The question of the best tennis player of all time has been hotly debated, especially since the beginning of the era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Ex-pro Tommy Robredo, former number five in the world rankings, has a clear opinion. In his eyes, “Rafa” has the edge in a direct comparison.
Counting only the number of Grand Slam wins, the title of the best tennis player of all time (currently) goes to Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard currently has 22 triumphs in the four most important tournaments, Novak Djokovic at 21, Federer at 20.
While the number of wins doesn’t tell the whole truth, for ex-pro Tommy Robredo it does reflect the state of the GOAT discussion. In the Spaniard’s eyes, Rafael Nadal is the best player he has ever played against.
“It’s just the way he plays. The speed he gets into the ball, the spin on his forehand, the difference that he’s left-handed and the way he chases every ball like it’s the first would be,” said Robredo in an interview with the “Sportskeeda” portal.
Of course, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are not easy opponents, the former professional emphasized, “but Rafa has something that makes you suffer more on the pitch,” said Robredo.
Race between Nadal and Djokovic ‘very close’
It was already clear at the beginning of Nadal’s career that he would become a superstar. “Everyone saw that,” said his compatriot: “But in the end he’s even better and has become one of the best, if not the best, athletes in the world.”
Even if Nadal is his personal GOAT, Robredo also accepts arguments for Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Above all, he trusts the Serbs to push “Rafa” off the throne in the discussion. “It’s very tight between Rafa and Novak at the moment,” said the Spaniard.
Ultimately, it depends on which standards you use as a basis. “It depends on whether we say that Grand Slam titles are most important, or we also look at how important the Davis Cup is, the number of weeks at number one in the world rankings and other factors,” said Robredo, who admits: “Right now it’s very difficult to say who is the best of all time.”
