‘You can’t argue with the stats’ – Alexander Zverev backs Novak Djokovic as the GOAT

The stats of Novak Djokovic speak for themselves in putting the Serb ahead in the GOAT debate according to top rival Alexander Zverev.

The world number three took Djokovic on five times in 2021, winning twice in the last four of both the Tokyo Olympics and the ATP Finals.

Now, Zverev has declared that he backs the world number one as the ‘Greatest Of All Time’ ahead of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“I know a lot of tennis fans are more for Roger [Federer] or Rafa [Nadal], but you can’t argue against the statistics,” Zverev said to German publication Tennis Magazine.

“Novak [Djokovic] has won the most Grand Slams with Roger and Rafa. He’s been number one in the world for most weeks and has finished number one the most years.

“[He] has won the most Masters titles and a lot more. You can’t always go against the numbers and say that Roger or Rafa are better because we’ve all been fans of them from an early age.”

All three of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal have 20 Slam titles each, but Djokovic is out in front in terms of weeks at world number one with an ATP record 351 weeks and counting.

Moreover, he has been year-end number one a record seven times and has 37 Masters 1000 titles to his name, one ahead of second-placed Nadal.

In fact, Djokovic is the only man to have won all nine events at Masters 1000 level, a feat he has achieved twice over to complete the ‘Double Career Golden Masters’.

“Sometimes you have to look at things realistically and Novak’s records are simply a fact,” Zverev concludes.

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