Many consider Roger Federer the greatest tennis player ever to have lived. His winning record is outstanding, and for style as well as substance few can compete with him. But the question remains-are all those people really right, and is Roger Federer really the greatest tennis player ever?
Just by watching Federer, you can tell that while on court, he is oozing class. His one-handed backhand is a beauty thing and he always had one of the best forehands that the tennis world has ever seen. With his movements, Federer is so economical because he’s making his opponent run around – so he doesn’t have to! His court control is unlike anything that we shall ever see again.
Federer is extremely versatile, too, and he has won all the grand slams of tennis across all surfaces. He is the grass master whilst remaining competitive on hard courts and clay. Unfortunately for Federer, he was playing in the same era as Rafael Nadal, arguably the greatest player in the history of clay court. Without Nadal, the record Federer had lost 11 French Open titles to the Spaniard would be even greater.
He’s become a dominant champion while playing in what can be described only as a talented shark tank. In addition to Federer, there are both Nadal and Novak Djokovic, two players who have their own say in the greatest debate of all time. Then there are Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka who, on their day, are a match for anyone. In his effortless style, Federer has risen above all that competition to carry a total of 20 Grand Slam titles home.
Why isn’t he the Greatest
There is no doubt that Federer is an all-time great, but there are those who contend that Serena Williams is probably the greatest of all time. Serena is a game symbol and has swept away every rivalry that has ever stepped up to her. She ‘s got 23 grand slam titles compared to Federer’s 20, which some think is enough to give her the GOAT title.
Another reason why Federer isn’t the biggest of all time is that it has been tougher for others. American star Pete Sampras was considered the best ever before Federer came on the scene, and others say he ‘d made it tougher. Sampras had to overcome legends of tennis such as Andre Agassi and Boris Becker which he did regularly.
Federer is a little older than Nadal and Djokovic and so he had to boost his Grand Slam tally for several years before they gave him some real competition. However, once those two came along, it was much harder for Federer to win Grand Slams, and some believe he wouldn’t have won as many if they’d been around sooner.
Greatness is subjective, but just watch Federer play for five minutes to understand how amazing he is. He is so versatile and his ability to control the court and win so frequently makes him a GOAT for many.
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