Retired tennis pro Younes El Aynaoui has suggested that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were more graceful in accepting the defeats than their fellow-rival Novak Djokovic.
Aynaoui also asserted the GOAT debate is “not all about tennis and numbers” and believes the true champion is measured by how he reacts to a loss.
Djokovic secured a record-extending 24th major by beating Russian Daniil Medvedev in straight-sets at US Open earlier in September. He is now two ahead of his all-time rival Nadal in the slam count. Nadal and Federer sit at 22 and 20 respectively and claimed their last majors at 2022 Roland Garros and 2018 Australian Open respectively.
The legendary Serbian also has the majority of ATP records under his belt which includes the topping of leaderboard as weeks spent as World No. 1, year-end No. 1 finishes, ATP Finals titles and Masters 1000 titles.
Meanwhile, the former World No. 1, Nadal has been out of action since this year’s Australian Open after sustaining a hip injury in his R2 clash against Mackenzie McDonald. The 22-time Grand Slam champion is set to make a farewell tour on the circuit in 2024, with Federer already retiring from the sport back in 2022 at Laver Cup.
In an interview with Punto De Break, El Aynaoui admitted that the 36-year-old Djokovic continues to separate himself from his generation’s rivals as statistical GOAT of the game but feels other factors are more important when gauging greatness.
“On paper, Novak is making an increasing difference, he continues to add and add titles. Then we would also have to evaluate the behaviour and the person, in that sense, for me Rafa and Roger are above. It’s a personal opinion,” the the five-time ATP titlist said.
“For me it’s not all about tennis and numbers, you also have to look at what the person is like or how they handle defeats. In that sense, Rafa is number one, we never saw him do anything strange on the track, and I’m not saying this because [I am] in Spain.
“He never broke a racket, nor did we see him complain about anything or throw a match, he has always shown a good attitude, he is an example for everyone who plays tennis.
“Fortunately we were able to enjoy the era of these three players, Djokovic is still playing and expanding his legend, we will see next year how far the new generation goes.
“Like Roger and Rafa – we will probably never see players again. There is something more behind the numbers that is seen in the difficult moments of life, in how one behaves. When you win it is very easy, everyone is with you, but the true champion is seen in defeat.
“Rafa and Roger have always accepted defeat better than Novak, perhaps that is why he has won more than them. But not everything is about the record, above all is the person.”
El Aynaoui, who played his last match in 2017 after multiple comebacks, also reflected on defeating younger selves of both Federer and Nadal.
“Well, they were just starting out, so every time I played against them I was a favourite, I was the one with the best ranking,” said the former World No. 14.
“At the 2003 US Open I was able to beat Rafa in a very tough match (7-6, 6-3, 7-6), at that moment I already knew that he would be a very tough opponent in the future. He had already beaten me months before in Bastad, but in New York was when I felt that he would really be a very good player.
“I beat him (Federer) in 1999, they gave him a wildcard in Gstaad, Switzerland. The previous year he had finished No 1 in the junior world, but physically it was evident that he was still struggling a little, nothing like what came after.
“At that moment of beating him (6-2, 6-3) I didn’t think anything special, I didn’t have that feeling that I had with Rafa of knowing that he was going to be very good. With Roger I didn’t think he was going to be that good, but he made a terrible physical change, he became much stronger and faster.”