Former World No.1 and four-time Grand Slam winner picks the best between Djokovic, Nadal and Federer

When discussing tennis and its greatest players, opinions often vary, influenced by personal preferences and playing styles. However, statistics paint a clearer picture, and no conversation about the sport’s legends can exclude the “Big Three” of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—the trio with the most Grand Slam titles in tennis history.

This time, former World No. 1 and Grand Slam champion Jim Courier shared his perspective on how the three legends stack up against one another. Courier, who reached the top of the ATP rankings during a fiercely competitive era dominated by Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, has since become a highly regarded tennis analyst.

On a December 2024 episode of the Tennis Channel Podcast, Courier joined former Federer coach Paul Annacone to weigh in on the debate. According to Courier, each player had their era of dominance, only to be surpassed by the next in line. In his view, Federer was initially unmatched until Nadal emerged, who was later eclipsed by Djokovic.

“Roger Federer, believe it or not, is my number three,” Courier said. “I would’ve thought ten years ago Federer was unequivocally the very best, and then along comes this guy at number two—the man we’re celebrating today, Rafael Nadal—who unlocked the key to getting inside Federer’s game”.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer of Team Europe line up during Day One of the Laver Cup. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for Laver Cup)

“And then this guy at number one would end up tracking them down,” Courier added. “A lot of it comes down, for me, to head-to-head records as well. I think if you look at it, Djokovic is slightly better against these guys”.

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Tennis legend John McEnroe chooses the greatest player among Federer, Nadal and Djokovic

Federer’s former coach agrees with Courier

Paul Annacone, who coached Federer from 2010 to 2013 and helped him win Wimbledon in 2012, echoed Courier’s sentiments despite his close ties to the Swiss legend. While Annacone admires Federer’s artistry on the court, his ranking is based on cold, hard stats, particularly the head-to-head records among the Big Three.

“Number three, the great Roger Federer,” Annacone said. “He was something spectacular—he was Picasso with a tennis racket. Number two, the great Rafael Nadal. At number one, for the same reason as Jim Courier, just look at the head-to-heads. This guy (Djokovic) has just been a little bit better than the other two for a longer period”.

As the debate over the Big Three continues to captivate tennis fans worldwide, Courier and Annacone’s rankings reflect a growing consensus that Djokovic’s dominance, longevity, and record against his legendary rivals place him slightly ahead in the race for GOAT status.