Djokovic's Achievements 'Do Not Tarnish What Federer Did' Says Ljubicic
ATP
Ivan Ljubicic spoke to Swiss media about a multitude of topics, including tennis, and he touched upon the legacy of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
The Croatian former player doesn't need any lessons about what Federer did in tennis because he was right there to watch it all unfold in front of him on the ATP Tour. Ljubicic was number 3 on the rankings at a time with Federer and Nadal in front of him, so he knows really well what both mean to tennis.
He's battled Federer multiple times and then he also coached him for the final few years of his career. The duo remains pretty close as not many people know Federer, as well as the Croatian, does. In a recent interview with Swiss media, Ljubicic was asked who the GOAT is.
You may not be objective in this. For me, the best is the one that has had the greatest impact on your sport. Novak is the most successful. It has all the statistics, but there is a difference between being the largest and the most successful.
It's not an entirely new concept as it's really hard to deny that Roger Federer had the biggest impact on tennis out of all players in its history. No, he doesn't or won't have the greatest career in terms of pure results but his impact is unrivalled. He compared it to another sport and its goat debate.
Michael Jordan was not the most successful, but everyone considers him the greatest for his influence on the sport. Not all of us have to agree. What Novak has done does not tarnish what Roger did.
Ljubicic is obviously not the only one who thinks this way. Earlier this year, Tsitsipas came out with his opinion that Roger Federer is the greatest due to the overall impact he had on the sport. After all, the current number one idolized Federer growing up, and he's not the only one. Most upcoming players did.
