Roger Federer sullies own image by getting into the GOAT debate over Novak Djokovic

If ever a buzz was needed before The Championships at Wimbledon, Roger Federer has provided it. Winner of 20 Grand Slam titles, a part of rich history at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, where he won eight titles, Federer’s legacy has never been in doubt. Yet, the Swiss ace committed an unforced error, to borrow a tennis parlance, as he got caught in the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate this week.

First things first, Federer was a trifle late when he wished/congratulated Novak Djokovic for winning his 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open in Paris. The world watched Novak create history as he won a massive Major which put him ahead of the rest of the pack in terms of aggregate titles. No doubt, the Serbian was congratulated by one and all, not just the tennis fraternity. Glitterati, political leaders, and lesser mortals who use social media, all were off the blocks to wish an emotional Novak.

Through the French Open fortnight, Novak looked a bit shaky. He was not in his best form, or so fans thought. His fitness was not top gear, or so pundits thought. Yet, in the space of six months, from Melbourne to Paris, Novak showed he could overcome pain, the odds and win seven matches in a row twice to win Grand Slam titles 22 and 23.

Well, the guys who should have been first to congratulate and cheer Novak should have been Federer and Rafael Nadal. For a man blessed with great hand and foot speed and the nuances of grass-court skills, Federer’s timing was “off” when he wished Novak. There was an inordinate delay, which would have earned him a caution from the chair umpire, had it been a match in progress. The world knows, these days, Federer is busy with promotional stuff, marketing, and so on. His commercial progress and prowess are huge and he is raking in the big bucks.

Yet, for the champion of grass and the man who gets maximum love, he wished Novak late. To be sure, it was almost like an afterthought. It was as if Federer had been forced to come up with a congratulatory message. The topic could have closed there. No, Federer got caught in the GOAT debate, alluding that Novak Djokovic is not the greatest! Jaws gaping, eyes popping out in horror as if having watched a bad show, fans now realize how petty-minded Roger Federer can be.

Related: Mardy Fish compares Novak Djokovic’s 2011 and Roger Federer’s 2005 season to choose his GOAT

Federer has bungled his legacy

Federer, famous for that Toblerone chocolate smile, lacks a big heart. By saying that as long as Rafael Nadal is still an active player, Novak is not the greatest. He has stirred the hornet’s nest. Agreed, Novak may still not win popularity polls as that has been the case with him for years. Crowds in Melbourne and Paris were unkind to him, in fact, cheap, as they did not shower love on Novak the way they did on Federer and Nadal. The reasons are clear. You can pardon fans for being partisan, you can pardon fans for having their preferences.

Eventually, people will realize, there is no reason to hate Novak Djokovic. If anything, he has become the marathon man of men’s tennis in every sense. Today, Novak is on the cusp of creating more history, because if he wins Wimbledon, it will be his eighth title on the world’s most famous grass courts. It will also bring him at par with Federer, who won eight titles at SW19, summer’s famous London suburb.

Fans are bound to assume Federer is wary of his record on grass being equaled. After all, before Federer became king of grass, a certain American answering to the name of Pete Sampras ruled Wimbledon. Sampras was a class act. He won, retired, and then kept shut. He never needed to get into social media and so on to stay relevant.

If one compares greatness, legacies, and being a champion, Federer has bungled. This is not the time to stir the pot and argue against Novak’s greatness. Novak’s wins are not just large in a numerical sense, his win on clay in Paris was against all odds. Like the proverbial “A Bull In A China Shop,” Novak can go on to bulldoze the field and win his eighth Wimbledon title. If that happens in July, Novak would equal Federer’s record at Wimbledon (8) and also increase his Grand Slam tally to 24.

The tennis world is waiting to hear what Mr. Roger Federer will then have to say. That’s the way Wimbledon addresses players!

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