Former French Open champion picks the greatest tennis player of all time

The “greatest of all time” debate has been a prominent topic in tennis in recent years, especially as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have been part of one of the sport’s most iconic three-way rivalries. While the Serbian leads in statistical achievements, there are still compelling arguments in favor of Federer or Nadal. Gaston Gaudio, Argentina’s French Open champion, believes the Spaniard is the best.

Gaudio is one of the few Argentine players to have won a Grand Slam singles title, alongside Guillermo Vilas, Gabriela Sabatini, and Juan Martin Del Potro. El Gato won Roland Garros in 2004 after defeating Guillermo Coria in a thrilling final. That day remains historic for Argentine tennis, as the Philippe Chatrier Court saw an all-Argentine showdown, with legend Vilas presenting the trophies during the ceremony.

After retiring, he remained involved in tennis and served as Argentina’s Davis Cup captain from 2018 to 2021. In the 2019 edition, Argentina lost 2-1 to Spain, and Gaudio spoke highly of Nadal, who won his singles match and played a crucial role in the doubles victory alongside Marcel Granollers to advance to the next round.

Rafael Nadal is considered one of the best tennis players in history ( Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

After the series, Gaudio praised Nadal, ranking him above Federer and Djokovic as the greatest of all time: “Without taking anything away from the rest of the team, because Marcel Granollers played at a high level, Rafa controlled the doubles. Always Rafa. He’s the best we’ve ever seen. Just when you think he can’t do the impossible, he does it. He’s there in the good times and the bad… he’s always there. He is the best in history.”

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A great career, highlighted by an extraordinary Roland Garros

Although Gaudio turned professional in 1996, he began making a name for himself on tour—especially on clay—by 2002. That year, he won the ATP 500 title in Barcelona and followed it up the next week with a victory at the ATP 250 event in Mallorca.

In 2004, he reached the pinnacle of his career, winning Roland Garros in an epic final against Coria. After losing the first two sets, El Gato fought back and secured victory 8-6 in the fifth. His best year came in 2005, when he won five titles—Viña del Mar, Buenos Aires, Estoril, Gstaad, and Kitzbühel—and achieved his highest ATP ranking of No. 5.

Gaudio’s record against the Big Three

Gaudio played more matches against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, as they were his contemporaries on tour. Against Federer, he had a 0-5 record, while he and Nadal split their six meetings, with Gaudio winning a memorable 2005 Buenos Aires match 0-6, 6-0, 6-1. He faced Novak Djokovic only once, with the Serbian claiming victory.