With Roger Federer happily retired and Rafael Nadal in the twilight of his career, the ever-raging Greatest Of All Time debate seems to be at a crucial point as the beginning of the end of Novak Djokovic’s career seems to be in sight. With the stats of the big three almost settled, opinions from various quarters have started pouring in.
Juan Martin Del Potro, who is from the same generation, has played and also seen some success against the big three. He recently swung by the Miami Gardens as a spectator and dished out his opinion on Djokovic regarding the GOAT debate, only to still keep the suspense alive.
“If he wins a couple more Grand Slams, there will no longer be a discussion” – Juan Martin Del Potro
The Argentinian recently dropped in to see the Miami Open match between Carlos Alcaraz and Gael Monfils. Taking the opportunity to talk to Danny Miche from the tournament he reveals that Djokovic still has a long way to go before being crowned the undisputed GOAT.
“Each one was the best in history at different times. In the period from 2006 to 2009, Roger was unbeatable, but if you went to clay there Rafa was the best. Novak still has a long way to go, he won more titles than them and it is still being discussed.” Hinting that while stats are on Djokovic’s side he has still not been crowned the people’s champion.
He adds, “I believe that if he wins a couple more Grand Slams, there will no longer be a discussion no matter how many fans there are of Roger and Rafa.” Pointing at the misfortune that Djokovic faces of not being as popular among the fans as Federer and Nadal, he suggests a good way to shut his retractors’ mouths. Something that maybe even the Djoker is already looking to achieve.
While Djokivic has slightly more Grand Slams and is even slightly ahead on the head-to-head count, the tennis fandom seems to be bifurcated between the three gatekeepers of the topmost echelons of tennis. Now, let’s take a look at what some of the top voices in the sport have to say on the matter.
‘It’s just slightly more nuanced than that’ – Andy Murray
Mats Wilander to Eaurosport in 2023 called Djokovic the “best of all time’ because the ‘greatest of all time’, I like to give to Roger Federer because I think he put tennis in everyone’s TV set.” Indeed, Federer was among those top names that were instrumental in popularizing tennis in the last two decades.
Andy Murray told Sky Sports on June 2023, “What all those guys have achieved is amazing…If you just go on Grand Slam titles, then you’d have to give that to Novak but for me, it’s just slightly more nuanced than that.”
Even Toni Nadal, Rafa’s uncle, was all praise when he told to ClayTenis.com, July 2023, “I think the one who has managed to play at a better level and do more difficult things is Federer, the one who has won more is Djokovic and if we were to count all the things Rafael hasn’t played because of injury, he would probably have won more than the others.”
Exciting times lie ahead as it’ll be interesting to see what shape the greatest debate of the tennis world takes in the coming
