was Nadal, Moya, Ferrer and Gasquet who emerged victorious.
