Former World No. 8 Marcos Baghdatis recently shared his thoughts on why Novak Djokovic possesses the “highest level” among the Big 3. The Cypriot, who retired from professional tennis after the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, offered a detailed perspective on what sets Djokovic apart

Baghdatis faced Djokovic eight times between 2007 and 2015 and lost on every occasion. While he holds a 1–7 record against Federer and a 1–9 record against Nadal, he was never able to get the better of the Serb. Reflecting on those battles, the Cypriot recently admitted that the 38-year-old was the toughest opponent he ever faced.

In a conversation with Tennis365, Baghdatis also stated that Djokovic possesses the “highest level” among the Big 3. Explaining why he believed so, the Cypriot opened up about his own experience competing against the Serb, saying:

“I think, whenever I played Novak, they were pretty close matches. That’s my thinking. Maybe I’m wrong, but what’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.”

Novak Djokovic drops hint about his dream retirement stage

Novak Djokovic closed out his 2025 season in style by capturing the title at the Hellenic Championships. The Serbian star reached the final and defeated Lorenzo Musetti to claim the 101st trophy of his illustrious career.

In his post-tournament press conference, Djokovic was asked whether he had considered retiring. He revealed that he intends to call time on his career after representing Serbia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“I’ve always had this throughout my life and my career, I’ve always had a schedule in my head for a year or more, what I want, how I want it. Since I’ve achieved absolutely all possible goals, I said about the 2028 Olympics because I wanted to play for so many more years. So maybe ending up at the Olympic Games with the Serbian flag, that would be nice,” Novak Djokovic said.