Novak Djokovic is "without a doubt the best," difficult for Rafael Nadal or anyone to match his Slam tally: Uncle Toni
Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni believes it will be difficult for his nephew - or anyone else in the sport - to equal Novak Djokovic's Grand Slam title count.
The Serb recently became the first male tennis player to win 24 Grand Slam titles. He outlasted Russia's Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final on Sunday, September 10 for his fourth crown in New York.
In the all-time Grand Slam winners' list, Djokovic is now tied with Australia's Margaret Court (24). Rafael Nadal, meanwhile, has 22 Grand Slam titles.
In the world of tennis, there have been constant comparisons between Djokovic, Nadal, and Roger Federer — collectively known as the Big 3. While the retired Federer has 20 Grand Slam titles in his trophy cabinet, the other two continue to contend for more.
In a recent interaction with Spanish media outlet ElDesmarque, Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni weighed in on the Slam leaderboard. He suggested that reaching the Serb's numbers would be a huge task for all other players, including his nephew. The Spaniard is currently out of action due to injuries.
"Djokovic is a great champion and it will be very difficult to reach him, not only for my nephew, but for anyone," Toni was quoted as saying. "I think in the world of sport if we go by the numbers, Djokovic is without a doubt the best."
Toni Nadal coached Rafael Nadal from the age of three until the age of 31. Under his guidance, the Spaniard won 14 Grand Slam titles.
Toni is a part of Felix Auger-Aliassime's team at present. He also serves as the director of his nephew's tennis academy in Mallorca.
Novak Djokovic enjoys a slim lead over Rafael Nadal in the head-to-head count
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have come face-to-face on 59 occasions so far. The Serb leads the head-to-head count by the slimmest of margins - 30 wins to 29 losses.
Their rivalry dates back to 2006. The duo faced off for the first time in the quarterfinals of the French Open, but that match had a premature conclusion as the Serb retired while trailing 4-6, 4-6.
In 2007, the Serb registered his first victory over Nadal, in what was their third match against each other. He won the quarterfinal encounter at the Miami Open in straight sets.
In Grand Slam tournaments, the duo have played each other 18 times, with Nadal accumulating 11 victories - including five in finals. On clay, the Spaniard has prevailed over the Serb in 20 out of 28 encounters.
However, their hard-court record is heavily in favor of the Serb, who has 20 wins in 27 ties. The two are tied at 2-2 on grass courts.