Interviewed by ESPN a few days ago, Diego Schwartzman did not hesitate to crown Roger Federer as the GOAT. Schwartzman said: “From my point of view, the GOAT is not determined only on the basis of the number of Grand Slams won.
Various aspects must be considered, even outside the pitch. Roger Federer is undoubtedly the tennis player who generates the most enthusiasm among the fans. He is always kind to everyone, speaks several languages and behaves flawlessly under all circumstances.
He has four children, but he trains every day with great intensity. In the morning he plays with you on the tennis court and in the evening he dresses elegantly for an event in the center. He is flawless wherever he goes! The others are also fantastic in almost everything, but I think Roger has a little more charisma.”
The Swiss was overtaken by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the all-time Grand Slam standings, with the Serbian also breaking the record for weeks at the top of the ATP rankings. The King’s last seal in a Major now dates back to the Australian Open 2018.
Big 3 in 2022
The Big 3 have indelibly marked the history of men’s tennis. In addition to having demonstrated an extraordinary longevity, the three sacred monsters have literally rewritten the book of records. Rafael Nadal currently leads the all-time Grand Slam standings at 22, having won the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year.
Novak Djokovic presses him to 21, after having triumphed at Wimbledon for the seventh time in his career. The 35-year-old from Belgrade has equaled his idol Pete Sampras and raised a season that risked taking on the contours of failure.
Roger Federer, for his part, is still stuck at 20 Majors and is unlikely to be able to increase his showcase. The Swiss phenomenon has had to deal with a serious right knee injury in the last two seasons and now seems to be on the avenue of sunset. The recent successes of Nadal and Djokovic have inevitably rekindled the discussion about the greatest ever.