Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer Get Tennis Expert's Nod Over Novak Djokovic. Here's Why
When you get to the level of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer, assessing greatness can be like splitting hairs. However, for those who love the sport, analyzing who is the greatest tennis player ever is almost a sport in itself.
For one tennis expert, it's a close call, but, at least by one measurement, Djokovic may end up at the bottom of the pack. Slightly. Ivan Ljubicic, Roger Federer’s former coach and once the third-ranked tennis player in the world, made the controversial comments on the Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast.
Djokovic, statistically, ranks number 1 on other lists of the greatest tennis players of all time. GQ Australia has him tied with Margaret Court with 24 Grand Slam victories. He is currently the third-ranked men's tennis player in the world. "Virtually unbeatable in his prime, he has been ranked as the world No. 1 in men’s singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for a record 428 weeks over the course of his long, illustrious, and remarkably still-going career," that site explained.
Ivan Ljubicic Says That Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal May Have Had More Impact on the Game Than Novak Djokovic
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
However, Ljubicic isn't so sure. The former coach explained in detail where Nadal and Federer may get the nod over Djokovic, but he hedged a bit. Of the three, only Djokovic is still playing the game, although in recent years, he has struggled against much younger top players like Carlos Alcaraz.
"They are different. It's very difficult to say who is the best," he said. "Of course, Novak won the most, it's clear. But for me, the impact that Roger had on the game, and Rafa, in different moments — it's huge. Maybe bigger than Novak," Ljubicic said. He is currently the high-performance director at the French Tennis Federation.
According to IBT, Djokovic "holds a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles as of early 2026, surpassing Federer's 20 and Nadal's 22." But Ljubicic believes that shouldn't be the only measurement of greatness.
"But the impact on the game I feel like Roger definitely had, at least for me, was tremendous and still is," Ljubicic added. "We always come back to the same question: who is the best of all time?" he noted. "But what makes a true GOAT?"
"Novak, the last time I played him was, I believe, in 2010," Ljubicic recalled. "When Novak was on, it was maybe the most difficult for me, because me having a big serve and relying a lot on free points with my serve… So that was really suffocating."
The Spanish-born Nadal was known for his intensity on the court. "His style was intense, emotional, and deeply human. Whether he was diving for a ball on clay or grinding through a five-set match under the sun, Nadal showed the world what perseverance looks like," wrote Vocal Media.
Novak Djokovic Is Currently Playing a Tournament at Indian Wells
Because he's still playing Djokovic has time to break more records and increase his argument to be the GOAT. In fact, he took a second-round match at Indian Wells on March 8, but it wasn't an easy one. The 38-year-old Serb has won that tournament five times.
"It [has] been very challenging lately for me in Indian Wells," Djokovic said in his on-court interview, according to the ATP Tour. "It has been hard for me to find my A-game, particularly in the beginning of the tournament in the past seven or eight years. I am glad to overcome a challenge.