Novak Djokovic has put a stop to the debate over who would have the most Grand Slam titles by the end of their tennis career, but the GOAT debate is far from done.
With Rafael Nadal due to retire at the Laver Cup later this month, Djokovic appears to be on track to win the most major titles in men’s tennis history.
Djokovic’s 24th major championship at last year’s US Open might be his final major, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz getting a march on the Serbian by sharing the Grand Slam titles in 2024.
Despite the fact that Djokovic leads the Grand Slam count, the controversy over who is the best player of all time continues, with followers of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal arguing that the greatest player of the golden era of men’s tennis is more than just the guy with the most victories.
Toni Nadal, who coached his nephew Rafael for the majority of his successful career, has now weighed in on the subject in an interview with Euronews.
“Who played better? “Federer,” Toni explained. “Who’s the best?” Djokovic. Djokovic has won more titles than the others.
He went on to say, “Who could be the best without injuries?” My nephew. However, due to his ailments, Djokovic emerges as the best.
“So in my opinion, from what I have seen on court, when Federer plays, no one beats him.
Nadal went on to compare Federer to football icon Lionel Messi, arguing that hard work propels talented sportsmen to greatness.
“You are born with a natural talent, but at the same time you need to work hard,” he explained. “Natural talent is required, but it is usually insufficient.
“It is really difficult to reach the goals Federer does. Or to be Messi, it is nearly impossible.
“You can be a very good tennis player or a very good football player when you are willing to work very hard.”
Toni’s claim that his nephew may have gone down in history as the most successful male player of all time if it hadn’t been for his injury difficulties sparked outrage among Djokovic fans.
The last years of Nadal’s career were overshadowed by physical difficulties, which only became a concern for Djokovic in 2024, when he sustained a knee injury that ruined his French Open campaign and limited his Wimbledon challenge.
The conclusion of Nadal’s career appears to put an end to the dispute about who will have the most Grand Slam victories, and former British No. 1 Tim Henman told Tennis365 that Djokovic has earned the right to be remembered as the greatest male player of all time.
“There are two different conversations to be had about the greatest player, the best player, that comes down to a numbers game and Djokovic will win that,” says Henman.
“When it comes to impact and popularity, it’s a one-horse race, and Federer is without a doubt the most popular player in our sport’s history.
“Overall, Djokovic is the best of all-time on the numbers, but many will still pick Federer because of what he contributed to the game on so many levels.”
This is a long-running controversy, with Toni Nadal’s words injecting new life into a subject that has always divided opinion.