"Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have all taken the game to another level" - John Millman
Australian tennis veteran John Millman had his say on the GOAT debate involving Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. He stated that all three of them had taken the game of tennis to "another level."
With Djokovic's title win at the 2023 French Open, the GOAT debate has intensified more than ever. The Serb currently leads the Grand Slam race with 23 titles, while Nadal and Federer have won 22 and 20 Majors respectively.
A philosophy professor at Trinity College Dublin, Ben Bramble, recently wrote an article for The Guardian where he claimed that giving the GOAT tag based on Slam titles is imprecise.
"If there is any meaningful sense in which we can ask who is the greatest of all time, the answer cannot simply be given by crudely adding up slams," read his article.
He further undervalued the World No. 1's achievements, stating that he has an immense physical advantage over others.
"Djokovic isn't 10 feet tall but he is extremely fast and flexible. He is, as they say, "the rubber man." This is an immense physical advantage. It allows him to extend points and grind his opponents down," he added.
Reacting to this, John Millman acknowledged that all three players had played their respective parts to uplift the sport.
"RF, RN, ND have all taken the game to another level," he wrote in his tweet.
However, he opined that it is ridiculous to dismiss the Serb's achievement for having a physical advantage.
"But to dismiss an achievement based on someone having a physical advantage of being a "rubber man" enters into the abyss of ridiculousness," Millman added.
What a load of tosh. I’m not getting into a GOAT debate. RF, RN, ND have all taken the game to another level. But to dismiss an achievement based on someone having a physical advantage of being a “rubber man” enters into the abyss of ridiculousness. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
"I played Federer, Djokovic, Agassi, the best is Rafael Nadal" – Daniil Medvedev's former coach
Daniil Medvedev's former coach Jene-Rene Lisnard had the privilege of playing against Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andre Agassi during his professional career.
While Lisnard, a former Monegasque tennis player, succumbed to each of the legends, he recently labeled Nadal as the toughest of the lot.
"I played Federer, Djokovic, Agassi... the best is Nadal. Every stitch is hell," Lisnard said as per L'Equipe.
He further emphasized the Spaniard's powerful forehand.
"He has monstrous punching quality. Against anyone, you lead 40-0, you tell yourself that the game is almost won. But not against him . He never lets go and you can feel it. When he takes control with forehand, it's only a matter of time before you lose the point. He eats you," he added.
Lisnard retired from professional tennis in 2013. He had a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 84.