Nick Kyrgios: When It Comes to the GOAT Debate, Federer and Djokovic Are on Top
Nick Kyrgios: When It Comes to the GOAT Debate, Federer and Djokovic Are on Top
Nick Kyrgios has always been known for his controversial statements, but when it comes to the debate over the greatest tennis player of all time, he has a clear stance: Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic dominate the conversation.
Kyrgios: “Djokovic Is the Most Complete, but Federer Is the Most Beautiful to Watch”
In 2023, while speaking on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Kyrgios compared Federer to Michael Jordan in basketball but admitted that Djokovic surpasses him in statistics.
“I think Federer and Jordan are very similar, but in terms of stats and everything else, Novak is better.”
A year later, during the 2024 Australian Open, Kyrgios reiterated his stance while commentating for Eurosport:
“The greatest of all time is definitely Novak, but if you ask me who I’d rather watch, it’s Federer. He’s the most elegant, the most talented, and makes tennis look effortless—he’s the Michael Jordan of tennis.”
According to Kyrgios, without Federer, there wouldn’t be players like Djokovic or Rafael Nadal, as Federer set the standard that later generations had to chase.
“But when it comes to statistics, there’s no debate anymore. Djokovic is the most complete player across all surfaces. While Nadal has dominated one surface, Novak has nearly mastered them all.”
“Djokovic’s Ability to Redirect Shots Is Insane”
Kyrgios also highlighted one of Djokovic’s greatest strengths:
“I think Novak’s ability to change direction is underrated. When I played against him, I felt it—he can redirect anything I hit. And when you serve to him, his return percentage is insanely high. It’s crazy!”
“Novak Djokovic Might Be the Greatest Athlete of All Time”
Kyrgios didn’t just call Djokovic the GOAT of tennis, but he also suggested that the Serbian legend might be the greatest athlete in all of sports history.
“I think he deserves to be mentioned as the greatest athlete of all time, given what he has achieved. The intangible aspects of this sport are unlike anything else.”
Kyrgios emphasized the grueling nature of tennis, which Djokovic has conquered:
“Tell me another sport where an athlete has to be on the court for anywhere from an hour and a half to five hours. Traveling all over the world while maintaining top form? What he’s done is absolutely insane.”
Despite a rocky start in their relationship, Kyrgios has developed great respect for Djokovic, and that admiration has only grown over time. With everything Djokovic has accomplished, Kyrgios believes that the GOAT debate is no longer up for discussion—there’s a clear answer now.
