Up to date: Mar 25, 2023 10:14 pm

Roger Federer isn’t the GOAT. He wasn’t the Best Males’s participant of all time earlier than Rafael Nadal has tied him on 20 Grand Slams final 12 months and he isn’t now. Nor has he been for a very long time. I realise this opening will upset lots of people who’ve already angrily closed down this hyperlink, however for the remainder of you prepared to stay round, I’ll discover on this weblog why that’s.

Slams

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have been competing in opposition to one another for such a very long time, and the race happening for therefore lengthy, as the boys both look to chase down or pull away from one another that it may be simple to assume it has all the time been like this and neglect the time earlier than Nadal received his first non-Roland Garros slam at Wimbledon in 2008, neglect the time earlier than Novak Djokovic received his first slam interval earlier in the identical 12 months. A time wherein Roger was enjoying and profitable with enormous regularity.

In reality, this time interval was when Federer received the vast majority of his slams. Of his first 10 slams, 8 got here in opposition to six opponents who received a mixed 5 slams of their careers.  Mark Philippoussis,  Marcos Baghdatis, and  Fernando González by no means lifted a slam and for the latter two, going through Federer was the one closing they performed. The opposite 2 of Roger’s first 10 got here in opposition to 35-year outdated Andre Agassi, who would seem in simply 2 extra slams after this closing, profitable 4 extra matches, and a simply turned 20-year outdated Rafael Nadal, enjoying in his first non-RG closing.

This period coincided with Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi coming to the tip of their glittering careers, Federer received his closing 8 conferences with Agassi within the closing years of his profession and solely confronted Pete Sampras as soon as in 2001, he retired the subsequent 12 months.

Left to problem Federer on this period was Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt and in one other early closing, Marat Safin. In these 4 finals, Roger dropped a complete of two units and bagelled Hewitt in 2 of their 3 units. These males have been slam winners so all tremendous gamers, however Federer boasts a profession face to face document of 21-3 over Andy Roddick, 10-2 over Marat Safin, and 19-8 (8-0 in slams) over Lleyton Hewitt.

Federer received 12 of his first 14 slam finals, the one defeats coming to Nadal on the clay. He notched his twelfth slam title on the 2007 Australian Open in teenager Novak Djokovic’s first slam closing, and by the point Novak had received simply his 2nd slam on the 2011 Australian Open, Roger was sitting on 16.

That 2nd slam win of Djokovic actually marked his arrival on the prime desk of males’s tennis and he was joined by the runner-up in that closing, Andy Murray. These two gamers firmly establishing themselves in what had turn out to be the large 4 of males’s tennis would make for the toughest and most barren years of Roger’s slam profession. Federer performed 22 finals earlier than Djokovic received his 2nd slam and has appeared in 9 since. After beating Murray within the 2010 Australian Open closing, Federer would make 5 extra finals by the tip of 2016, profitable 1. Andy would make 9 finals in that point interval and win 3.

18 of Roger’s 31 slam finals got here in a interval between Wimbledon 2004 and the Australian Open 2010. His document in non-final slam matches in that interval was 113-1. The only real loss coming in opposition to a 19-year outdated Djokovic, the match earlier than he received his first-ever slam. Federer had received 69 of his final 71 slam matches going into that semi-final and received 52 of his subsequent 56 after it. This highlights simply how laborious it was for Djokovic to win his first slam.

Between Wimbledon 2012 and the Australian Open 2017, there have been 17 grand slams that Roger didn’t win, Novak received 7 of them. Roger lastly ended his drought within the first slam closing of 2017 in opposition to Nadal, who was enjoying in his first slam closing since 2014. As a consequence of accidents, Nadal had gone 2 years in a row with out reaching a closing, after 10 years in a row profitable one. So if ever there was a very good time to face Nadal in a slam closing, this was as near it as you can realistically get.

Since that win, Roger’s nineteenth and twentieth slams got here in opposition to Marin Cilic, a participant who has solely reached 5 semi-finals since his slam debut in 2007. After profitable 12 of his first 14 slam finals, he’s 8-9 in finals since. In that point he’s 1-7 in opposition to the opposite members of the large 3, his solely win coming in opposition to Rafa in Australia. His slam closing document stands at 20 received 11 misplaced (64.5%), with 3 closing wins in opposition to Rafa and 1 in opposition to Djokovic in his slam closing debut. 6 of his closing losses have come in opposition to Nadal and 4 in opposition to Djokovic.

