'I played against Djokovic, Nadal and Federer - this is what they are really like'

Richard Gasquet has sung the praises of , and as he prepares to hang up his racket at the . The 38-year-old is set to bring the curtain down on his career next month, and he is keen to bow out in style.

Gasquet has won 16 ATP singles titles in his career and reached a career-high ranking of world No 7 in 2007. The Frenchman therefore came up against some of the very best players to ever grace the court: the Big Three.

Gasquet struggled against the trio, holding a 2-19 record against Federer and a 1-13 record against Djokovic. He was also unable to beat Nadal despite clashing on 18 occasions, and the Spaniard made a lasting impression on the Olympic bronze medal winner.

Speaking on the podcast about his career, Gasquet was asked whether there were any players who 'wasn't nice' on the ATP Tour, to which he replied: "Guys a little less strong [than Federer, Djokovic and Nadal] like Tomas Berdych, Robin Soderling, who were still ranked fifth and sixth in the world.

"But the best, the ones who really interest people, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, are polite, respectful, pleasant guys." Gasquet played Berdych on 17 occasions in total, beating him eight times. He was victorious in three of his five matches against Soderling.

The Big Three all wrote their names into the history of tennis and will have lasting legacies upon their respective retirements, and how well-regarded they are by their rivals speaks volumes about their conduct away from the public eye.

Gasquet has spoken previously about how he felt that Nadal was the best player he has ever faced, especially on clay. He said: "It's so hard to compare. It's so irrational. From time to time, we're in a world where it's so hard to say.

"The other one (Nadal), he won Roland Garros 14 times, you can't think anymore. The other one (Djokovic), he won 24 Grand Slams. Federer took the ball on the half-volley all day long, so I can't think anymore.

"Afterwards, yes, the ultimate level, Nadal on clay when it was very hot. You see that beautiful one bounced 10 meters, it was crazy. It was a ball of incredible power. I would say him, I would really say Nadal on clay when it's hot. Besides, he lost two or three times."