Djokovic vs. Nadal vs. Federer: who will be the men’s tennis GOAT?

The battle to be men’s tennis greatest of all time (GOAT) is hotting up ahead of the French Open grand slam next month.

Novak Djokovic may have won the past three slams – Wimbledon, the US Open and Australian Open – but Roger Federer is hitting top form after his latest ATP Tour victory at the Miami Open on 31 March.

Also, let’s not forget that Djokovic and Federer’s other “big three” rival, Rafael Nadal, is an 11-time winner at Roland-Garros and will be a big favourite for more grand slam success on clay.

101 and counting…

ATPTour.com reports that Federer’s 6-1, 6-4 victory in the Miami Open final against John Isner was his 54th “big title” – grand slams, Nitto ATP Finals and Masters 1000 crowns.

The 37-year-old, a 20-time grand slam champion, now moves two clear of Djokovic (52) and four clear of Nadal (50) on the list of big title winners. However, he still trails Djokovic (33) and Nadal (32) after securing his 28th Masters 1000 win.

This season Federer will return to playing on clay at the Madrid Open and French Open. After victory in Miami, his 101st career title, he said: “I think what this [Miami] win does for me, it just takes even more pressure off from the clay court season. I’m very excited. It’s a good challenge, good test.”

Federer also won the Dubai Tennis Championships in March and this means he’s now top of the 2019 ATP Race To London rankings ahead of rivals Djokovic and Nadal.

Race is on to be the GOAT

After securing his 15th grand slam title with a stunning victory at the Australian Open in January Djokovic set his sights on tennis history.

The Serbian’s 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory in the Melbourne final against Nadal means he’s outright third on the list of grand slam title wins – two behind Spaniard Nadal’s 17 slams and five behind Federer’s record of 20.

Speaking after the win against his great rival Nadal, 31-year-old Djokovic admitted that Federer’s record keeps pushing him on. Djokovic said: “Of course it motivates me. Playing grand slams, the biggest ATP events, is my utmost priority in this season and in seasons to come.

“How many seasons are to come? I don’t know. I’m not trying to think too much in advance.

“I do want to definitely focus myself on continuing to improve my game and maintaining the overall wellbeing that I have – mental, physical, emotional – so I would be able to compete at such a high level for the years to come.”

Calendar-year grand slam

Officially the most successful male grand slam singles players of all time, the next major for the trio is the French Open at Roland Garros in May – a tournament dominated by Nadal who has won 11 times in Paris.

With the Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open trophies in his cabinet a win in France would see Djokovic become the first male player to hold all four titles since Rod Laver in 1969. He knows it’s going to take a lot of hard work…

Djokovic said: “I have to work on my game, my clay-court game, more specifically than I did last season. I need to play better than I have last season. I am already playing better but I mean on clay specifically, in order to have a chance and shot at the title.

“The ultimate challenge there is to win against Nadal. Then you have Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev, Roger is probably going to play. You have a lot of great players that on clay can challenge me or anybody else.” 

Djokovic vs. Nadal vs. Federer: how they compare

Novak Djokovic

• Nationality: Serbian 
• Age: 31 
• World ranking: 1 
• Career titles: 73 
• Grand slam titles: 15 (Australian Open 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019; French Open 2016; Wimbledon 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018; US Open 2011, 2015, 2018)
• Big titles: 52 (15 grand slams; 5 ATP finals; 32 Masters 1000 titles)

Rafael Nadal

• Nationality: Spanish 
• Age: 32 
• World ranking: 2 
• Career titles: 80 
• Grand slam titles: 17 (Australian Open 2009; French Open 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018; Wimbledon 2008, 2010; US Open 2010, 2013, 2017)
• Big titles: 50 (17 grand slams; 33 Masters 1000 titles)

Roger Federer

• Nationality: Swiss 
• Age: 37 
• World ranking: 4 
• ATP career titles: 101 
• Grand slam titles: 20 (Australian Open 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018; French Open 2009; Wimbledon 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017; US Open 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• Big titles: 54 (20 grand slams; 6 ATP Finals; 28 Masters 1000 titles)

On why the GOAT debate will not stop once we know who has finished with the most grand-slam titles https://t.co/LPe95OxtBP

— Charlie Eccleshare (@CDEccleshare) January 28, 2019

Grand slam records and the GOAT debate

Djokovic’s victory in Australia again opened the debate on which of the three will win the most grand slams and who will end their careers as the greatest of all time (GOAT)? 

