Roger Federer, who retired in 2022, is considered one of the greatest players of all time and, pretty often, he is also regarded as the most gracious on the court. However, when he was asked to build his perfect player, he chose the abilities of his biggest rivals, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, as well as other stars.
In an interview with Herald Sun in 2024, Federer picked the first serve of former player Ivo Karlovic or John Isner, both over two meters tall. However, for the second serve, he was definitive with Isner.
From Nadal, Federer chose his volley, āI think Rafaās up there,ā as well as his forehand, which is often considered one of the best of all time. On the other hand, when it came time to choose the backhand, he distinguished between one-handed and two-handed: āSingle-handed, thatās Stan (Wawrinka). Double-handed, maybe Djokovic.ā
When it came to choosing the best backhand slice, he picked himself: āI hope thatās me.ā But, when it came to picking a player for the best smash, the Swiss Maestro joked: āNot the most important shot (laughing).ā
Djokovicās doubled-handed backhand is considered one of the best ever (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Federerās greatness: Why he is considered one of the best ever
Over his two-decade career, he won 20 Grand Slam titles, including a record eight at Wimbledon, where his dominance on grass was unmatched. Federer held the world No. 1 ranking for a total of 310 weeks, including a record 237 consecutive weeks at the top.
see also
Serbian star Novak Djokovic builds his perfect tennis player of all time
Apart from his impressive stats, Federer is often admired for his technical prowess, especially due to his unreadable serve, his forehand, his strong footwork, and his ability to seamlessly transition to the net.
The Swiss legend is also regarded as an all-court player, known for the variety in his repertoire. In an era where many players excel as strong baseliners, Federer remains a prime example of offensive genius and creativity.
