The former tennis player regretted that the Serbian could not win more Grand Slams due to vaccination policies
The Czech believes that the only way to decide who is the best in history is for there to be a wide difference in titles
Ivan Llendl has joined the debate over who should occupy the world tennis throne. In an interview on Croatian television Nova TV, the former player spoke about the current tennis situation and who should be the best in history, between Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal.
The former tennis player considers that the battle between the three can only end when one retires. “The story for being the best in history is not over yet. It will end when Federer, Nadal and Djokovic say goodbye to tennis. Right now Federer seems like he is further away because he hasn’t played for a long time and also because he is the most It is fascinating to watch and follow this battle not only for the people of the tennis world, but also for all the spectators and fans.”
Nevertheless, The Czech lamented that the vaccination and the restrictions of the pandemic are affecting the history of tennis and therefore, the battle between the three legends. “The only thing that worries me a little is that this fight is being affected by political issues at the moment due to the issue of vaccination. I just hope that in the next 20 years we don’t see it in that light, that we don’t have to say who is the greatest because of politicians.”
And it is that the limitations by the Covid have clearly had an impact on one of the protagonists. The position of ‘Nole’ regarding vaccination is well known, and Lendl considers that it is not legitimate to speak of being the best when there have not been the same opportunities to win Grand Slams. “If Djokovic ends up as the tennis player with the most Grand Slams despite this, then I think we will have an answer. And if Nadal wins one more title than Djokovic, I think he should answer the question of vaccination and Djokovic not being able to play. I do not think it’s fair”.
Therefore, for the Czech legend, the difference in titles between the greats of world tennis must be as wide as possible and thus avoid that the result is conditioned by the Covid. “I would like to see someone at the top with two, three or four Grand Slams ahead. I don’t care who it is, I don’t have a favorite. It’s the only way to answer that question and not by saying ‘if this guy could have played, he would have been different, your record is not that good. That is not fair”.
