If the debate about the best-ever man to wield a tennis racket came down to statistics alone, Novak Djokovic’s status as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) would already be decided after he clinched a 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open on Sunday.
The Serb beat Casper Ruud 7-6(1) 6-3 7-5 to eclipse Rafa Nadal’s mark of 22 Grand Slam titles and extend his advantage over the now-retired Roger Federer, who won 20 majors.
The trio have dominated men’s tennis in the last two decades with a collective 65 Grand Slam titles and divide opinion among their loyal fanbases and analysts about who deserves to be known as the best of the lot.
But it is Djokovic who is currently the last man standing among the “Big Three” with Nadal effectively out for the season following hip muscle surgery, although the Serbian played down the significance of his latest crown.
“I don’t want to say that I’m the greatest,” Djokovic told reporters.
“It’s disrespectful towards great champions in other eras. Each great champion of his generation has left a huge mark and paved the way.
“I leave these discussions to someone else.”
The 36-year-old won his first Grand Slam title in 2008 when Federer had already claimed 13 of his 20 crowns and Nadal’s era of unprecedented dominance was underway on the Parisian clay with the Spaniard primed to make inroads on the other surfaces.
“I’ve always compared myself to these guys, the two greatest rivals in my career,” Djokovic said.
“I’ve said before they have defined me as a player. All the success I have, they contributed to it in a way… the countless hours of thinking what it takes to beat them.
“It’s amazing to know I’m one ahead of Rafa but at the same time everyone writes their own history. I think everyone has a unique journey they should embrace and stick to but of course the three of us and Andy (Murray), we reached the golden era.”
Djokovic’s rise up the overall tally gathered pace in 2011 when he won three majors, a feat he went on to repeat four years later to get into double figures.
The Serbian’s steady progress in the last few seasons is a testament to his mental strength and physical conditioning, even as his fellow contenders for the GOAT title began to feel the effects of their long careers.
Federer brought his career to an end last year at the age of 41 after winning 20 major titles while the 36-year-old Nadal may face a uphill task to swell his tally, with 2024 likely to be his final year on the tour.
Djokovic has only gotten better with age and his victory over Ruud extended his win-loss record in Grand Slam finals in his 30s to 11-2.
The Serbian’s coach Goran Ivanisevic said he hoped Nadal could return and win another major but had no doubt Djokovic had more titles in him to stay ahead with the calendar slam now a real possibility.
“I’m really sorry Rafa is not here, but I said a long time ago, before even I became member of Djokovic’s team that him and Rafa, they’re going to go over 22,” Ivanisevic said.
“I’m hoping Rafa comes back and wins one more and Novak is the only player who can win a calendar Grand Slam. He was one match away two years ago, so he has a chance this year.
“It’s still a long way, but Grand Slams are the goal now. I don’t know how many, but he has in his body a lot more.”
Novak Djokovic: How Novak surpassed both Federer and Nadal to 23 Grand Lam titles
- 2003: Federer became the newest entrant in the Grand Slam club with the first of his eight Wimbledon titles, beating Mark Philippoussis in the final.
Tally: Federer 1
- 2004: The Swiss player flexed his muscles by winning three majors, the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, losing in the third round of the French Open.
Tally: Federer 4
- 2005: Federer defended his Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns, while Nadal burst on to the scene with his first French Open title, beating Mariano Puerta in the final.
Tally: Federer 6; Nadal 1
- 2006: Federer enjoyed another trophy-laden year, winning three majors, while Nadal laid the foundation for a period of dominance on clay with his second French Open title.
Tally: Federer 9; Nadal 2
- 2007: The seemingly unstoppable Federer repeated his feat from the previous year, but the French Open title continued to elude him as Nadal thwarted him in the final for a second straight year.
Tally: Federer 12; Nadal 3
- 2008: Djokovic hit the big time with his maiden major, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Australian Open final.
After his French Open triumph, Nadal stunned Federer in the Wimbledon final, but the Swiss player responded by winning the U.S. Open.
Tally: Federer 13; Nadal 5; Djokovic 1
- 2009: Nadal won his first hardcourt Grand Slam title, edging out Federer in five sets in the Australian Open final.
However, Nadal’s 31-game winning streak at Roland Garros came to an end in the fourth round, allowing Federer to claim his only claycourt major trophy.
Nadal was unable to defend his Wimbledon title as he was forced to pull out with knee problems.
Federer went on to claim his record 15th major at Wimbledon, surpassing Pete Sampras’ tally. He finished the season as the year-end number one for the fifth time in his career.
Tally: Federer 15; Nadal 6; Djokovic 1
- 2010: Federer started the year by winning the Australian Open for a fourth time.
