Roger Federer is the greatest, he has built a flawless image and not caused scandals like Novak Djokovic: Oscar Otte
Oscar Otte recently spoke to tennis MAGAZIN, where he claimed that Roger Federer is the greatest player of all time. Otte believes that Federer's flawless demeanor - both on and off the court - puts him ahead of Novak Djokovic, who has been at the center of a fair few controversies of late.
Oscar Otte ended his Wimbledon 2021 campaign with a heartbreaking defeat to local favorite Andy Murray. The German showed a lot of spirit in front of a packed Centre Court on Wednesday, but ended up falling just short.
But much of the attention at SW19 this year is on Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a record-equalling 20th Major. Djokovic has been on a tear in 2021, winning both the Australian Open and Roland Garros titles, and is currently in position to pull off the elusive Calendar Grand Slam.
The Serb has also been busy off the court. Last year he founded the PTPA (Professional Tennis Players Association), a breakaway organization that seeks to safeguard the interests of the lower-ranked players. But the move was strongly criticized by the ATP, and the PTPA has been labeled a misadventure by many top players.
Novak Djokovic also courted controversy during the middle of 2020 by hosting the Adria Tour exhibition. Held in the midst of the raging COVID-19 pandemic, the event saw a plethora of players - including Djokovic - contract the virus.
By contrast, Roger Federer has largely been away from controversies for most of his career. That is perhaps what Oscar Otte was alluding to when he broached the subject of the GOAT debate.
"No matter who wins the (Grand Slam) race, from my point of view, Federer is the greatest," Otte said. "Unfortunately, I am not objective. I admire him for his demeanor. He is the figurehead for tennis. He has built a flawless image and not, like Djokovic, caused scandals."
It was a cool experience to play Roger Federer: Oscar Otte
Roger Federer and Oscar Otte have met just once on the tour - in the second round of Roland Garros 2019. Federer triumphed in straight sets, and Otte recalled how that match gave him opportunities that he normally doesn't get.
"It was difficult to play against him (Federer, at Roland Garros), of course, but I played well," Otte said. "But a lot of new things came up to me. For example, it was the first time I had real interviews."
The German added that the match took a lot out of him, but that the experience of locking horns with Federer was "cool".
"That's why I was exhausted for a few days after the match," Otte said. "(But) it was a cool experience. The only stupid thing was that I got injured again afterwards and couldn’t take this positive swing with me."
At 2021 Wimbledon, Oscar Otte qualified for the main draw and beat Arthur Rinderknech in only the second-ever fifth-set tiebreak at the grasscourt Major. The German was on the cusp of a big win in the next round, leading two-time champion Andy Murray two sets to one, but eventually lost in five.