7 of Nadal’s first 8 finals have been in opposition to 5 years older, Roger Federer. Rafa received 5 of the 7, and 6 of his first 8 finals in complete. Nadal received 6 slams earlier than Djokovic received his 2nd and have become a fellow contender for each slam. Since then Nadal is 14-6 within the finals. 11 slams and not using a win is the longest slam drought of his profession. He boasts the joint-most slam wins with 20 and the fewest slam closing defeats inside the large 3, with 8 (71% win price in finals). He has one of the best closing document in opposition to different members of the Large 3, main Federer 6-3 and Djokovic 5-4.

4 of the primary 7 slams Djokovic received have been in opposition to Rafa and Roger and two others got here in opposition to Andy Murray, who would show what a prime participant he was by beating Novak in slam finals in 2012 and 2013 and reaching extra finals between 2011 and 2016 than every other participant bar Djokovic. Novak leads Federer 4-1 in finals and eight tournaments is his longest drought with out profitable one since established on the prime. He has received 17 of his 27 slam finals (63%).

Greatest Slam

Federer’s finest slam when it comes to most titles is Wimbledon the place he has received 8, in addition to shedding 4 finals. He leads Nadal 3-1 at Wimbledon however trails Novak 3-1. His finest slam for closing wins is the Australian Open, the place he has received 6 and misplaced 1. Of these 6 wins, just one was in opposition to one other member of the large 3, Rafa Nadal, who his 1 defeat additionally got here in opposition to. He trails Nadal 3-1 on the Australian and Djokovic 4-1. Fed’s finest slam for match win % is Wimbledon the place he boasts 101 wins for 13 defeats (89%). The slam the place he has probably the most wins nevertheless is the Aussie Open the place he has 102 wins for 15 defeats (87%). Federer’s worst slam is after all the French, the one slam he has received lower than 5 occasions, profitable simply as soon as in opposition to Robin Soderling in 2009. His document there stands at 70 wins and 17 losses (70%).

Nadal’s finest slam may be the French the place he’s 13-0 in finals and 26-0 when he reaches the semis. He leads Federer 6-0 at RG and Djokovic 7-1. His document there may be 100-2, a 98% win proportion, which within reason wholesome. His worst slam is Wimbledon for the variety of matches received. Regardless of profitable yet one more title there than his 1 on the Aussie Open, Nadal has received 53 matches at Wimbledon for 12 defeats (82%) that are 4 fewer victories than fellow two-time Champion Andy Murray (57-10).

Some will argue that Nadal profitable 13 of his 20 slams at RG makes him too reliant on one slam, one floor to be the GOAT. However he has made 15 finals off the clay, profitable 7 and shedding 8. Nobody argues that Djokovic is just too reliant on the Australian Open for his legacy and his non-AO closing document stands at 9-10.

Novak’s finest slam is the Australian Open the place he’s 8-0 in finals and 16-0 from semis onwards. He leads Nadal 2-0 on the Australian and Federer 4-1. He has a 90% win price there, with 75 wins for 8 losses. Djokovic is probably the most constant participant throughout all slams, given he boasts a really related variety of wins in any respect slams. He has 75 wins every on the Australian and the US and Wimbledon with 72 is his lowest for wins. For win % his worst slam is the French at 83% (74-15), regardless of reaching at the least the semi-finals on 10 events. Novak is the one man to have held all 4 slams on all three surfaces.

Rafa Nadal has the very best win % at slams with 88%, profitable 282 matches and shedding 39. Djokovic is 2nd at 87% with 296 wins for 45 defeats and Roger is third with 86%, 362 wins and 59 defeats. All 3 males maintain the document for many slam wins at their respective finest slam, although in contrast to the opposite two Roger doesn’t have the all-time finest closing document at that slam additionally, that’s Pete Sampras who received 7 Wimbledon finals with out defeat.

Head to Head

Nadal leads Federer 24-16 total. He leads him 10-4 at slams, 14-10 in finals, and 14-2 on clay. Roger leads 3-1 on grass and 11-7 on laborious court docket. Nadal beat Federer within the closing at his finest slam, Wimbledon in 2008, whereas Roger has by no means received greater than 1 set in 4 Roland Garros finals in opposition to Rafa.

Djokovic leads Federer 27-23 total. He leads 11-6 at slams, 13-6 in finals, 3-1 on grass, and 20-18 on laborious court docket. They’re tied 4-4 on clay. Djokovic leads 3-1 within the finals at Roger’s finest slam.

