Former World No.1 Gives Brutal Verdict on Tennis Big 3 GOAT Debate: “Everyone Has Already Forgotten Roger Federer”
Former World No.1s Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic won a combined 66 Majors.
Follow Us
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal (Image via X/Danny)
🔍 Explore this post with:
In the eyes of former World No.1, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, fellow former World No.1 and 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is not at all the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) in terms of the Grand Slam title tally. He believes the GOAT debate should center on only two players: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, the winners of 22 and 24 Majors, respectively.
Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer have won a combined 66 Grand Slam titles and spent 947 weeks on top of the rankings table. Federer and Nadal retired at the 2022 Laver Cup and the 2024 Davis Cup, while the Serb still contends for his 25th Major and played in the final of the recently concluded Australian Open, losing the title to Carlos Alcaraz after four sets.
To be honest, everyone has already forgotten Federer. That’s my personal opinion. He has 20 Grand Slam titles. Objectively, Rafael Nadal has 22 and Novak Djokovic 24. For some, Federer will remain the greatest player of all time, but the numbers don’t lie. Performance is measured by the number of tournaments and titles won.
Yevgeny Kafelnikov said on the First & Red podcast
Federer was the first man in the Open Era to reach the 20-title tally in Majors after winning the 2018 Australian Open. Nadal joined him after defeating Djokovic in the 2020 French Open final.
Djokovic lifted a Major for the last time at the 2023 US Open, and since then, he has played two finals: 2024 Wimbledon and this year’s Australian Open, losing both to Alcaraz. Before scheduling the final against the now seven-time Grand Slam champion, the 38-year-old knocked out two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in five sets in the semifinals, finally ending his five-match losing streak.
Patrick Mouratoglou calls Novak Djokovic the GOAT ahead of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
Why is Novak Djokovic no longer winning Grand Slam titles? Although he has reached the last stage of his career, he still can win his 25th Major if he’s highly motivated to win it, believes Patrick Mouratoglou, who cited Djokovic’s 2024 Paris Olympic final win over Carlos Alcaraz to prove his point.
The only obstacle that prevents Novak from winning Grand Slams is his motivation. I don’t think he’s motivated enough for the 25th, otherwise I think he would have done it. He was crazy motivated for the Olympic Games, he made the gold medal, and he beat Alcaraz in the final. He’s done to achieve his goals all his life. He wanted to be the best of all time. He is undoubtedly the best of all time. Nobody anytime soon will beat this record.
Patrick Mouratoglou said on Instagram
Mouratoglou also called Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner better players than the Big 3. But his comment did not go down well with many, including Rafael Nadal, who dropped laughing emoticons in the comment section before deleting it. When a user asked the Frenchman about Nadal’s comment, Mouratoglou bluntly said, “Ask him.”
Recently, the Indian Wells Masters, the season’s first ATP Masters 1000, released the entry list of players. The star-studded list also includes Djokovic, who last year suffered a three-set defeat at the hands of Botic van de Zandschulp in his opening-round.
Djokovic has so far lifted five titles in the first leg of the Sunshine Double, winning in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2016. He is tied with Roger Federer, who first completed the three-peat from 2004 to 2006, before winning in 2012 and 2017. If Djokovic wins another title, he will break the tie with the Swiss maestro. The win will also make him the oldest man to win the tournament.
Also read: Former World No.1 Believes Alexander Zverev Missed an “Opportunity” at the 2026 Australian Open
/techfirstnow/media/agency_attachments/kATjCXskQdJKkXN0OuqW.png)