So who's the male tennis GOAT?

[Mark TKO]

Amazing achievement.

I think regardless how many these 3 end up on it's always going to be argued who the GOAT is - you can make cases for any of them.

Here's my method for deciding imo who the GOAT is - how I see a calendar slam season going if they all played in their prime against each other.

Australian - Federer v Djokovic final and it's going to 5 sets, flip a coin for who wins

French - easiest one of the lot, Nadal beats Djokovic in the final in straight sets

Wimbledon - Roger wins this one in 4 or 5 tough sets against Djokovic

US Open - Roger and Rafa in a 5 setter, it's going all the way but I'd slightly favour Roger


So for me in their prime I have Roger shading it I guess - crazy to think he'll more than likely end up on the least.

Nadal should add the French this year barring injuries so will hit 22.

Those 2 championship points Roger blew on his serve at Wimbledon in 2019 against Djok must haunt him.....

[TitoFan]

Too bad Novak had to miss the Australian... but now I'm rooting for him to catch and pass Rafa.

Sorry. I don't want a clay court specialist to be considered the male tennis GOAT.

Had Novak been allowed to play, he arguably would've been the one to pick up his 21st.

I was always a HUGE Fed fan. But he lost too many head-to-head against the other two and doesn't deserve to be in the GOAT conversations, TBH.

Including a heartbreaker to Nadal at Wimbledon... FEDERER'S "TURF"!!

[Mark TKO]

Roger was past his prime when the other two hit theirs and the standard of these 3 has been that high that makes all the difference.

We are talking fractions here. How lucky we've been to witness this era. Can't see it happening again.

[TitoFan]

Roger was past his prime when the other two hit theirs and the standard of these 3 has been that high that makes all the difference.

We are talking fractions here. How lucky we've been to witness this era. Can't see it happening again.

I think there was a bit of an overlap. It's not like Roger was an old man when he lost to Nadal. He'd be the first to say he blew some golden opportunities. By now, yeah... he's over the hill.

But yes... we're lucky indeed. We may well end up with the Big Three on top of the GOAT heap for quite some time.

But we're compelled to put them in order... and I for one will never think of Rafa as the GOAT.

[Mark TKO]

Yes his clay record is that amazing it skews his overall slam record compared to the other two - but even without the French his record is still fucking brilliant!

His head to head record with Roger also skewed by his clay dominance. Is clay slower? I can't remember what the actual difference is and what makes it so perfect for nadals style.

Over the years we've seen many who struggled on grass and clay etc.

Hope Roger gets to play Wimbledon one last time for a Farewell.

Never actually checked how many slam finals they've each lost. I shall do that later when I'm working.

[Master]

Clay is slower, requires more power and endurance. Perfect for Nadal.

[Mark TKO]

cheers - I'd since read up. Longer rallies and endurance. Surprises me at the French how still there's very few breaks of serve yet within 2 or 3 strokes of the rally starting you'd think it wouldn't matter.

Am I alone in being a big fan of the tennis played at Wimbledon from mid 80s when it was BOOM, BOOM and move in for the volley. I'm certain in one final in the Sampras era (might have been against Rafter the Shafter) the longest rally was about 4 strokes.

Australian open was played on grass till 1987, never knew that

US Open was played on grass till 74, then clay for 3 years till hard court came in

[Mark TKO]

Also I bet Nadal was well chuffed he only had to play an extra 3 hours 57 minutes in the mens final than Ashleigh Barty in the ladies final to get the same pay cheque.


Equal rights indeed

[Master]

I was a Borg fan and did not like the young gun McEnroe.

Remember Becker as a 17 year old win Wimbledon - Loved Gabriel Sabatini but that is a separate subject.

Wanted Ivan Lendl to win Wimbeldon and he failed every year but won French most of the time.

Never wanted Tim Henman to win Wimbeldon and loved it when Goran Ivanisevic won it.

Then Sampras took over.

[Master]

I take it back Nadal is truly the greatest.

I was going to post this after beating Djokovic in an epic contest on clay but waited to see if he would win the whole tournament. Nadal did. At the age 36, with his body falling apart and foot needing injections. He is on 22 grand slam titles 14 of them French, he is truly the greatest tennis player ever.

[X]

I am a big Federer fan, just love watching him play.

Having said that, I am taking absolutely nothing away from Nadal. The man is a BEAST.

To win a Grand Slam event 14 times is utterly astonishing, and I really can’t see anyone ever coming close to matching that. His athleticism and attitude are probably the best of all time.

To then also be versatile enough to win everything else at least once is amazing. Admittedly, they changes the grass and the balls at Wimbledon in a way that suited baseliners like Nadal and Djokovic a bit better is a bit beside the point.

Full respect for Nadal as a tennis player, athlete and human being.

[TitoFan]

I admit I must yield to results on the tennis court... and grudgingly I must admit the following:


Rafa Nadal is the GOAT*

[Mark TKO]

Again I come back to the difficulties of saying who the GOAT is and the arguments for each.

Nadal is suffering now and for me will likely remain on 22 now unless he just comes back for the French next year, whereas Djokovic could potentially add one or two more. The Fed won't get another now.

I did a slam season prediction above based on them all in their prime and taking Djokovic out of that I see prime Fed v prime Nadal in all four finals.

Fed wins Australian
Nadal hammers him in French final (Nadal on clay has to be the greatest domination of an event in sporting history)
Fed wins Wimbledon
The American goes all the way to a deciding tie break, flip a coin, but in their prime I'd fancy Roger that little bit more

So there you go, that's my opinion on the GOAT and I have Roger swaying it.

As said above by X they did change the surfaces and balls at Wimbledon to favour the baseliners. Don't know why they did this as I liked that type of game at Wimbledon in 80s and 90s as it made it a bit different. Roger would have defo won more Wimbledons with this style.


Anyway the debate will go on and on for decades. An era we've been lucky to witness.

[Master]

Nadal is a warrior and just keeps on amazing me. He won yesterday and should have retired but would not give in. He is in the semi final now, against Kyrgios who I also like because he has attitude, so we will see what happens.

[TitoFan]

http://www.espn.com/tennis/bracket?i...pe=1&year=2022


If it comes down to Rafa vs Novak......... I'm rooting for Novak.