In a poll on its website Sky Sports asked the question: who will finish their career with the most grand slam titles? After nearly 15,000 votes cast, Federer had 55% of the vote, Djokovic had 33% and Nadal had 12%.

Last month four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters said on BBC Radio 5 live: “I definitely think Novak could beat Roger’s grand slam record. It will be interesting to see how he manages to maintain this level. The amount of focus and discipline he has put in to get to this level has to be extremely high and when he gets to this stage, he is then capable of showing the whole world.”

Australian tennis legend Laver, an 11-time grand slam winner, congratulated Djokovic on his victory in Melbourne and predicted that the Serbian can break even more records. Laver said: “I think Federer has maybe got another Wimbledon in him, but he is battling a little bit. His age and strokes are not quite the same as they were two years ago. But he is still a force to be fought with. When you look at the others, Novak and Rafa, I would think Novak will certainly. When you look at his age, and form winning the last two, I would say Djokovic can eclipse Roger.”

Speaking on Eurosport, Australian tennis icon Pat Cash said: “It’s not a popular discussion to say, is Novak the best of them all? It’s not popular. But you’ve got to face the facts, this guy might be the best of the lot of them. We can throw that out every time someone wins a championship that easily, but it’s a good conversation to have.”

Former world No.1 Mats Wilander, speaking in the Metro: “The next ten majors, I’d say eight of them will belong to either Rafa or Novak. One of the three always takes the opportunity to start winning again when another guy is out or not playing well. Obviously we’ve been very lucky. I’d be surprised if not Rafa or Novak reaches 20. The question is if Roger gets another two or three.”

In The Daily Telegraph, Charlie Eccleshare says that while Djokovic may well surpass Federer’s record, the debate on who will be the GOAT will be harder to decide. Eccleshare wrote: “To forecast definitively who will finish with the most majors is a fool’s game – as I know to my cost – but here is a prediction I am more confident of: in 20 years’ time the GOAT debate will be about far, far more than just grand slam titles.”

What tennis fans think on Twitter

I don%u2019t care what y%u2019all say..#Djokovic is the GOAT and the most complete player to ever exist. This doesn%u2019t take anything from any other player, it%u2019s just that when this guy is in his top form, he can beat anybody no matter how in-form they are.

— Ahmed El Badrawy (@Badrawyy) January 27, 2019

Rafa has played 20 GS less than Roger and has won only 3 less than him…

GS won (by Court Pace Index):

Nadal: 15-30 CPI: 11 GS (65%), 30-45 CPI: 6 GS (35%)

Djokovic: 15-30 CPI: 1 GS (7%), 30-45 CPI: 14 GS (93%)

Federer: 15-30 CPI: 1 GS (5%), 30-45 CPI: 19 GS (95%)#GOAT pic.twitter.com/hTWkGFwvHJ

— Vamos Rafa (@vamosRNvamos) January 28, 2019

Grand Slam Meetings:

Rafa Nadal 9-3 Roger Federer
Rafa Nadal 9-6 Novak Djokovic

Rivalries that considered Greatest.

Rafa Nadal Vs. Roger Federer
Rafa Nadal Vs. Novak Djokovic

Rafa Nadal, The Ultimate GOAT of Tennis %uD83D%uDC10%uD83C%uDFBE%uD83C%uDDEA%uD83C%uDDF8 pic.twitter.com/JZfulJ05m2

— SMٳ (@SMFutboI) January 27, 2019

Federer fans: Roger is the %uD83D%uDC10!!! Nadal fans : Rafa is the GOAT!!! DJOKOVIC : pic.twitter.com/2ZZbHkvH38

— Dylan (@dylansky007) January 27, 2019

Sampras was the greatest player of all time. Then Federer showed up. It seemed Federer’s career was done 5 years ago. But, no. He has established himself, without question as the GOAT. Nadal may get to 20 but, if he does, it will be due to The French Open. He’ll never be GOAT.

— Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) January 27, 2019