He’s the player who beat Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the same event but was forced to retire at 31

After all, these are three of the greatest tennis players of all time, and coincidentally all converged during one legendary generation.

For men’s tennis, they sit atop the rankings for the most Grand Slam titles ever won, with records that few will ever break.

And yet, despite all this success, there is one man who actually beat all three of them in the same tournament.

David Nalbandian’s dream tournament run

It was October 2007, and the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid (then called the Tennis Masters Series) was just getting underway.

An indoor hard-court tournament, David Nalbandian headed into it in torrid form. After all, he had yet to win a single title all year.

So, when he stormed into the quarter-finals, already the Argentine would have been delighted. Especially when the next three rounds were destined to boast Rafael Nadal, then Novak Djokovic, and then Roger Federer in the final.

Clearly unfazed by such a task, he kickstarted his legendary run by stunning the Spaniard inside 71 minutes, 6-1, 6-2. The world number two was out.

Things got no easier in the next round, but he fought hard to edge out Djokovic and reach the final, 6-4, 7-6 (4). The world number three was out.

However, there awaited the world number one, with Federer having enjoyed yet another scintillating year where he reached all four major finals, winning three of them.

And yet, despite falling a set down, he somehow overcame the Swiss superstar as well, cementing his place in history as the only man to have beaten all of the Big Three, in their primes no less, in the same tournament.

How good was David Nalbandian?

Having reached a career-high ranking of third across an impressive 13-year career, Nalbandian was recognised for boasting one of the best backhands on the entire tour.

And yet, despite that obvious strength, he could never get over the line to win that coveted Grand Slam title. He reached the semi-final in every major and the final of Wimbledon, but just could not get it over the line.

The Big Three have all had kind words to say about the 43-year-old though, who sadly had to retire at just 31 due to an ongoing shoulder injury.

Federer once said: ‘The problem with Nalbandian was that he could make you feel very small and very bad because he would completely outplay you from the baseline with his incredible anticipation, his ability to fall back, and his understanding of the game. His transition game was also excellent.’

It’s such a shame that, with so much potential as a youngster, he could not reach those heights and dominate alongside the 20-time Grand Slam champion.