Roger Federer’s former coach and the current high-performance director at the French Tennis Federation, Ivan Ljubicic, snubbed Novak Djokovic in favor of the Swiss maestro, Federer, and the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, as the greatest tennis players of all time.
The comments came during an exclusive conversation with former ATP pro Greg Rusedski on the ‘Off Court with Greg’ podcast.
While touching on many aspects of the sport, including how the game has changed from the previous glorious eras, Ljubicic was asked to comment on the heavily discussed topic over the years: who is the greatest among Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal.
“They are different. It’s really difficult to say who is the best. Of course, Novak has won the most matches, but for me, Roger’s impact on the game, and Rafa’s at different times, is enormous. Perhaps even greater than Novak’s,” Ljubicic said.
“We always come back to the same question: who is the greatest of all time? But what is a true GOAT? Obviously, Novak has won the most matches, but in terms of impact on the game, I think Roger has had a considerable impact,” he added.
While there are many schools of thought and personal opinions about who could be called the greatest among the three, if not all three, Djokovic remains the sole active player among them, carrying the torch of the previous era with great enthusiasm.
The 38-year-old surprised the tennis world by reaching the Australian Open final against all odds, especially as he defeated Jannik Sinner in the semifinals. The Serb lost the title clash to Carlos Alcaraz.
Novak Djokovic to Play His First ATP Event of 2026 at Indian Wells
While the 24-time Grand Slam champion was due to feature in the Middle East swing, Djokovic pulled out of the ATP events in the Gulf, citing the need for more rest since the Australian Open final against World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
Before the Grand Slam, the Serb did not play in any of the warm-up events. Djokovic has now shown a genuine willingness to play at Indian Wells, California, starting March 4. This will be his first ATP event as the new World No. 3, and the veteran will aim to spring some more surprises against the famed duo of Alcaraz and Sinner.
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