Does the French Open victory make Roger Federer the greatest tennis player of all time ?
A lot of people seem to think so, including Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras.
But if being the winner of the maximum number of grand slam titles was the criterion of all time greatness, then Margret Court Smith should be the greatest women’s player of all time. And we all know that she is not even guaranteed a position in the top five.
If being the winner of the maximum number of grand slam titles coupled with the distinction of having completed a career grand slam puts Federer above the likes of Sampras and Laver, then why wasn’t Roy Emerson anointed as the greatest player of all time when he held the same distinction; he happened to complete the career grand slam twice and held the distinction of having won the maximum number of titles for a long time.
Federer’s case is also weakened by the standard of competition in his era. His only contemporary who will qualify as an all time great is Rafael Nadal. The likes of Sampras, Laver and Borg had to compete against a larger group of well accomplished adversaries.
And the clincher against Federer is his haplessness against Rafael Nadal. No other claimant to the title of ‘greatest player of all time’ has been subject to such humiliation at the hands of a fellow player as has Federer against Nadal. Sampras and Laver had positive records against all their peers.
This fallibility becomes all the more important in judging Roger’s greatness because Nadal is the only great player whose career overlaps significantly with that of Federer.
The title of best men’s tennis player of all time is still open to debate. Roger has a strong case but his imperfections are significant enough to delay his coronation.
Good article avi… i think tht if fedrer has to prove himself he must deeat nadal in a french open finals and improve his record against him on all surface…. so until he does so he remains a good player who was there at right time to collect many of his trophies…
Does the French Open victory make Roger Federer the greatest player of all time ?
NO: With the little knowledge about Tennis world that I have, I believe your question needs to be specific. Debate should not be about him being the greatest player, but about Greatest Tennis Player
@ Vanjul…the least he can do is have a favourable head to head and win a few of their big matches
@ Anand…thanks for pointing it out man…have made the correction
Your…..opinion…..counts for absolutely…..ZERO!
Hi GOD…welcome to ACF….quite a name you have given yourself…and I am really impressed by the counter you have made to my argument…I am just wondering why you bothered to comment in that case
Bingo!! Complete rubbish about Federer being the all time great… maybe being the all time most successful is more the word. Sampras still is king.
And to complete, this current era is the most boring in Tennis.
I really don't understand why people are so anxious to attach the word greatest with everything that Federer does….Iam glad that you see the point…