‘The Michael Jordan of Tennis’ – Roger Federer earns comparison to basketball legend

Former World number 13 Nick Kyrgios has compared the impact Roger Federer has had on tennis to Michael Jordan’s monumental impact on basketball.

Wimbledon quarter-finalist Kyrgios has recently started the No Boundaries Podcast with two of his best friends Alex Babanine and James Frawley.

On the podcast Kyrgios described former World number one and 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer as “the Michael Jordan of tennis.”

Jordan is widely recognised as one of the greatest basketball players of all time and was integral to the global popularity boost the NBA enjoyed in the 1980s and 1990s. Jordan won a total of six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, featured in the NBA All-Stars 14 times and won two Olympic gold medals for the USA.

Similarly, Federer also has a global following and holds a wide range of tennis records, including being the first male player to win 20 Grand Slam titles, competing in a record 31 major finals and winning the ATP Fans’ Favourite award for 17 consecutive years.

“Federer, for me, is like the Michael Jordan of tennis. I think what he’s done for the sport in general with fans. Kids mostly look up to Federer if they had to choose out of those three,” Kyrgios claimed.

“I think just as a whole, he’s done the most to move the sport.

“I think when he retires it’s going to be the biggest hit to it (tennis). Sponsorships, everything and I think without Federer there’s no Djokovic, there’s no Nadal. Like those two guys are chasing him. They were the motivation.”

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