November 20th 2024.
Novak Djokovic has been making headlines recently as the only active player from the Big Four in tennis. This means that he is the only one still playing professional matches out of the four legendary players, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray. Not many players can say they have defeated all three of these greats in Grand Slam matches, but there are four that have achieved this remarkable feat - Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga.
The Big Three, Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer, have been dominating the sport for two decades and are widely considered to be among the greatest players of all time. Federer retired in 2022, while Nadal just recently announced his retirement on Tuesday, which has once again sparked the debate on who is the greatest of all time. With Federer finishing his career with 20 major titles, Nadal with 22, and Djokovic currently sitting at 24 as we enter the 2025 season, the question remains - who truly holds the title of the greatest player in the history of men's professional tennis? Let's see what the experts have to say.
Stan Wawrinka, one of the four players to defeat the entire Big Three in major tournaments, believes that Nadal was his toughest opponent. While one would assume he would pick his fellow Swiss player, Federer, as the GOAT, Wawrinka actually thinks Nadal is the toughest to beat. He explains that Federer's talent and ease on the court, Nadal's strength and power, and Djokovic's perfection make them all unique in their own ways. However, Wawrinka admits that playing Nadal in the Roland Garros final was one of the most difficult challenges of his career.
On the other hand, Tomas Berdych, who also achieved the feat of beating the Big Three, views Federer as the GOAT. Despite Djokovic having four more major titles, Berdych believes that Federer has left the biggest mark on tennis. He explains that while Grand Slam titles may be the most objective measure, there are other factors that make a player stand out, and Federer's contributions to the sport cannot be surpassed.
Andy Murray, who surpassed the Big Three in the 2016 season, believes that Djokovic holds the title of the GOAT when it comes to Grand Slam titles. However, he also hints that he would personally pick Federer or Nadal, emphasizing that the debate is much more nuanced than just looking at the number of trophies won.
And finally, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga is adamant that Djokovic is the greatest player of all time in professional men's tennis. He believes that Djokovic can continue to add to his already impressive 24 Grand Slam titles and potentially surpass 28. With such strong opinions from these top players, the debate on who truly holds the title of the GOAT in men's tennis continues.
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