IS FEDERER THE BEST TENNIS PLAYER OF ALL TIME?
Roger Federer may not have won every Grand Slam during his career, but that doesn't diminish the significance of his 20 Grand Slam championships, nor does it end the discussion over whether he is the greatest tennis player of all time. Many tennis enthusiasts believe Djokovic, Pete Sampras, Rod Laver, or Raphael Nadal (who also won 20 Grand Slams) are the greatest of all time (or GOAT).
Here are three reasons why Federer is the best tennis player of all time, as well as three reasons why he isn't definitely the best of all time.
Why Federer is great but not the greatest?
Lack of competition
Between 2003 and 2007, Roger Federer dominated the tennis courts, winning 12 of his 20 Grand Slams. Federer won seven of the 12 Grand Slams, defeating Andy Roddick (who admits he is one of the worst players to ever hold the No. 1 ranking), Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Marat Safin, and Marcos Baghdatis, none of whom are considered elite players and were not ranked highly when Federer defeated them.
During those years, the average ranking of the players Federer faced in the finals was 16.3. Djokovic, for example, had a 6.5 average at the time, implying that Federer faced weaker opponents in the finals than Djokovic. The rise of Nadal and Djokovic correlates with Federer's drop in wins. His illustrious record of Grand Slam victories may largely be ascribed to a lack of competition in his early years. Since 2007, Nadal and Djokovic have both won Grand Slam titles, with Nadal catching up to Federer since Roland Garros 2020.
Serena Williams is, in fact, the finest
Gender should be left out of the conversation when deciding who deserves to be called "the best tennis player of all time" (though it typically isn't). Serena Williams would then be regarded as the greatest player in the history of the sport. Federer has even admitted to her supremacy in the sport.
Both Williams and Federer have the most Grand Slam titles in the globe, although Williams' record of 23 wins is better than Federer's 20. No one comes close to Williams' dominance, and she has a higher Slam-Average (the ratio of Grand Slams entered to Grand Slams won). So, when talking solely to men's tennis, the argument that Federer is the GOAT may be valid, though it is debatable. When gender is removed from the equation, though, it has to be Williams!
It's impossible to make a long-term comparison
Comparisons between eras are poorly informative. With the passage of time, training environments and methods are getting more professional. Modern technology and equipment provide players with better equipment and new ways to play the game. Furthermore, it is impossible to determine which players competed in a more powerful age.
Can you tell if Roger Federer is better than Rod Laver or Pete Sampras, for example? Stronger players such as Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, and Pat Rafter competed against Sampras. Despite being barred from competing for five years in the middle of his career, Laver dominated the game much as Federer did, winning 11 Grand Slams. It's impossible to say definitively that Federer is the greatest player to ever play the game, thus it shouldn't be said.
Federer's Case for Being the GOAT
Federer is the most gorgeous and exquisite tennis player of all time
There are few sports that are as visually appealing as Federer's tennis game. His flare and originality were great in his prime, and his movement was economical in the sense that he didn't run as far or as much as his competitors. His single-handed backhand is poetry; it's a work of art; it's a timeless classic. In fact, he executes every part of his game with ease, grace, and style.
“Statistics are no substitute for judgment,” American statesman Henry Clay once observed. If Federer's 20 Grand Slams aren't proof enough that he is the greatest player of all time, many can argue that the manner he plays is.
The idea of a lack of competition is nonsense
Federer helped bring in the golden era of men's tennis, competing against Nadal and Djokovic, two players who must be considered in any GOAT debate. Furthermore, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka are far more capable than their three Grand Slam wins (each) suggest. Federer's talent, if anything, is what has kept those players from winning more Grand Slams.
Federer's ability is likely what kept Nadal from breaking Federer's record for most Grand Slam championships, just as Nadal's prowess with clay-court serves prevented Federer from adding to his record of wins (excluding Federer's semi-final win at Wimbledon 2019). Federer's competition is unquestionable of high caliber and power. Indeed, it has been claimed that Federer's abilities have forced his opponents to raise their game in order to compete with him.
Federer is the most adaptable player in the game's history
“[In the modern game], you're either a clay court expert, a grass court specialist, or a hard-court specialist,” Jimmy Connors, a seven-time Grand Slam winner, famously told the BBC. Unless, of course, you're Roger Federer.” All of Federer's serves were used to win Grand Slams. On both hard and grass courts, he is the finest of his generation. (However, he did lose 11 clay finals to Nadal, indicating that Federer is only second to the Spaniard on the surface.)
Federer's versatility sets him apart from the competition. His one-handed backhand is a classic, and his forehand, according to Pete Sampras, is one of the finest strokes in tennis. He has complete command of every aspect of modern tennis, including the backhand smash and skyhook, half-volley, and jump smash. And, if that wasn't enough, he possesses champion-like qualities, as seen by his performances in the 2017 Australian Open final and the 2019 Wimbledon men's semi-finals.
The Bottom Line: Roger Federer's brilliance, class, variety, and stylish style may make him the unquestioned GOAT, but allegations that he encounters weak competition and that comparing players over time is difficult to remain a powerful argument for those who believe he is not the greatest tennis player of all time. Do you consider Federer to be the GOAT?
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