The tennis community has long been a chorus of opinions and debates, but none as fervent and unsettled as the question of the GOAT in men’s tennis. Who holds the crown? Is it the elegant Roger Federer, the relentless Rafael Nadal, or the sensational Novak Djokovic? Despite countless arguments, the answer remains elusive. Enter former pro-Sue Barker, who has reignited the discussion with her latest book, offering a fresh and engaging perspective on this legendary rivalry.

In an unmissable event, the former tennis host walked down memory lane as she looked back on a lifetime at Wimbledon on June 10. She launched her newest book, Wimbledon: A Very Personal History, at the New Wimbledon Theatre. While her work is an exemplary piece for all tennis enthusiasts, it has reignited the GOAT debate.

In an excerpt of the book that is going viral, Barker has highlighted the supremacy of Roger Federer. Claiming him to be the greatest player of all time, she acknowledged that the Swiss maestro is irreplaceable for her. “Novak and Rafa have more Grand Slam titles to their names, but Federer’s legacy amounts to more than that,” she wrote in the book. While Rafa has 22 Grand Slam titles to his name, Novak Djokovic has 24, as against Federer’s 20.

She further mentioned that for her, the goat debate is more than just statistics; it is also about the personal qualities that the players bring to the game. “Roger is the most popular and universally known player, having been voted the ATP fans’ favorite from 2003 to 2021—that’s 19 years in a row, an entire generation of tennis followers.” For the uninitiated, the tennis legend has won a record 40 ATP awards in his prolific career. 

Writing further in the book, the 68-year-old highlighted the respect that Federer garnered from not only his fans but co-players as well. She highlighted the statements of French player Richard Gasquet, who once lauded Federer’s on-the-court aesthetics. “For me, Roger is irreplaceable; he’s the greatest player of all time when I see the grace he has on the court,” he said. While it might be just an opinion that Barker shared, it seems to rekindle the debate that seemed to have slowed down.

Meanwhile, the ‘Big Three’ of tennis have consistently shown mutual respect, often acknowledging each other as the GOAT. In a recent discussion with Louis Vuitton, Nadal and Federer appeared to be passing on the World Number 1 baton to Djokovic. They shared similar sentiments and expressed their desire to be remembered for their characteristics over on-court achievements. 

‘I didn’t give Novak the respect’ Roger Federer’s sensational admission to Djokovic

The initial bonds that Nole and Federer had were not straightforward enough. It was strewn with almost dismissive contempt of the Serb’s early reputation for quitting matches to bark at the aggressive nature of his opponent’s family support. This ultimately morphed into an existential crisis about how to beat him in the matches.

However, Federer has shown immense respect for Nole ever since the Swiss maestro bade adieu to the sport. In the latest Amazon production, ‘FEDERER: Twelve Final Days,’ which is all set to hit screens on June 20th, the legend can be seen retrospecting his thoughts. “I think I didn’t give Novak the respect he deserved because of his technical flaws. I felt like Novak had a very extreme forehand grip and his backhand for me wasn’t as fluid as it is nowadays. But then he ironed those things out super well and became an unbelievable monster of a player,” he admitted.

As the GOAT debate continues to rage on, it will be interesting to see if Nole and Rafa can once again hit the courts soon and do something out of the box to make their season memorable.