Tennis legend Rafael Nadal, the all-time leader in Roland Garros titles picked the best player among Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and himself.

According to the ATP rankings, Jannik Sinner currently holds the title of world No. 1. However, even the Italian acknowledges that when it comes to historical significance, he trails behind the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. These two, along with Roger Federer, have dominated the conversation around the GOAT debate.

Each player has their unique accomplishments, but Djokovic seems to have made a compelling case, especially after securing the Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games—one of the few accolades that had eluded him. In a recent interview, Nadal decisively ended the GOAT debate, offering his own pick.

Speaking on the Spanish program ‘El Objetivo,’ Nadal did not hesitate to name Novak Djokovic as the best player in history. “I would say Djokovic is the greatest of all time. The numbers say so, and to me, he is the best,” the Spaniard stated. It’s worth noting that Djokovic has surpassed both Nadal and Federer in Grand Slam titles, with 24 to his name, and recently clinched his first Olympic gold in Paris.

Nadal also commented on Djokovic’s temperament, saying, “When I see someone with so much success get so angry, I don’t like it. However, I think the image he projects is worse than what he truly is. He’s a good person with his flaws. His frustration lasts as long as it takes to break a racket. After that, he’s ready to play at 100% again.” Nadal concluded, “He’s the best I’ve seen. He’s had the better physicality, and that counts.”

Nadal reflects on his rivalry with Federer

For many years, the most anticipated match in tennis was Nadal versus Federer, a clash of styles that often defined the biggest tournaments. Reflecting on this period, Nadal said, “We pushed each other to new heights. We also took a lot from each other. We achieved a level of self-demand that is hard to replicate because we knew we couldn’t afford to fail. That competition pushed us to the limit.” He added, “I wouldn’t call him a friend, but he’s someone I have a deep familiarity with, and we share a great relationship.”

Grand Slam record

• Novak Djokovic: 24
• Rafael Nadal: 22
• Roger Federer: 20
• Pete Sampras: 14
• Roy Emerson: 12
• Rod Laver: 11
• Bjorn Borg: 11
  

  Novak Djokovic: How many players have won the career Golden Slam in tennis?

  Novak Djokovic just completed the career Golden Slam in Paris 2024 Olympics. The big question is how many players have done that in tennis history.

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    Novak Djokovic has finally won the career Golden Slam after a brilliant performance in the Paris 2024 Olympics. It was an amazing run knocking out in his way to the title many big names such as Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.

    Now, the Serbian legend holds the most impressive trophy case in tennis history. Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open, individual gold medal, Davis Cup, ATP Finals and all the Masters 1000.

    As a consequence, one of the biggest questions in the tennis world is how many players have achieved the Golden Slam in history. It’s a very surprising answer which, by the way, doesn’t include Roger Federer.

    Which tennis players have won a career Golden Slam?

    Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams are the five players with a career Golden Slam. It’s important to emphasize that, in a career Golden Slam, it doesn’t matter if you win all trophies in different years.

    Has anyone done the Golden Slam?

    Steffi Graf is the only player in history who has conquered the true Golden Slam in history. That milestone is different from the career Golden Slam as you must win everything in the same year to achieve it.

    In 1988, the German star won the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. Furthermore, she got the individual gold medal in Seoul beating Gabriela Sabatini in the final. No man in singles has done that.

Roger Federer holds the record for the most ATP matches won on hard courts, while his great rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both make the top four of the list. 

Five men have won over 500 matches on hard courts, with Federer and Djokovic the only two to break the 700 mark.

Here, we look at the 10 men with the most hard-court match wins in the Open Era

10. Tomas Berdych – 401

Tomas Berdych earned 401 wins from the 617 matches he contested on hard courts and collected nine titles on the surface.

The Czech compiled 79 of his hard-court victories at Grand Slams, with 47 coming at the Australian Open and 32 at the US Open.

9. Michael Chang – 415

Michael Chang compiled 415 career victories on hard courts and won 21 ATP tournaments on the surface.

Of the American’s match triumphs on hard courts, 64 were at major tournaments: 43 at the US Open and 21 at the Australian Open.

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8. Andy Roddick – 426

Andy Roddick won 426 of the 564 matches he played on hard courts and secured 21 ATP titles on the surface.

The American earned 81 of his hard-court match wins at Grand Slams, with 43 coming at the US Open and 38 at the Australian Open.

7. Pete Sampras – 429

Pete Sampras amassed 429 victories from 532 matches on hard courts, while he claimed 35 titles on the surface.

The American earned 116 of his career hard-court wins at majors: 71 at the US Open and 45 at the Australian Open.

6. Jimmy Connors – 489

Jimmy Connors earned 489 triumphs from his 588 hard-court matches and won 43 tournaments on the surface.

Of the American’s match wins on hard courts, 109 were at Grand Slams, with 98 coming at the US Open and 11 at the Australian Open.

5. Andy Murray – 503

Andy Murray won 503 of the 680 matches he contested on hard courts and secured 34 titles on the surface.

The Brit collected 100 of his hard-court match victories at majors: 51 at the Australian Open and 49 at the US Open.

4. Rafael Nadal – 518

Rafael Nadal has earned 518 wins from 668 matches on hard courts in his career, while he has claimed 25 titles on the surface.

The Spaniard has won 144 of his hard-court matches at Grand Slam tournaments, with 77 coming at the Australian Open and 67 at the US Open.

3. Andre Agassi – 592

Andre Agassi amassed 592 victories on hard courts from 750 matches and won 46 tournaments on the surface.

Of the American’s hard-court wins, 127 came at Grand Slam events: 79 at the US Open and 48 at the Australian Open.

2. Novak Djokovic – 701

Djokovic has won 701 of the 828 hard-court matches he has played in his career so far and has collected 71 title on the surface.

The Serbian has earned 182 of his match wins on hard courts at majors, with 94 at the Australian Open and 88 at the US Open.

1. Roger Federer – 783

Federer won 783 of the 938 matches he played on hard courts and holds the men’s records for both matches played and won on the surface. He won 71 ATP title on hard courts.

Of the Swiss’ hard-court victories, 191 were at Grand Slams, with 102 coming at the Australian Open and 89 at the US Open.