Who is the GOAT in Tennis is a question that many fans have debated for many years with most commentators agreeing that it will be Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic that will eventually claim this title.
Novak has won the most Grand Slams (23) and Masters 1000s (39), Federer has won more ATP titles overall (103), and Rafa has been more successful at the Olympics.
Therefore, the debate is still open on who will be considered the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in men’s tennis.
Who is the GOAT?
In order to make a better decision on who is the GOAT in Men’s tennis, I have put together some stats on the three most likely candidates for the title.
Nadal vs Djokovic vs Federer H2H Stats
| Stats | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year born | 1986 | 1987 | 1981 |
| Year turned Pro | 2001 | 2003 | 1998 |
| Nationality | Spanish | Serbian | Swiss |
| Plays | Left handed | Right handed | Right handed |
| Backhand | Two handed backhand | Two handed backhand | One handed backhand |
| Grand Slam Wins | 22 | 23 | 20 |
| Australian Open | 2 | 10 | 6 |
| French Open | 14 | 3 | 1 |
| Wimbledon | 2 | 7 | 8 |
| US Open | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| Tour Finals | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Masters 1000 | 36 | 39 | 28 |
| ATP Titles | 92 | 95 | 103 |
| Wins against Rafa | N/A | 30 | 16 |
| Wins against Novak | 29 | N/A | 23 |
| Wins against Roger | 24 | 27 | N/A |
So who is the GOAT?
If you purely look at the stats above then Djokovic is definitely the favorite to win the title of Greatest Of All Time.
However, this doesn’t mean that he will be considered the GOAT by fans.
In a BBC Sports Poll, fans voted Roger Federer the Greatest of All Time, with Roger getting 56% of the vote, followed by Novak with 37% and Rafa with 7%.
The Too Many Rackets Tennis GOAT Poll
I would love to know who you think is the GOAT so I’ve created a poll where you can vote for Roger, Rafa, or Novak as your pick for the greatest tennis player of all time.
In 2022/2023, I previously ran a poll, with 2,500 votes being cast, and Novak leading the poll with 1,791 votes, followed by Roger with 438 votes, and Nadal with 261 votes, with 10 votes for other players.
35% of the voters were from Serbia, 6% from the USA, 2.75% from Switzerland, 2.5% from the UK, and 1% from Spain, with the remaining 52.75% from other countries.
FAQ
Who has the most grand slams?
Novak holds the record for most grand slams with a total of 23 grand slams each, which is one ahead of Rafa (22), and two ahead of Roger (20).
Who has the most Masters 1000s?
Novak holds the record for the most Master 1000s with 39. Rafa has 36 whereas Roger has 28.
Who has the most Year End Tour Finals?
Roger and Novak have claimed the most year end tour finals with 6 wins to their names. Rafa has yet to win the year end tour finals.
Who has the most ATP titles?
Roger has the most with 103, followed by Novak with 95, and Rafa with 92.
Who has won the most gold medals?
Rafa won a total of two gold medals. One in singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and another in doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Roger won a gold medal in doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Novak has yet to win a gold medal at any Olympic games.
Who has the best head-to-head record?
Who has won more Australian Opens?
Novak has won the most Australian Opens with ten wins to his name, followed by Roger with six and Rafa with one.
Who has won more French Opens?
The King of Clay Rafael Nadal unsurprisingly has the most French Opens with fourteen, followed by Djokovic with three and Federer with one.
Who has won more Wimbledons?
Federer has the most Wimbledons with eight, followed by Djokovic with seven and Nadal with two.
Who has won more US Opens?
Federer has won the most US Opens with five, followed by Nadal with four and Djokovic with three.
Has Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal ever achieved a calendar grand slam?
No, Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal have never won a Calendar grand slam i.e. winning each of the four grand slams in the same year. Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) are the only male players to have done this. Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer have each come close with each of them winning three out of the four grand slams in at least one year: Federer (2004, 2006, and 2007), Nadal (2010), and Djokovic (2011, 2015, and 2021)
Have Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal each achieved a career grand slam?
Yes, Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal have each won a career grand slam .i.e winning all four grand slams (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) at least once.
– Federer was the first to achieve this at the French Open in 2009.
– Nadal was the next to achieve this at the US Open in 2011.
– Djokovic was the last of the three to achieve this at the French Open in 2016.