But it turned out to be Nadal’s finest campaign, as he swept the next three majors. He defeated Djokovic in the U.S. Open final to complete a career Grand Slam.
Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 9; Djokovic 1
- 2011: Djokovic began his ascent to the top by winning 10 tournaments in 2011, including three majors at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Meanwhile, Nadal reclaimed his French Open crown for his 10th major title overall.
For the first time since 2002, Federer went away empty handed from all four slams.
Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 10; Djokovic 4
- 2012: Djokovic overcame Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era to win his third Australian Open title.
Nadal continued his dominant run at Roland Garros to add another major title to his tally, while Federer won a record-extending 17th major at Wimbledon.
Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 11; Djokovic 5
- 2013: Djokovic won his third straight Australian Open by defeating Andy Murray in the final.
While Federer struggled with a back injury, Nadal finished the year as number one after defending his French Open crown and adding another U.S. Open title to his tally.
Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 13; Djokovic 6
- 2014: Nadal defeated Djokovic to win his ninth French Open title, equalling Sampras’ total of 14 slams. At Wimbledon, Djokovic defeated Federer in the final.
Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 7
- 2015: Djokovic won three majors – the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The Serb also became only the second man to defeat Nadal at the French Open when he beat the Spaniard in the quarter-finals.
Djokovic reached all four major finals during the season, but was beaten by Stan Wawrinka in the Roland Garros showpiece.
Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 10
- 2016: Djokovic successfully defended his Australian Open crown before winning his maiden French Open title, making him the holder of all four majors – a feat the media dubbed the “Nole Slam”.
Federer and Nadal were both plagued by injuries during the season. Since making his Grand Slam debut in 1999, Federer was a no-show at a major for the first time when he missed the French and U.S. Opens due to injury.
Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 12
- 2017: Federer won his 18th slam – and his first since Wimbledon 2012 – with a thrilling five-set victory over Rafa Nadal in the Australian Open final.
Nadal cemented his place as the greatest clay courter in history when he secured a record 10th title in Roland Garros.
Records continued to tumble as Federer became the first man to win Wimbledon eight times with a victory over Marin Cilic in the final, before Nadal clinched his second U.S. Open title.
Djokovic, who retired midway through his Wimbledon quarter-final against Tomas Berdych, missed the latter half of the season with an elbow injury.
Tally: Federer 19; Nadal 16; Djokovic 12
- 2018: Federer won his sixth Australian Open to become only the fourth player after Margaret Court, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf to win 20 or more major singles titles.
Nadal extended his winning run at Roland Garros, before Djokovic earned his first major in more than two years at Wimbledon.
A third triumph in New York ensured Djokovic had equalled Sampras’ tally of 14 majors and was now only behind Federer and Nadal in the all-time list.
Tally: Federer 20; Nadal 17; Djokovic 14
- 2019: Djokovic won a third successive major and a record seventh Australian Open with a dominant straight-sets win over Nadal.
He also won a fifth Wimbledon title after saving two match points in a five-set win over Federer in a final that lasted four hours and 57 minutes – the longest in Wimbledon history.
Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open, before holding off Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final to move within one of Federer’s Grand Slam haul.
Tally: Federer 20; Nadal 19; Djokovic 16
- 2020: Djokovic was back to his best at the Australian Open as he lifted his eighth title at Melbourne Park.
While Wimbledon was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nadal in the French Open inflicted one of the most humiliating defeats on Djokovic, thrashing him 6-0 6-2 7-5 to lift a men’s record-equalling 20th major title.
Federer, with a knee injury, and Nadal, due to the pandemic, opted to skip the U.S. Open.
However, Djokovic missed an opportunity to close the gap on his rivals after he was disqualified from his fourth-round match at Flushing Meadows for accidentally hitting a ball at a line judge.
Tally: Federer 20; Nadal 20; Djokovic 17
- 2021: Djokovic continued his dominance at the Australian Open to win his ninth title.
After overcoming Nadal in the French Open semi-final, Djokovic fought back from two sets down to defeat Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and win his 19th major in Paris.
Victory over Italian Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final in July ensured Djokovic moved level on 20 titles with Nadal and Federer.
Tally: Djokovic 20; Federer 20; Nadal 20
- 2022: Nadal won the Australian Open to secure a record 21st Grand Slam title after beating Daniil Medvedev in the final. He then added his 22nd major title at the French Open before Djokovic beat Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final for his 21st major title.
The same year, Federer announced his retirement.
Tally: Nadal 22; Djokovic 21; Federer 20
- 2023: Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Tsitsipas for his 22nd Grand Slam title, equalling Nadal’s record.
With Nadal injured and undergoing hip surgery to all but end his season, the path was cleared for Djokovic, who beat world number one Carlos Alcaraz en route to his third French Open crown.
Tally: Djokovic 23; Nadal 22; Federer 20
