Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic can't be compared to Roger Federer in terms of impact on the sport, says Ivan Ljubicic
Roger Federer's former coach, Ivan Ljubicic, recently stated that Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic cannot be compared to the Swiss legend in terms of impact on tennis.
After retiring from the sport, Ljubicic coached Milos Raonic for two and a half years before joining Federer's team in December 2015. Together, they ended his Grand Slam title drought at the 2017 Australian Open and he then went on to win two more Slams, bringing his total to 20 before retiring in 2022.
In a recent interview with Sportklub, the Croatian coach stated that while Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have won more Grand Slam titles than Roger Federer, they cannot be compared to his former protege in terms of the "impact" on the sport.
"I don't think you can look exclusively through the Grand Slams. Roger is already not the most successful in this regard. However, size and success are not identical terms. If they are, then it definitely won't be Roger. If we look at the impact on sports, I think that neither Nadal nor Djokovic can be compared to Federer in that sense. Roger is indisputable," Ljubicic said.
The trio dominated men's singles tennis for nearly two decades. They have collectively won 64 Major singles tournaments; the Spaniard and the Serb have 22 titles each, and the Swiss has 20.
What is next for Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal?
Novak Djokovic applied for a special waiver to play in the United States at the Indian Wells Masters and Miami Open since he isn't vaccinated against COVID-19. However, his application was unsuccessful and he had to withdraw from both tournaments.
The 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters, which begins on April 8, may therefore be the Serb's next stop given the current situation. He has previously won the Masters 1000 tournament twice, in 2013 and 2015.
Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, suffered a hip injury during the second round of the Australian Open this year and has been sidelined since then. He was unable to travel to the Middle East or the United States for the Sunshine Double.
The 36-year-old is hoping to make a comeback at the Monte-Carlo Masters, a tournament he missed in 2022 for the first time in his career due to a rib injury. The Spaniard has won the Monte-Carlo Masters 11 times.