Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic
As debates go, this is as polarising as it gets. GOAT discussions are usually centred around 2 athletes: Lebron James vs Michael Jordan or Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo. For tennis, this is a whole different ball game. The ‘Big 3’– comprising of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – have dominated the tennis circuit for almost 15 years, racking up an astonishing 63 Grand Slam titles between them! For context, since 2017, only 2 other men (Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev) have won a Grand Slam other than the Big 3. With all these men above the age 30 – now considered veterans – they still aren’t ready to concede to the next generation of stars.
Remarkably, after the legend Pete Sampras retired (with 14 Grand Slams) in August 2003, he was regarded as the greatest player of all time; 20 years later, he is hidden in the periphery of these conversations. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic all have outstanding milestones backing their claims as the GOAT. The truly special component of this debate is that all three stars are competing in the same era!
So before a case is made for each player, it is important to highlight and reiterate that these three are indubitably tennis (and sporting) greats. Their achievements transcend eras, acting as exemplary role models and respectful competitors through it all. They constantly (appropriately) pay homage to those who paved the way before them, appreciating the likes of Rod Laver and the late, great Arthur Ashe for their contributions to the rich history of men’s tennis. These icons are worth celebrating both on and off the court! Now let’s explore and dissect each player’s case for the title of The GOAT.
ROGER FEDERER
Smoother than a Swiss army- knife, the legend from Basel has been a model ambassador for the game since he burst onto the scene in 2001. Federer is renowned for his gentle countenance, effortless aura and slick style of play. In respect to his versatility, former tennis player Jimmy Connors describes it best, stating: “In an era of specialists, you’re either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard-court specialist…or you’re Roger Federer”.
He simply can/has done it all and this has reflected in his career achievements. Federer has won 369 Grand Slam matches (most ever) including 20 Grand Slam titles! After dethroning his idol Sampras in 2001’s Wimbledon, Federer went on to be the most successful grass court player ever, attaining 8 Wimbledon championships (with 5 consecutive titles between 2003-2007), 6 Australian Open titles, 5 US Open titles (won consecutively between 2004-2008) and sole Roland Garros title in 2009 to complete the career slam.
Of the three greats, he was the first to overtake Sampras’ impressive record of 14 Grand Slams, he was also the first to complete the career Grand slam, after his French Open triumph in 2009.
Federer’s 2006 season is considered to be one of the greatest seasons of all time. Winning 92 out of 97 matches (95%) Federer appeared in all 4 Grand Slam finals and took home the championship title in three. He was world no.1 for the whole year and made the final in 16 out of the 17 tournaments he played – phenomenal to say the least.
Now at 41 and hampered with a series of injuries, Federer’s illustrious career seems to be drawing to a close. He hasn’t appeared in a Grand Slam tournament since the Australian Open in 2020, and whilst he aims to be back healthy and on the circuit by end of the year, it is unlikely he will add to his impressive tally of 20 Grand Slams. When all is said and done, Federer will not solely be remembered for the numbers but for the manner in which he has carried out such a successful career. Revered by all generations, Roger Federer is simply a class act and a worthy GOAT of tennis.
RAFAEL NADAL
The ferocious 36-year-old Spaniard currently holds the record for most Grand Slam wins (22). He is unquestionably the greatest clay court player of all time, with 14 Roland Garros Championships attesting to the claim. Nadal holds the longest single-surface win streak with 81 matches on clay- hence his coronation as the ‘King of Clay’!
These feats only tell a chapter of the tale. In addition to the French Open success, Nadal has 4 US Open titles, and 2 Wimbledon (2008 & 2010) and Australian Open (2009 & 2022) titles to his name. He has completed the career Grand slam twice (only matched by Novak Djokovic, Roy Emerson and Rod Laver) and is the only member of the ‘Big Three’ to win an Olympics Singles Gold Medal (2008).
