'Evident He's Best Player Of All-Time': Djokovic Backed By Former World No. 1 Rafter
ATP
Former ATP's world no. 1, Pat Rafter, is certain that Novak Djokovic is the best player of all time after the Serbian won his 24th Grand Slam.
Life is strange, and things change all the time. When Rafael Nadal got to 22 Grand Slams in Paris last year, many were ready to crown his the best of all time. He was ahead of both Djokovic and Roger Federer in the number of Grand Slams, and his fans were on cloud nine.
Fast forward to now, Djokovic sits alone at the top with 24 after he triumphed at the recently concluded US Open. Nadal is still at 22 and will miss this entire year due to his hip surgery in the summer, with his future very uncertain. Everything went Djokovic's way, and it doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon.
Speaking at the 2024 Brisbane International announcement ceremony, Pat Rafter reflected on Djokovic's US Open win, admitting that it's pretty much settled now for him - Djokovic is the best player of all time.
To me, (with) 24 (grand slam singles titles), it’s pretty evident that he’s best player of all-time. He’s got the record and he’s probably got the best win-loss record against all the players against each other as well, and against the other top players.- Rafter on Djokovic
It's not a shocking opinion because he'd find many people agreeing easily. Even Djokovic himself kind of acknowledged it recently despite generally staying out of that conversation. He always deferred to others making the proclamations that make sense.
For all the criticism he got over the years, he always tried to be very respectful to fellow players, especially towards legends like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. After all, they all pushed each other, and none of them would have become the players they have become without the others being there to push them to strive for more.
