While Roger Federer may have fewer major titles than Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, a former top player argues the Swiss legend remains the greatest of all time.
Federer retired in 2022 with 20 Grand Slam victories and the record for most weeks ranked world No. 1 on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
Since then, however, Djokovic has surpassed both his Slam tally and weeks at number one, and Nadal – who retired in 2024 – also moved ahead in Slam count.
Enter Juan Ignacio Chela – a former world No. 15 and three-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist – who offers a different perspective.
Having faced Federer on six occasions, he believes Federer‘s artistry, grace and ease on court make him the benchmark of tennis excellence, even if the statistics no longer favour him.
Chela described his encounters with Federer as overwhelming: “I only won a set against him, once, in Miami: I couldn’t stand on the court against him,” he said.
“He took me off the baseline: with his serve, with a drop shot, he took time off me on the forehand, on the second shot after the return,” Chela explained.
According to Chela, the numerical legacy of Federer‘s rivals may shine more brightly today, but Federer‘s combination of elegance and versatility sets him apart.
“If you ask Chat GPT to make you the ideal tennis player, I think it makes Roger. The others surpassed him in numbers, but for me, no one has the ease, talent and class of Federer.”
Understanding the GOAT debate
The GOAT discussion in men’s tennis often pivots around three names: Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.
While Federer‘s 20 Slams were once the benchmark, Djokovic now holds 24 and Nadal 22, both of whom also surpassed his record for weeks at No. 1. Numbers alone would seem to favour Djokovic and Nadal in a purely statistical comparison.
Yet, for Chela and a segment of the tennis community, the metrics do not capture what they describe as Federer‘s intangible mastery: the flawless serve, the effortless footwork, the anticipation and fluid transitions between offense and defence.
These qualities – in Chela‘s view – make Federer the archetype of an all-round tennis player.
Chela‘s firsthand experience against Federer gives his opinion particular weight: six matches, six losses, and only one set won.
By contrast, his head-to-head record against Nadal was one win in six, and he never beat Djokovic in their two meetings (though he took one to three sets).
Legacy beyond the court
Beyond head-to-heads, Federer‘s legacy also includes his role in popularising tennis globally, his longevity at the top, and his ability to perform on all surfaces. Many fans and analysts argue these aspects contribute to his GOAT credentials more than pure title counts.
That said, supporters of Djokovic and Nadal point to their superior statistics, physical resilience, and era-spanning dominance. The GOAT label is therefore as much about context, style and influence as it is about raw numbers.
In the end, Chela‘s stance highlights the distinction between statistical supremacy and idealised excellence. For those who emphasise aesthetics, all-round skill, and the emotion of tennis at its finest, Roger Federer remains the model.
Whether one agrees depends largely on how much weight one places on legacy versus ledger.
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