When it comes to assessing who is the greatest tennis player of all time, many factors can come into consideration. While some go for the numbers, others prefer to also take into account aspects of the game and domination. In that regard, to former World No. 7 and US No. 1, Mardy Fish, the best player is between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show in 2023, Fish, who retired in 2015 and is an Olympic silver medalist, discussed his biggest rivals and gave an interesting assessment on who is the best ever. His answer was Djokovic. But not all versions of the Serbian, the best player ever is, according to him, Djokovic during his magical 2011 season.
“The 2011 Djokovic and 2005 Federer were the best players that I ever played. If those two played on a medium paced hard court, I think Novak would win. If they played on a faster surface, I think Roger would win. [On] any slower surface, Novak would win. 2011 Djokovic – best player of all time,” said the American.
In 2011, Djokovic, in which he was 23-24 years old, had one of the best seasons in men’s tennis history. He won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, as well as a then-record (later broken by himself) of five Masters 1000 titles: Indian Wells, Miami and Canada, on hard courts, and Madrid and Rome, on clay.
The Serbian also ended the year with a 10-1 record against Federer and Rafael Nadal. His only loss was against the Swiss at the French Open, which broke an impressive 41-match winning streak. It was also his first season in which he reached the World No. 1.
‘Fed05’: Federer’s impressive 2005 season, how it compares to 2011’s Djokovic
As Fish says, Federer’s 2005 season was also one of the best men’s seasons in the Open Era. He won two Grand Slams titles, Wimbledon and the US Open, while failing to reach the finals in the other two, both times losing in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Federer won four Masters titles at Indian Wells, Miami, and Cincinnati on hard courts and one clay court title at Hamburg. When it comes to minor titles, Djokovic won two (Dubai and the Serbia Open), and Federer won five (Rotterdam, Dubai, Qatar, Halle and Thailand).
In comparison, Federer won a total of 11 titles vs 10 of Djokovic, but the Serbian won more big titles (eight vs. six). In matches, Djokovic had a record of 70-6, while Federer had a record of 81-4, with a 95.2%, which remains the third best winning percentage in the Open Era behind only John McEnroe in 1984 and Jimmy Connors in 1974.
Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer: Overall comparison
Djokovic has the best numbers between the two. The Swiss Maestro retired with 20 Grand Slams, 28 Masters 1000 titles and a stand-alone record of 237 consecutive weeks as World No. 1, with 310 weeks in total. He also won the ATP Finals six times, and is the man with the most Wimbledon titles with eight. He won is a Olympic silver medalist in singles, and won the gold in doubles.
Meanwhile, Djokovic, for now, has 24 Grand Slams titles and it is the man with the most Masters 1000 titles (40) and most ATP Finals titles (seven). He is the man with the most Australian Open titles (10). He completed the career Golden Slam by winning the 2024 Paris Olympics. Also, he has the record of most weeks ranked as World No. 1 (428). Lastly, his record against Federer is: 27-23.
Both players have made history. While some will consider Federer better for his creativity on the court, as well as his elegance outside of it, others will value Djokovic’s fighting spirit and mentality. So, who is the greatest ever? The debate is open.