The contention for who is supreme between Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic has persisted for a long time, but Tim Henman believes that Federer is the most popular and regarded than the other two.
Roger Federer is widely regarded as a leading contender in the ongoing debate about the Greatest of all time in tennis. Despite trailing behind Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in Grand Slam titles, Federer’s impact on the sport sets him apart.
Henman believes that Federer has played the role in modernizing tennis and establishing standards that Djokovic aspired to reach. Federer’s style of play and his conduct both on and off the court contributed to his greatness.
In a recent interview, Henman discussed the G.O.A.T. debate within the Big3, stating that
“There are two different conversations to be had about the greatest player, the best player, that comes down to a numbers game and Djokovic will win that. If you are talking about impact and popularity, it is a one-horse race and there is no doubt that Federer is the most popular player that has ever played our sport. Overall, Djokovic is the best of all time on the numbers, but many will still pick Federer because of what he contributed to the game on so many levels.”
While Djokovic seems to be the most successful in men’s tennis history, with 24 Grand Slam titles. He is followed by Rafael Nadal at 22 and Federer at 20. Djokovic is revered as the ‘King of Australia’, Rafael Nadal as the ‘King of Clay’, and Roger Federer as the ‘King of Grass’. The trio was named the ‘Big 3’ for their dominance for more than two decades collectively winning 66 singles titles.
Holger Rune gains Roger Federer’s touch with coach Severin Luthi
World No.8 Holger Rune expressed his excitement about adding Severin Luthi to his coaching team, likening it to have a touch of Roger Federer‘s influence.
Holger Rune already had Boris Becker in his coaching team and also hired Federer’s former coach Severin Luthi. Rune mentioned that having Luthi, who coached Federer from 2007 until his retirement, feels like having a bit of his childhood idol in his team.
He is currently playing at the 2024 Australian Open and secured a victory over Yoshihito Nishioka in the first round. Following his win, he expressed his gratitude for the support and emphasized the significance of having Federer’s former coach in his team.
“It’s amazing [to have Federer’s coach]. Roger is my childhood idol so it’s great to have a bit of him in my team. It’s cool and thanks to my team and all you guys for supporting me.”
-Holger Rune in the post match interview
