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Roger Federer, Tennis News

Roger Federer position as greatest ever put in doubt by tennis legend: “No-one’s the best of all time, ever”


Roger Federer is his choice for the greatest tennis player of his era but Rod Laver doesn’t agree that he’s the greatest of all time.

 

Rod Laver is often chosen as many fans greatest player of all time because he was the last player to win the Grand Slam of all four major tournaments within the same year, but he has now spoken out about the title of greatest ever saying that actually it’s a title that shouldn’t exist.

Laver was being interviewed on TV at the US Open when he was asked about his own personal definition of a champion, especially in relation to the ‘Big 3’ of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Laver replied, “You have to look at the era that you are in. If you are the best of your era that’s as good as it’s ever going to get.”

He went on to say that, “No-one’s the best of all time, ever”

He did choose Federer as his pick for the greatest of the current era that have been playing at the US Open for the past 15 years.

Laver played from 1963 to 1979 as a professional tennis player and amassed a haul of 200 career titles including 11 Grand Slam singles titles. He also managed to win the Grand Slam of all four singles titles at the Australian Open, US Open, French Open and Wimbledon in the same year twice during 1962 and 1969.

Roger Federer has won 102 career titles and 20 Grand Slam singles titles in a career that started in 1998 when he turned pro.

Federer is currently playing in the quarter finals of the US Open mens singles where he has a strong chance of adding to his list of titles especially considering the withdrawal of Number 1 seed and world no.1 Novak Djokovic.

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.