“He is the best in history” – Nadal concedes GOAT debate is over as new generation lies in wait

The Spaniard spoke about his rivalries with Djokovic and Federer, as well as the prodigious talents of Alcaraz, in an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca

Rafael Nadal at the 2023 United Cup

Jamie Malachy

February 15, 2024

Such are the bodies of work of each of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, that the discussion about whose is best perhaps seems frivolous.

Yet, in sport, numerical facts will always exist, and they usually prove hard to ignore.

It would appear Nadal agrees.

During an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, the 14-time Roland-Garros champion was asked about his relationship with his two greatest rivals, prompting the Spaniard’s own response to a debate that has dominated men’s tennis for over a decade now.

“My relationship with Roger is very good”, Nadal said.

“The word friends is strong, I have my lifelong friends. But Roger has been a great companion. He is a very familiar person.”

For Djokovic, a perennial thorn in the side of the great Spaniard, Nadal had a more nuanced reply.

“The image he [Djokovic] projects is worse than what he really is. He is a good person, with his mistakes. But much better than what he looks like.

“Novak breaks the racquet but at the next point he is one hundred percent, that’s why he is the one who has achieved the most in the history of our sport.

“The numbers don’t lie, he is the best in history.”

future of men’s tennis is bright, but nadal and djokovic not yet finished

While the sun is setting on what many deem the greatest ever era of men’s tennis, another young Spaniard aims to write his own story in the history books.

Carlos Alcaraz has already arrived. His capabilities, astonishingly, have the potential to outstrip even those of the three men most thought could never be bettered.

“He has no weaknesses for his age,” Nadal said of his young compatriot.

“At his age I had many more weaknesses. The serve, the volley. He has a great repertoire. He is a very good boy and has things very clear.

“He has great ambition and At his age I had never set those goals for myself. They have totally different mentalities, he has all the conditions to achieve a great career.”

Debate around the ‘Big Three’ may have abated somewhat after Djokovic’s scarcely believable 2023 season left his two nearest rivals in the rear-view mirror.

As it has done so, however, a new generation of talent have arrived – one with every intention of rewriting the conversation entirely.

It would be fool-hardy for these conversations to take place yet, such are the extraordinary achievements of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

But the talents of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are so remarkable that it is difficult to equate them with anyone else other than the Big Three.

Yet it is crucial to note that neither Djokovic nor Nadal are done quite yet.

Before the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz – among some others – fully take over the reins, one wouldn’t want to bet against either the Serb or the Spaniard, or both, having one last say in the never-ending conversation around all-time tennis greats.