If you ask a random tennis fan question, “Who is the best tennis player?” more than three-quarters of respondents answer Djokovic or Federer. Our poll is not the exception, and I feel that is not fair. It must be stopped. Rafael Nadal deserves to be mentioned too.
In defense of Rafa Nadal
Check the numbers below before reading further.
| Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Novak Djokovic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam Titles | 20 | 20 | 18 |
| ATP Tournament Wins | 87 | 103 | 82 |
| ATP 1000 Tournament Wins | 35 | 28 | 36 |
| Year-End Finishes as No. 1 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Weeks as No. 1 | 196 | 310 | 311 |
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| as of 04/29/2021 |
Now you see it too. Rafael Nadal is as good a tennis player as Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic.
We are maybe just weeks from his 21st Grand Slam title that would make him the best in this category in history (and better than Roger Federer). He has more ATP Tournament wins than Novak Djokovic and more ATP 1000 titles than Federer.
However, that still is not enough for many to mention him in one sentence with Roger and Novak. And that is wrong.
I know that many will argue that he had 13 out of 20 Grand Slam Titles from French Open. But is that making him less good?
All arguments that he is just the best on clay are false.
He won 4 US Open and 1 Australian Open on hard courts too. Two Wimbledon trophies show he can play on grass too.
Yes, he is the best clay tennis player, but he is not much weaker on hard and grass than Djokovic and Federer. He can win trophies there too.
Turn it around, Djokovic and Federer are fine at the hard, but they are pretty lame at clay comparing to Rafa. Would that make them worse players? Of course not.
I think it is time to put all three players on the same line. Just 22% percent for Nadal is a disgrace. Let’s change it now.
If you did not vote yet, it is time.
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