Andre Agassi believes Federer's poor H2H against Nadal stops him from being the greatest
Andre Agassi believes that Roger Federer cannot be considered the greatest of all time because of his dismal head-to-head record against long-term nemesis Rafael Nadal. However, the American has also stated that Federer is in a class of his own and will leave behind a legacy in the sport forever.
The Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) has invariably been associated with Roger Federer for his staggering 19 Grand Slam singles title, which is the most by anyone in the maleās tennis history. But that tally looks a bit precarious when compared to his duels with arch nemesis Rafael Nadal, who is five years younger to the Swiss and has a 23-15 head-to-head record in the tour level matches. And, Agassi believes that it is this one-sided record that prevents Federer from claiming to be the greatest in history.
The American pointed out to Swiss outlet Le Matin, "A player cannot be considered the best of all time if he has been beaten so many times by a rival. My choice is purely arbitrary. I could just as easily defend the opposite view and prove to you that Federer is the best. The debate has no rational basis, it comes down to āand if ā¦ Itās just a debate.ā
However, the other huge thing that goes in favour of Federer is his consistency both on the hard court and grass court. Also, in terms of the number of tournaments won, the Swiss ace is at the third position with 93 titles, only behind Jimmy Connors (109) and Ivan Lendl (94), whereas Nadal has won only 74 titles.
So, eight-time Grand Slam Champion Agassi didnāt shy away from praising the 36-year-old for his outstanding career and stated that he has left behind a lasting legacy in the sport for the generations to follow.
āFederer is unique. In all: greatness, accuracy, ease. He plays tennis so differently from others. Federer gives off that feeling of control, of having a solution for every problem.Ā We cannot deny that Federer will mark the sport forever.ā