Not a lot of people can say that they played alongside two of the greatest players of all time, but Max Mirnyi, known as ‘The Beast of Belarus,’ can. The former World No. 18 in singles and world No. 1 in doubles teamed up with Serena Williams and Roger Federer, winning big titles with both of them. Having been close to them, who would he call the absolute GOAT?
As much as Mirnyi has praised Federer several times, he said that Williams is the best ever. “It’s hard to argue with her records – individually, in doubles, as part of a Fed Cup team, at the Olympics. She is the best,” he told the WTA Tour in 2018.
In that same interview, Mirnyi complimented Williams’ serve. “I think her free motion, her physical strength and general flexibility have helped her to have a dominant serve during her career. There is no doubt that she has one of the best serves of any female player in history,” he said about the American.
That same year, Mirnyi described Federer as “an unbelievable ambassador of the game,” expressing his admiration for what he had achieved, especially after his 2017 comeback. “Basically, year after year, there’s something that he adds to the record books. Yet again, who would have thought that he would come back after an injury last year, that he was going to win the Grand Slam and now he is at 20, winning another one. Now back to No. 1… It’s absolutely phenomenal,” he said about his former partner during an appearance on Thirty Love: Conversations About Tennis.
“[He is] A great guy off the court. Of course, everybody knows his amazing ability as a tennis player. He certainly has the whole package, and it’s incredible to watch him endorse our game,” he added about the Swiss star.
Mirnyi’s record with Serena Williams and Federer
With Serena Williams, Mirnyi won both major titles: Wimbledon and the US Open, both in 1998. At the time, Williams was only 16 years old. “We had some tough matches on the way to the title, and despite the fact she was so young at the time, she had the fierce fighting spirit of a mature warrior,” he told the WTA Tour in 2018.
Meanwhile, his partnership with Federer, they won the Masters 1000 in Miami in 2003, the Swiss’ only Masters 1000 doubles titles, as well as the Rotterdam Open (2003) and the Kremlin Cup in Russia (2002). They also reached the Indian Wells final in 2002.
“We actually had to share a lot of time at the beginning, I could already see that there was some greatness. It probably needed to be a little polished at that time, but there was already a lot of special vibe about him,” he told Thirty Love podcast.
Max Mirnyi’s impressive career
Max Mirnyi transitioned to a doubles specialist after a singles career that saw him reach a career-high ranking of World No. 18 in August 2003. Despite winning just one ATP singles title at the 2003 Rotterdam Open, he remained in the world’s top 50 for seven consecutive years. Representing Belarus in Davis Cup competition from 1994, he compiled a record of 47 wins and 27 losses across 35 ties.
In doubles, Mirnyi reached the World No. 1 ranking in June 2003 and captured ten Grand Slam titles. His men’s doubles victories included the 2000 and 2002 US Opens, as well as the French Open in 2005, 2006, 2011, and 2012. In mixed doubles, he also claimed two other US Opens in 2007 and 2013.
At the 2012 London Olympics, Mirnyi carried Belarus’ flag at the Opening Ceremony before securing a gold medal in mixed doubles alongside Victoria Azarenka. He retired in 2018, after one of the most prolific careers in tennis.