Andrés Gómez, one of Ecuador’s most celebrated athletes, remains a historic figure in the tennis world. Born in Guayaquil on February 27, 1960, Gómez reached the pinnacle of his career at age 30 when he defeated Andre Agassi in a memorable 1990 Roland Garros final.
Agassi would go on to become one of the most iconic players in tennis history, but Gómez left his mark that day. In a 2024 interview with No Todo es Fútbol, Gómez weighed in on the GOAT debate between Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.
“In tennis, nobody has the number of titles that Djokovic has, especially when compared to his closest rivals. He has a positive record against them,” Gómez said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about who is the best tennis player in history”.
“Of course, times change, and sometimes new tournaments are added,” Gómez continued. “In the past, we didn’t have as many Masters 1000 events. The tournaments that have remained consistent are the Grand Slams, and to me, those are what make the difference”.
Novak Djokovic lifts the 2019 Wimbledon trophy after winning his Men’s Singles final against Roger Federer.. (Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
Djokovic’s head-to-head record against Federer and Nadal
Beyond Grand Slam titles, Gómez also pointed to Djokovic’s head-to-head dominance over the other two members of the Big Three. The numbers back him up: Djokovic has faced Rafael Nadal 60 times, leading the rivalry 31-29.
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Against Roger Federer, Djokovic holds a 27-23 edge across 50 matches. As for Grand Slam achievements, Djokovic sits atop the leaderboard with 24 titles, followed by Nadal with 22 and Federer with 20.
The great career of Ándres Gómez
Gómez began his professional career in 1979 and quickly established himself as a force on the ATP Tour, breaking into the Top 100 in singles. Not only did he shine in singles, but his doubles achievements were equally remarkable.
His crowning moment came at Roland Garros in 1990, where he defeated Andre Agassi in a thrilling final (6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4) to capture his first Grand Slam singles title. He had already tasted Grand Slam success in doubles, winning the French Open in 1988 alongside Emilio Sánchez Vicario. His first Grand Slam title came in doubles at the 1986 US Open, where he partnered with Slobodan Zivojinovic.
Gómez’s singles career peaked in 1990 when he reached World No. 4 in the ATP rankings. Over his career, he amassed 21 singles titles, including two Masters 1000 wins in Rome. In doubles, he was even more dominant, capturing 33 titles and achieving the World No. 1 ranking.
While Gómez cemented his legacy as an Ecuadorian tennis icon, his endorsement of Novak Djokovic as the GOAT adds another perspective to one of tennis’ most debated topics. Whether it’s titles, head-to-head records, or Grand Slam dominance, the Serbian star continues to make his case as the greatest of all time.
