There are plenty of things to argue about in sports. But Roger Federer as the greatest men’s player of all time isn’t one of them. He’s the G.O.A.T. Period.
Anyone with a sense of sports knows the name Roger Federer and his connection to the sport of tennis. They also know Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. among others. Those players, known as ‘The Big Three,’ have contributed immensely to the world of tennis, both on- and off-the-courts. They are, inarguably, the main attraction for fans and sponsors in the ATP, and, combined, since 2003, they have won 68 Grand Slam titles.
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There’s more, too. All three players are well over what’s considered the peak age for tennis excellence (around 24 years), including being beyond the normal retirement age (around 30 years). But all three still dominate the game. It’s a catch-up game for all others, including the likes of Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev. Thiem is the only player born in the ’90s to hold a Grand Slam title.
While Nadal and Djokovic are arguably two of today’s great players–as Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were in prior years–I believe there’s no doubt that Roger Federer is the greatest men’s tennis player of all time. Here’s why.
His records: The Swiss maestro currently holds multiple records, including reaching 31 Grand Slam finals (10 consecutive, then another eight consecutive.) He was also the first player to win 20 Grand Slam titles (Sampras, 14 titles held the previous record) until Nadal tied the 20-title record. Djokovic’s 18 titles are not far behind. Federer has also appeared in 46 semifinals and 57 quarterfinals. He also holds a record for eight Wimbledon championships–the only Swiss player to have won Wimbledon. Sampras and William Renshaw previously held this record at seven titles, but it’s no secret that grass is Federer’s strength. The fact that Federer has won multiple other titles on all surfaces makes him a complete player. Federer is also Wimbledon’s defending champion (in 2019, tournament canceled in 2020). And there’s more. Federer holds the record with 71 hardcourt titles and has reached six ATP finals. And, until this weekend, Federer held the record for most weeks at the No. 1 spot (310). Djokovic topped (311) that mark over the weekend, but he has never reached the ATP finals.
Injury comeback: Federer is known for making powerful injury comebacks. He had his first knee surgery in 2016 but came back to win two more Grand Slam titles. He intends to do it a second time, too, insisting that his career is far from over. Evidence? Federer recently returned from a second knee surgery and won his first match in Doha after being out of game action for 13 months.
Age: Although turning 40 is classified as middle-aged for the general public, it’s well beyond that designation in competitive tennis. Federer, who will turn 40 in August, is not only the oldest active player in the game today, he continues to excel at the game.
He has the best ‘Gran Willy’ in the game: What’s that? Also called ‘Tweener,” it involves making accurate between-the-legs shots. There are dozens of videos showing the gifted Federer doing ‘The Willy.’ Here’s one.
Grace: The Swiss maestro is nothing but class, on- and off-the-court. He flows through his plays and emotions, which makes him stand out from other players on tour.
All in all, I believe firmly that Roger Federer is the greatest player of all time. His fanbase agrees, which is understandable, but other player greats do as well. Roger Federer, G.O.A.T.!
