Two-time Grand Slam winner Fabrice Santoro reveals the 'toughest' rival he faced

Fabrice Santoro, nicknamed The Magician, was one of the most respected players on tour, renowned for his unique two-handed grip on both forehand and backhand. The Frenchman, who won two Australian Open doubles titles, was famous for troubling top players, securing victories over legends such as Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic.

With his vast experience at the elite level, Santoro revealed in 2016 who he considered the toughest opponent he had ever faced. “Federer, without a doubt. He makes even the toughest things look easy. That’s the most impressive thing,” he told L’Équipe in an interview (via Tennis World USA).

However, he also was impressed by Federer’s “freshness,” which he thought was rare. “It’s not normal to be like he is, laughing in the dressing room like a 15-year-old kid. It’s inexplicable. He lives the profession. Some like tennis, others traveling, the competition, the training, the interviews, and signing autographs. He lives for all that 100%. It’s like he was measured for a suit, and they created a sport for that guy,” he explained.

Santoro and Federer faced each other 11 times, with the Frenchman winning only twice—first in 1999, during Federer’s second year on tour, and then in 2002. However, Santoro’s ability to mix spins, slices, and drop shots made him a tricky opponent, often forcing higher-ranked players into long and grueling matches.

Roger Federer during the 2021 Wimbledon Championships (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

In fact, his head-to-head records against some of the biggest names were competitive or even favorable, including against Marat Safin (7-2), Pete Sampras (3-4), Novak Djokovic (1-1), and Andre Agassi (3-3).

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Santoro’s achievements

Santoro was the first man to reach 70 Grand Slam singles appearances. Federer and Feliciano Lopez have since surpassed that mark with 81 appearances, while Djokovic currently has 77. He was also the first player to compete in four different decades, having debuted in 1989 and retired in 2010.

Although he never advanced to the latter stages of Grand Slams in singles, Santoro found success in doubles, winning two Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open alongside Michaël Llodra in 2003 and 2004. He also won the 2005 ATP World Tour Finals in doubles with Llodra. After retiring from professional tennis, Santoro remained active in the sport as a coach and commentator.