Roger Federer retired from professional Tennis in 2022 – Stefanos Tsitsipas believes he is the greatest Tennis player ever
Greek Tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas believes that Roger Federer is the greatest Tennis player ever. Tsitsipas is currently in Spain to play at the Madrid Open and shared his take with the popular Spanish news outlet ‘Marca’. The G.O.A.T debate is a long-standing one in Tennis and people always have a difficult time choosing one among the likes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.
Tsitsipas’ playing style is often considered to be similar to that of Roger Federer although he has always maintained that he never tries to emulate anyone, and his gameplay comes naturally to him. He is an aggressive baseliner capable of an all-court playing style along with a particularly strong forehand – quite similar to the Swiss maestro. In an exclusive interview with Marca, Tsitsipas stated: “For me the GOAT is not about titles, Grand Slams or match wins. The GOAT must be the player who attracted fans the most on a tennis court, who inspired people and made them enjoy the most. So it should be Federer, and then Nadal.”
Tsitsipas is currently gearing up to play both singles and doubles at the Madrid Open in Spain. While these comments won’t certainly win him too many Spanish fans, it is definitely interesting to see an active player make a clear choice when most others come up with diplomatic answers.
Federer retired from professional Tennis in December after the Laver Cup amidst his long-time struggles with injuries. Federer had an incredible career and is third on the list of men’s tennis players with the most Grand Slam wins – 20. Only Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21) are ahead of him on the illustrious list. Pete Sampras with 14 is a distant fourth. Federer is so much more than just an amazing tennis player though. He is an icon for a while generation and his legacy will definitely be remembered as long as the sport of Tennis is played.
The Swiss maestro played his last match partnering his good friend and rival Rafael Nadal in a doubles match at the Laver Cup. Federer’s decision to retire didn’t come as a surprise as he had been struggling with a knee injury for quite a while.
Federer won his maiden Grand Slam title back in 2003 and went on to lift the Wimbledon trophy eight times. During his illustrious career, the Swiss maestro won six Australian Open, one French Open, and five US Open titles. Federer was World No.1 for 310 weeks, second-most since 1973 behind only Novak Djokovic.
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