Stan Wawrinka Considers Novak Djokovic the Greatest Tennis Player in History: ‘By a Huge Margin’

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka has once again brought up the never-ending GOAT discussion in tennis. The Swiss man has picked Novak Djokovic as the greatest in history.

The trio of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer produced the most dominant era in tennis history. However, Wawrinka believes that, when all the records and statistics are taken into account, the Serb is the winner of the debate. Wawrinka said in First & Red Podcast:

If we add everything up, Novak Djokovic is the best in history, by a huge margin. What he has achieved all these years is incredible. He has broken all records and continues to compete at the highest level.

Alongside the GOAT discussion, Wawrinka also remembered his memorable battle with Djokovic in the 2013 Australian Open 4th round. Djokovic won 12-10 in the tiebreak, with the match stretching over 5 hours. He added:

Although I lost (1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (5), and 12-10), that match changed my career. It was then that I realized that my success in Grand Slams was real and not just theoretical. It is undoubtedly the best match of my career, a five-set match against an opponent who was ranked number one in the world.

Wawrinka and Djokovic played three consecutive times at the Australian Open between 2013 and 2015. The Swiss man managed to get the better of Djokovic in the 2014 Australian Open quarterfinals.

Stan Wawrinka considers Rafael Nadal his toughest rival

Although Djokovic is the GOAT in the debate, Wawrinka believes his toughest rival was Rafael Nadal. The Swiss man has had plenty of memorable encounters with the Spaniard in his career.

Rafa Nadal was my toughest rival, especially on clay, particularly at Roland Garros, especially in five-set matches. Facing him on the clay of Paris was the toughest challenge for me.

The most memorable battle for Wawrinka against Nadal came in the 2014 Australian Open final, where the former World No.3 won his first Grand Slam title. Wawrinka won in 4 sets to secure the Melbourne crown.

Wawrinka also played his last-ever Grand Slam final against Nadal, which came at the 2017 Roland Garros. The Swiss man could only win six games against the King of Clay.

Stan Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov handed Wimbledon wildcards

Stan Wawrinka has been handed a wild card for what will be his final Wimbledon campaign. The Swiss veteran, a three-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 3, has twice reached the quarterfinals at the All England Club. At 41, he will be aiming to savor one last memorable run on the grass courts of southwest London.

Grigor Dimitrov also received a wild card, marking his return to the main draw after a painful exit in 2025. The Bulgarian, once ranked as high as No. 3, retired in the fourth round last year after leading Jannik Sinner by two sets before a pectoral injury struck. That setback was part of a streak of five consecutive majors where Dimitrov was forced to withdraw mid-match.

The initial list also included four British hopefuls: Jacob Fearnley, Arthur Fery, Jack Pinnington Jones, and Toby Samuel. Fearnley impressed on debut in 2024, winning a match and even taking a set off Novak Djokovic in round two. Fery and Pinnington Jones both earned their first Wimbledon victories last year, while Samuel, now at a career-high No. 144, will make his maiden main-draw appearance.

In doubles, Alexander Bublik and Nick Kyrgios were among those awarded wild cards. Kyrgios, who famously reached the Wimbledon singles final in 2022 before losing to Djokovic in four sets, will look to make an impact in the team format. These selections add intrigue to both singles and doubles fields as the tournament approaches.

Also Read: Patrick Mouratoglou Calls Jannik Sinner’s Start to 2026 Season ‘Joke’ and Predicts How He’ll Perform at Wimbledon