Tim Henman delivers GOAT verdict between Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer
Former world No 4 Tim Henman believes there is a “straightforward” answer to the debate over who is the greatest male tennis player of all time.
The Big Three of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are widely considered to be the three best players in the history of men’s tennis.
Djokovic has won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, while Nadal and Federer occupy second and third place on the all-time men’s major list with 22 and 20 respectively.
Federer brought down the curtain on his career at the 2022 Laver Cup, while Nadal retired at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in November.
Djokovic, meanwhile, is still competing at the top level and is currently ranked seventh in the world.
The 37-year-old Serbian secured the gold medal at the Paris Olympics in August and was also a runner-up at Wimbledon last year.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Henman asserted that Djokovic stands alone as the ‘GOAT’ because of all the records he holds.
“For me, it’s fairly straightforward that Djokovic is the greatest male player of all time,” The six-time major semi-finalist said.
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“How do you judge that? I think it does become a numbers game, it’s who has won the most Grand Slams, who has had the most weeks at number one, who has won the most Masters 1000 – and it’s Djokovic.
“So for me, it’s a pretty straightforward conversation that Djokovic is the greatest male player of all time.”
Henman recently addressed the harsh reaction Djokovic received from the Rod Laver Arena crowd when a hamstring injury forced him to retire in his Australian Open semi-final with Alexander Zverev.
“I think they got it completely wrong,” Henman told Tennis365.
“For someone going for their 11th Australian Open title and their 25th Slam, to be the leader in the history of the game, he’s clearly in a bad way if he has pulled out after a set.
“For him to be booed in that moment was pretty indefensible. He absolutely doesn’t deserve to be booed off the court in the semi-finals of a Slam when he has had to retire.
“I’m not on social media, but what I hear goes on with him and his fans is chaos and maybe at times he has done things that have attracted that (negativity).
“You big a bit deeper and in my opinion, he has always craved the affection of Federer and Nadal. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know. That’s my opinion.
“Some people don’t like the way he behaves sometimes, but you look at what he has achieved in the game and in every statistic, he is the best in the men’s game.
“So I find it difficult to debate that. He has got 24 Slams, the most weeks at No 1, the most Masters 1000s, he’s got it all.”
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