Goran Ivanisevic, who reached World No. 2 during his playing career and claimed the Wimbledon title in 2001, is widely regarded as one of Croatia’s greatest tennis players. Beyond his accomplishments on the court, Ivanisevic made his mark as a coach, guiding Novak Djokovic from 2019 to 2024 and helping the Serbian superstar win nine major titles during their partnership. Recently, the Croatian shared his perspective on the heated debate surrounding the greatest tennis player of all time—Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, or Rafael Nadal.
It comes as no surprise that Ivanisevic, a former coach of Djokovic, chose his former pupil as the greatest of all time (GOAT). In a recent interview on YouTube with Croatian sports outlet “(Ne)uspjeh prvaka,” the Wimbledon champion offered a compelling analysis of the tennis legends in the GOAT discussion.
“These are the three greatest players ever. Maybe I’d compare them like this: Federer plays the most beautiful tennis. Even when he plays badly, it is a joy to watch,” Ivanisevic said. “Then there is Rafa. A fighter to exhaustion. He is a fighter who gives his all on the court. Winning 14 French Opens – that will never happen again. Not just in tennis but in any sport”.
Despite praising both Federer and Nadal, Ivanisevic ultimately ranked Djokovic above the other two legends. “Novak is the most complete of all three. The best, the greatest of all time,” he continued. “I’m sorry that in 2023 he was just one or two points away from winning Wimbledon. Then he would have won all four [Grand Slam titles in the same year]. In 2021, he lost to Medvedev and didn’t play his best”.
“But Novak is the most complete. At Roland Garros, Nadal was better, but Novak was always the one who could win all four. That golden slam, including the Olympics. He is by far the most complete player,” Ivanisevic added. “They pushed each other, made each other even better. Novak came later; maybe that’s why he’s less appreciated by some”.
Ivanisevic names his toughest-ever opponent
During his extensive playing career, Ivanisevic faced some of the greatest players across multiple eras. However, when asked about his toughest opponent, he had a clear answer. “The toughest for me was [Pete] Sampras,” Ivanisevic admitted. “That man ruined many beautiful moments in my life!”
Who would win a tournament featuring all-time greats?
Ivanisevic was also asked about a hypothetical tournament featuring the greatest players in history at their peak—excluding Djokovic, as the Croatian never faced him in competition.
“It depends on the surface, then or now. Federer and Nadal are such geniuses they would adapt to any conditions,” Ivanisevic explained. “It’s hard to compare eras, but it would not be easy against the great Sampras on grass, hard, or clay. But I think Nadal would beat them all”.
When asked to factor Djokovic into this imaginary tournament, Ivanisevic’s answer was decisive. “Novak would beat them all,” he admitted. “Novak would win because he returns well, he adapts to both fast and slow balls. Maybe a tight match, four or five sets”.