Djokovic leads Nadal 29-27 total. He leads 16-12 in finals and 20-7 on laborious court docket. Nadal leads 10-6 at slams and 18-7 on clay.

Of his 20 slam wins, Nadal beat Federer 9 occasions and Djokovic 9 occasions on the trail to the title. Of his 20 slam wins, Federer beat Nadal 3 occasions and Novak 4 occasions. Of his 17 slam wins, Djokovic beat Federer on the way in which 9 occasions and Nadal 5 occasions. On three events, Nadal beat each Federer and Nadal to win a slam, Djokovic needed to beat the opposite two as soon as to win a slam, and Federer by no means has.

Nadal has recorded straight-sets wins at slams 3 occasions in opposition to Djokovic, and on one other event was 2 video games from the identical till one among Djokovic’s many retirements in that point. He additionally has 3 straight units wins over Federer. Federer has 3 straight units wins over Djokovic however has by no means crushed Nadal in straight units at a slam. Djokovic has crushed Nadal in straight units twice and Federer 4 occasions.

Federer has gone 8 years and not using a slam win in opposition to Djokovic, he’s 0-6 in opposition to him since beating him at Wimbledon 2012. He went 10 years and not using a slam win in opposition to Nadal from beating him within the 2007 Wimbledon closing to the 2017 Australian Open closing, the place he additionally went 0-6.

Nadal has by no means misplaced 2 slam matches in a row in opposition to Federer, he has misplaced 3 slam matches in a row in opposition to Djokovic twice. Djokovic has misplaced 4 slam matches in a row in opposition to Nadal twice, together with their first 4 slam conferences. He has misplaced 2 in a row in opposition to Federer, their first 2 slam conferences.

The Tour

Federer’s ATP tour document stands at 1,242 wins in opposition to 271 defeats (82.1% win %), Nadal’s stands at 999 wins v 201 defeats (83.3%) and Djokovic’s stands at 930 wins v 189 losses (83.1%). Federer has received 103 tour titles and misplaced 54 finals, Nadal has received 86 finals and misplaced 37 and Novak has received 81 and misplaced 35.

Of Federer’s 103 titles, 28 are Masters 1000 titles (27%), the place his closing document stands at 28-22 (56%). 35 of Nadal’s 86 titles are Masters 1000 occasions (41%) and his closing document is 35-16 (69%). 36 of Djokovic’s 81 titles are Masters 1000 occasions (44%) and his closing document is 36-16 (69%). In 2018 Djokovic turned the primary participant ever to win all 9 Masters 1000 tournaments and a couple of years later he turned the primary to win all of them twice which is a exceptional achievement given nobody else has but received all of them as soon as.

Federer has received 49 ATP Tour 500 or 250 occasions for the lack of simply 16 finals. Because the quantity suggests, these are normally simpler to win than 1000 occasions.  Djokovic has received 23 500 or 250 occasions with 7 closing defeats and Nadal has received a mixed 30 of them with 11 closing losses.

Of the 49 Federer received, 25 have been 250 occasions, which is 7 greater than Novak and Rafa received mixed, these 2 evidently deciding extra typically than Roger that 250 tournaments weren’t difficult sufficient to be value their time.

Rafael Nadal has 1 Olympic Gold Medal within the singles, which neither of the opposite two have. He has by no means received the ATP Tour Finals, shedding one time every within the closing in opposition to Federer and Djokovic. Federer has received it 6 occasions, beating Agassi, Hewitt, James Blake, David Ferrer, Nadal, and Jo Tsonga within the finals. Djokovic has received 5 beating Federer 3 occasions (as soon as in a walkover), Nikolay Davydenko, and Nadal.

As much as this 12 months, all 3 males have been year-end #1 5 occasions. This 12 months Djokovic will make it 6. Federer’s 5 years ending on prime got here between 2004 and 2009, Nadal’s between 2008 and 2019, and Djokovic’s between 2011 and shortly to be 2020. Federer’s 237 consecutive weeks at #1 won’t ever be matched, although it appears to be like sure Djokovic will beat his document of 310 complete weeks. Nadal sits behind these guys on a complete of 209 weeks at #1, so it’s honest to say he hasn’t dominated the tour in the identical manner the opposite 2 have and that may very well be used in opposition to him within the argument for GOAT.

