Laver Cup (DR) / France TV (DR)
If Novak Djokovic went it alone in 2023, further solidifying his case in the race for GOAT status, the debate continues to rage between his supporters, those of Roger Federer, and those of Rafael Nadal? So who is truly the best? It’s hard to decide on such a subjective question, but Yannick Noah has his opinion on the matter.
If he is ultimately rather discreet in the world of the yellow ball, make no mistake: Yannick Noah continues to follow tennis closely. Asked by the Argentine media La Nación a few months ago about the current generation, the winner of Roland-Garros 1983 first wanted to preface:
I hate being the old player that opens it and says shit about new generations. I don’t want to look like that. For fifteen years we had 3 of the top 10 players of all time. But as a spectator, I was less interested. Because the game was the same, the finals were the same, always the same protagonists… The emotion was always the same.
However, when I go to see a show, the only thing that interests me is the emotion, the atmosphere. I didn’t feel that emotion in a lot of those matches.
Yannick Noah explains why he prefers Nadal to Federer and Djokovic
So Federer, Nadal or Djokovic for the Franco-Cameroonian? The “Saga Africa” singer first spoke about the Swiss’ case:
Federer was an artist. It is very difficult to survive as an artist in such a powerful and strong sport, which is a virtue of Roger. It’s something I admire. He did things with the racket that I’ve never seen. Rod Laver did some things, McEnroe did others, but Federer did everything the greats did and more. For a tennis coach, he was the best.
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However, it is indeed Rafael Nadal who is in favor of Noah. For what ? In large part for his exemplary behavior, in the spotlight but also far from the cameras:
Rafa, of the three, is the one I like the most, because he respects the ball boys, the drivers, the people when there are no cameras… If you think about things beyond that that people measure, Rafa is by far number one. Rafa has won 22 Grand Slams and when you see him, he is still the same humble guy. It is for this reason that among the three, it is my favorite.
On the other hand, Joakim Noah’s father has a hard time with Novak Djokovic. If he doesn’t question his talent, he doesn’t really stick to his personality:
Djokovic? I don’t like it, but I don’t know why. The other two have more charisma. I don’t feel attracted to him. When he has a match point, I don’t feel connected to him! I live in the Montmartre district, and when I walk in the street people say to me: ‘Hey, Yannick, do you want to have a coffee with me? »And I wonder why people want to connect. With Nole, I don’t know if that will happen.
Yannick Noah is careful not to decide who is intrinsically the best tennis player between the three monsters, even if we sense his preference for Roger Federer emerging. On the other hand, on a personal level, the sixty-year-old clearly has Rafael Nadal as his favorite, in particular because of his relentless attitude. That’s what it says… and too bad for Djoko!
2023-10-11 20:10:00
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