Former top-ranked Andre Agassi believes that Rafael Nadal can claim the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) tag by virtue of owning a 21-10 win-loss record against rival Roger Federer.
“Nadal has an argument to make for the best of all time,” Agassi said in an interview with HuffPost Live. “If Nadal is sitting at a table with Federer and Federer says, ‘I’m the best ever,’ my first question would be, ‘Well, then how come you didn’t beat me, because I beat you twice as many times? And, hey, by the way, you know I won everything, including a gold medal [in singles at the Olympics] and Davis Cup [with Spain].”
The tennis legend clarified that Federer has set the bar, having dominated the sport for several years.
“But at the same token, Federer has separated himself during a few years like nobody else. And he’s done it more consistently. To be able to make the argument for both guys playing in the same generation is pretty remarkable.”
Agassi said that he’s not about to place himself as a contender for the GOAT status.
“It’s not even close,” Agassi said. “I’m way down the list from guys like that. I did manage to win all of [the Slams], but that’s just the first criterion in my mind. … For me, those two [Federer and Nadal] and [Rod] Laver are in a whole other tier.”
The American has amassed a total of 60 titles, including eight Grand Slam singles title and an Olympic gold medal in singles. He’s spent a total of 101 weeks at the top of the men’s rankings. He retired from the sport in 2006.
