For years now a battle has been waged over who is greatest men’s tennis player of all time.
Arguments can be made for any of the big three that have remained so present for the last few decades, with Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer having transformed the sport and taken it to a level never before seen.
Well, whilst on punditry duties with Eurosport, Nick Kyrgios has finally weighed in on the age-old debate.
But who does he actually think is the GOAT? We take a closer look…
Who does Nick Kyrgios prefer out of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer?
The 2022 Australian Open men’s doubles champion has been vocal of his admiration for Djokovic.
In fact, the two even shared a heartfelt moment in which the Serbian asked him to play doubles with him, just days after he had lauded the world number one.
So, to see his answer to the question of who was more talented out of him and Federer might surprise a few.
He told Eurosport, first referencing Djokovic: ‘Without a doubt [the most complete]. Forehand is so solid, he can pretty much hit every shot. His backhand is arguably the best backhand to ever take the court. Serve is solid. Greatest returning of all time. Net game hasn’t always been unbelievable but it’s good enough to complement the rest of his game. One of the best movers I think to ever play.
‘But I mean the greatest of all time is definitely Novak. If I was to go out there and say who would I want to watch?Â
‘I think Roger Federer is the nicest player to watch. He is the most talented. Makes the game look effortless. He is like the Michael Jordan of tennis. Without Roger would there have been a Novak? Would there have been a Nadal? Something to chase.
‘But statistically, it’s hard to even have a conversation any more. He’s the most complete player we have seen on all surfaces as well, you look at Nadal’s dominance on one surface but Novak has had that pretty much everywhere.’
Who is the real men’s tennis GOAT?
Wow. What a question.
The seemingly impossible debate, in which everybody has their own opinion, it would be disingenuous to try and come to a proper conclusion within this article.
After all, how does one measure success? Is it Grand Slams won? Lasting impact on the game? The yardstick for comparison is ever-changing, and therefore so too are people’s answers.
We have never seen dominance like Rafael Nadal on clay, with his historic 14 Roland Garros titles a feat unlikely to ever be matched again.
But in the same breath, Djokovic’s 24 grand slam titles, and counting, is a number few could have dreamed anyone would achieve.
But, as Kyrgios says, Federer paved the pathway for these superstar competitors, as a supreme all-court magician who had a revolutionary impact on the entire sport, exuding grace and elegance in everything he did.
These three have dominated tennis for decades in a manner never before seen in any sport, and thus they tower above even the legendary figures of old like Jimmy Connors, Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg.
To pick who stands out at the top though is a completely personal, and justifiable choice. After all, they are three of the finest sportsmen the world has ever seen.
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