Conclusion

I consider Roger Federer to be probably the most fawned over sportsperson of all time, the media deal with him as extra God than a person in my view. He frequently tops GOAT tennis lists and in addition frequently options close to the highest of lists for the best athletes ever, all the time above gamers comparable to Serena Williams, Rafa Nadal, Steffi Graff, and Novak Djokovic. I’ve put these information ahead to counter these media opinions and in addition as a result of there’s no probability of figuring out these information simply from following tennis within the media, as they love Roger an excessive amount of. So I current information right here, so that you don’t should go to the difficulty of looking your self and of which I believe to current a good image of their careers.

The aim of this piece is to not hate on Roger or play down his profession however pretty cowl it. He’s been a unbelievable participant, undoubtedly the most effective careers and skills the game has ever seen or will ever see. As a participant, I like him rather a lot. However I believe Nadal and Djokovic have been higher and I consider the stats bear that out.

As a result of they aren’t from the identical period, with Roger being 5 & 6 years older respectively it’s indirectly tough to pretty examine them. However it’s those that cowl tennis within the media who by no means acknowledge that a lot of what Roger has received at slams got here earlier than this huge 3 period. And although it’s not honest to count on a late 30s, Roger, to beat an early 30s Nadal or Djokovic in a slam (although he had a superb go in opposition to Novak within the 2019 Wimbledon Ultimate) for a lot of their careers, Roger being 5 and 6 years has been extra of a bonus or at the least, actually not a hindrance. And even then he has by no means dominated the pair, not even when he was in his mid-20s and so they have been simply coming into their 20s.

I consider at present that Rafael Nadal is the GOAT, and his victory on Sunday to place himself 3 away from the person who I consider is in 2nd place on the boys’s all-time nice checklist, Novak Djokovic, was an especially vital one. Had Djokovic closed the hole to only one behind Nadal by beating him on his finest floor, changing into the primary man to beat Nadal in both a closing or a semi-final there, I consider the hole between them for GOAT would have been undoubtedly the smallest it’s ever been. However Nadal’s dominant victory provides him extra respiration room for now.

The most effective slam years of Roger’s profession have been between 2006 and 2009, the place he reached 15 finals and received 9. In that interval, Nadal reached 7 finals and received 5. Novak reached 2 finals and received 1. The most effective slam years of Novak’s profession have been between 2011 and 2015. Equivalent to Roger’s finest years, he reached 15 finals and received 9. Nadal reached 9 finals and received 5. Roger reached 5 and received 1. Nadal’s finest years have been 2010 to 2014 the place he reached 12 finals and received 8. Novak at the moment additionally reached 12 finals, profitable 6. Roger reached 4 finals, profitable 2. This highlights that Nadal is the one one of many huge 3 to maintain profitable loads of slams throughout his rival’s finest years.

Nadal has additionally come closest to being the primary man to win all 4 slams at the least twice. He first had the chance to do it again in 2012, and he has twice been one set away from doing it. Since profitable RG in 2009 and 2016 respectively, and needing yet one more to turn out to be the primary man to win each slam twice, Roger and Novak have reached one closing every and received one set between them. Although in equity, Djokovic’s victory over Nadal within the 2019 Australian Open closing reveals it is just marginally extra doubtless that Djokovic’s grip over it is going to slip earlier than Nadal’s does on the French, it’s nonetheless extra doubtless all the identical. If one among Rafa or Novak can turn out to be the primary man to try this, they’ll strike an enormous blow for themselves within the argument for Best of All Time.

Nadal has not received a set in opposition to Novak on laborious court docket since beating him within the 2013 US Open closing, Novak has received 19 consecutive units and the 9 consecutive matches performed between the pair on the floor since. It is a run that Nadal actually might do with ending as quickly as doable as the important thing slam within the race to retire on prime may very well be the US Open. Rafa will all the time be the large favorite to win RG and the identical for Djokovic on the Australian and at Wimbledon. Given Rafa’s present lead of three, who is ready to choose up extra US Open’s sooner or later may very well be vital. Nadal has up to now received 4 and Djokovic 3. Djokovic is 3-5 within the US Open finals, while being the one man to beat Nadal within the closing there. They haven’t met at Flushing Meadows for 7 years with Nadal main the H2H 2-1. Nadal received the title in 2017 and 2019, Djokovic was champion in the midst of that and runner-up in 2016. He was additionally the overwhelming favorite to take the 2020 title, as a consequence of profitable all 29 of his matches that 12 months till he was disqualified for whacking a line choose within the throat with the ball.