Nadal’s most dominant spell was arguably from 2008-2010, which kicked off with him defeating Federer in a classic 5-set final in 2008. Nadal then went on to claim his maiden Wimbledon championship, win 6 majors and also complete the Career Grand Slam in that spell. Nadal also leads the head to head record against Federer, leading with 6-3 in Grand Slam finals and 24-16 overall).
Nadal has unfortunately been riddled with injuries throughout his career, with an abdominal injury most recently in the 2022 Wimbledon semi-final that robbed him of the chance to appear in another Slam final. But he’s certainly not done yet. If providence allows him to be healthy for this year’s US Open, he could further extend his Grand Slam title lead.
The Spaniard’s dominance on clay might be the most prevalent command of a court in the history of sport! Coupled with the record-holder for the most majors, this is greatness on another scale.
FUN FACT: Nadal and Federer have NEVER faced each other in the US Open!
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
The Serbian, the youngest of three players, is another worthy entry to the GOAT conversation. At just 20, Novak Djokovic quite literally disrupted the game, when his maiden Grand Slam win (at the 2008 Australian Open) ended Nadal and Federer’s streak of 11 consecutive majors between them. After getting repeatedly beaten by the aforementioned players, Djokovic evolved and took his game to another level. From 2011-2016, he won 11 Grand Slam titles, completed the career Grand Slam and more incredibly, had the non- calendar year Grand Slam (held all four titles at the same time) – a feat not seen since Rod Laver completed the career slam in 1969!
His resume speaks for itself. 21 Grand Slam titles (2nd only to Nadal) consisting of 9 Australian Opens, 7 in Wimbledon, 3 US Open and 2 French Open titles (2016 & 2021). He has completed the career slam twice and at 35 is still very much in the peak of his powers to win more.
Djokovic has a superior head to head record against both Federer and Nadal. His record against the former is 27-23 overall (4-1 in Grand Slam finals), with his only loss coming in Djokovic’s first Grand Slam final appearance in the 2007 US Open tournament. He has a 3-0 record against Federer in Wimbledon finals, despite the Swiss’ reputation as the greatest grass court player ever. Whilst Federer had the upper hand in the early stages of their duels, Djokovic has simply dominated in the rivalry over the past decade.
In comparison to Nadal, it is a much closer contest, albeit slightly favouring the Serb. Whilst Nadal leads 5-4 in Grand Slam finals, Djokovic leads 30-29 overall, having defeated Nadal in all 4 Grand Slam tournaments including Roland Garros (twice)! Of the Big 3, Djokovic has appeared in the most Grand Slam finals (32) and has won the most Masters 1000’s titles (38). His consistency at the elite level cannot be queried.
The ‘Nole’ hive, as his fanbase would dub themselves, would argue that Djokovic has had a greater peak than both his contemporaries. His 2015 season in particular serves as a testament to this claim. He won 82 of his 88 matches and made the final in all the Grand Slams (winning 3). He followed this up with 8 out of 9 Masters 1000s finals appearances, in which he took home 6 trophies. Lastly, he was ranked world number 1 for the entire year. Djokovic also holds the record for most weeks at no.1 with a staggering 373 weeks. This is dominance, if there ever was an apt description.
Djokovic’s refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine stripped him of the chance to compete in the Australian Open earlier this year, and also could hamper this participation in the forthcoming US Open tournament, but despite these hurdles he sits just 1 major away from equalling Nadal’s record; and at 35 years old, he’s very much in his prime to compete and win many more. Djokovic statistically has the better numbers amongst the Big 3 and is in the best position to further enhance his legacy.
SUMMARY:
Ultimately, conversations on this matter are highly subjective, as above there are always strong arguments for each party. Regarding this particular debate, there really are compelling cases for each of the Big 3, especially when you consider that none of these players have officially retired, giving room for these stories (and records) to be rewritten. So this publication will simply watch and marvel at the greatness, for we cannot guarantee that we will ever see something like this in modern sports again.
However, there are many fans who are convinced of their star player. Is that you? If so, which GOAT gets your vote?
