"There is no single GOAT, all three deserve it" - Dominic Thiem feels GOAT debate is disrespectful to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic
Dominic Thiem has called the GOAT debate disrespectful towards Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, as he believes each of the Big 3 deserves to be termed the 'greatest of all time' in men's tennis. According to the Austrian, a uniqueness in each of the three greats makes them all worthy of the tag.
Thiem is one of only 11 players not named Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic to have won a Grand Slam tournament in the last 18 years, since the Big 3 era started at the Grand Slams with Federer's maiden Grand Slam title at 2003 Wimbledon. With Nadal and Djokovic having surpassed the Swiss maestro in the race for most Grand Slam men's singles titles, and are now tied on 22 Majors each, many believe that only one of them can eventually be called 'The GOAT' in men's tennis.
However, Thiem has no interest in entertaining a debate that crowns just one of them as the greatest tennis player ever, even if one of Nadal and Djokovic will end up with more Grand Slam titles than the other. The 2020 US Open champion holds the terrific trio in great regard.
"I have a great relationship with all of them. I get along very well with all three and I admire them equally," Dominic Thiem told Ole on the sidelines of the 2023 Argentina Open.
"All the time there is talk about who is better than the other and it really is not good. I don't like to say that."
Thiem believes that certain achievements by each of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic will never be emulated by other players in the future, and due to the magnitude of those achievements, all three deserve the GOAT honor.
"I think it's disrespectful to each one of them, they all achieved incredible things, that probably no one else will achieve in their life. There is no single GOAT, all three deserve it because they are unique," Thiem expressed.
While Thiem believes Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic all have something in them that makes them equally great, the former world No. 3 had earlier suggested that the holder of most Grand Slam singles titles would eventually be awarded the GOAT honor.
"The GOAT will probably be the one with the most Grand Slams" - Dominic Thiem
Shortly after Novak Djokovic clinched the 2023 Australian Open to win a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam men's singles title, Dominic Thiem opined that the one who eventually surpasses the other between Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will be called the GOAT. If there is a defining criteria, it should be the number of Majors won, Thiem had stated. The Austrian declared that nothing within the sport holds as much importance as winning one of the four Grand Slam events.
"In my opinion, the Grand Slam titles should be the defining criteria when determining the best of all time, they are the four most important tournaments in tennis," Dominic Thiem said in an interview a few days ago.
"Everything else is fine, but it's not the same. The Slams are what counts, so the GOAT will probably be the one with the most Grand Slams."
Dominic Thiem, who has competed in four Grand Slam finals, ended up second to Nadal in two of those finals and to Djokovic in one. However, the 29-year-old is also one of the few players to have beaten each of the Big 3 multiple times, and has a positive win-loss record (5-2) against Roger Federer.