Former world No 1 Boris Becker has explained why he thinks Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are each the greatest in their own way.
The ‘Big Three’ of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are widely considered to be the three best players in the history of men’s tennis.
From Federer’s first Grand Slam victory at the 2003 Wimbledon Championships to Djokovic’s most recent at the 2023 US Open, the legendary trio won 66 of the 81 majors held during two unparalleled decades of combined dominance.
Djokovic has won a record 24 major singles titles, while Nadal and Federer occupy second and third place on the all-time men’s Grand Slam list with 22 and 20 respectively.
Federer retired at the 2022 Laver Cup, while Nadal brought the curtain down on his career at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.
Djokovic, meanwhile, is still competing at the top level and is currently ranked sixth in the world. The 37-year-old secured his 99th and most recent title at the Paris Olympics in August and was also a runner-up at Wimbledon last year.
Becker coached Djokovic between 2014 and 2016 – during which time he helped his fellow great win six majors and 14 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.
In an interview with El Mundo, Becker addressed whether it is possible to choose between the Big Three and give a definitive answer to the tennis GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate.
“I call them the three GOATs for a reason; each has been the greatest in his own way,” explained the German.
“If I had to explain their historical importance, I’d say Djokovic is the most successful, Federer the most popular, and Nadal the most feared.
“If you faced Rafa at Roland Garros, you knew there was nothing you could do. Beating him there was the only impossible feat in a sport where anything is possible.”
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Becker was also asked if the era he played in was the golden age of tennis, given he competed against a host of legends, including John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, Stefan Edberg, and later: Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
“I wouldn’t say that out of respect for others, but it was certainly one of the best,” said the six-time Grand Slam champion.
“I suppose the other era that comes to mind is that of Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal. That was the best generation in history because it had the three GOATs.
“The only thing is that the gap between those three and the next was very large; they only lost to each other. We were ten at the top level.
“There will also be those who say that what happened was that these three were so good that they made the rest look worse than they were [laughs]. In any case, winning a tennis match is always difficult. Extremely difficult.”
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