With a professional career spanning over 15 years, Pat Cash competed alongside some of the greatest players of the ’80s and ’90s. A Wimbledon champion and two-time Davis Cup winner, Cash never cracked the ATP Top 3 but left an indelible mark on the sport.
Since retiring in 1997, Cash has remained a notable presence in the tennis world, often attending major tournaments and participating in exhibition matches. In 2020, during an interview with Ubitennis, the Australian legend was asked to weigh in on the Big Three era of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal, where he praised their dominance.
“They’re monsters—they’re not normal. No one can do what they do,” Cash said. “To be this successful, you need a mentality, something Andy Murray also has. To be the best, you have to be obsessed, and these guys are, in addition to being extraordinary athletes”.
When asked to choose the greatest among the three, Cash offered a detailed perspective on their strengths. “Federer could have excelled in any era with any racket. Rafa and Novak created new things, especially Rafa—it’s phenomenal how he plays on clay,” he said. “Novak, though, is a phenomenon on all surfaces, and I don’t see Rafa beating Federer on grass”.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic of Team Europe talk on centre court during Day One of the Laver Cup. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Despite his admiration for Federer and Nadal, Cash was clear in naming Djokovic as the best. “If I have to choose who I enjoy watching the most, I’d pick Federer or Nadal. But if I have to say who is the better player, then it’s Djokovic, clearly,” Cash explained. “He’s a monster. He plays against them and beats them on their best surfaces. Many people say Federer is the greatest of all time, but… I think he’s not even the second-best of his era!”
see also
Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek chooses the greatest player of all time
Praise for Nadal and the players worth watching
While Cash considers Djokovic the best, he expressed his admiration for Nadal’s playing style, particularly the Spaniard’s use of top spin. “He’s taken tennis to another level. In the history of the sport, I’ve never seen a lefty hit like Nadal. His top spin is insane,” Cash noted. “And his endurance—Federer is old-school, but he holds up well too. Djokovic, at his peak, is unstoppable; I don’t see any weaknesses”.
Cash also revealed which players he’d pay to watch in their prime. “If I had to buy a ticket, I’d pay to watch Federer first, then Nadal, then Djokovic or Murray,” he said. “I’d also pay to watch Wawrinka—and Fognini! I love watching him. He hits the ball so fluidly, so easily—and you never know when he’s going to go crazy!”
Pat Cash’s storied career
Pat Cash began his professional tennis career in 1982 and quickly made a name for himself, achieving notable results in Grand Slam tournaments. In 1984, he reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open, a year after winning his first Davis Cup—a title he won again in 1986.
His peak came between 1987 and 1988. In 1987, he made the finals of the Australian Open, narrowly losing to Stefan Edberg in five sets, but redeemed himself by capturing his lone Grand Slam title at Wimbledon with a victory over Ivan Lendl, one of the dominant players of the 1980s.
In 1988, Cash reached another Australian Open final, this time losing a grueling five-set match to Mats Wilander. By the 1990s, his best years were behind him, but he remained a competitive presence until retiring in 1997, cementing his legacy as one of tennis’s greats from his era.
