During the thought-provoking ‘Advantage Connors’ podcast, Jimmy Connors boldly questioned the widely held notion that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were the unequivocal best players of all time. Known for his unfiltered opinions on and off the court, Connors ignited the passionate GOAT debate with his daring assertions about the modern greats.
Federer, Nadal, and Novak Djokovic etched their names in history through mesmerizing performances, making the quest for a definitive answer to the GOAT question even more complex. Each player possesses distinct qualities that shaped their iconic reputations, and their epic head-to-head rivalries gifted the sport with some of its most captivating moments. Over the past decade, these three legends dominated the tennis world, smashing records and rewriting history with every match.
Federer’s graceful style of play made him a sporting icon with an incredible 20 Grand Slam victories. Nadal’s relentless determination and unmatched success on clay courts left an indelible mark, securing him an impressive 22 Grand Slams. Novak Djokovic’s adaptability and mental fortitude made him a master of the sport, as evident from his extraordinary 23 Grand Slam titles, cementing his status as a fierce contender in the GOAT debate.
Connors’ Take on Who Is the GOAT
Connors had previously argued in an earlier podcast episode that Djokovic’s dominance during the era of Federer and Nadal should not be underestimated. While the Swiss and Spanish champions were often lauded as GOAT candidates, Connors defiantly highlighted that they may not even be the best players of their own time, let alone the greatest in tennis history.
“Look at everyone who said that Federer and Nadal were the greatest of all time. They are not even the best of their time”, Connors said, leaning towards Djokovic as his preferred choice. During the podcast, Connors’ son, Brett Connors, also raised a compelling point about the Wimbledon crowd’s apparent preference for Carlos Alcaraz over Djokovic.
“It comes to a point where a lot of people think he’s had enough. To me that’s BS. Look at all the people that were on the Federer bandwagon and the Nadal bandwagon as the greatest of all time. They’re not even the greatest of all time in their own era. They think that maybe he’s had enough and it’s time for somebody else to come up. I look at it the other way, I say ‘Kill it.’ Stay out there and play until somebody just comes up and beats your brains out because you always got a chance to win”, Connors finalized.
