Greg Rusedski believes Novak Djokovic is the greatest player of all time and thinks NFL legend Tom Brady is the only sports start that can be compared with the 24-time Slam winner.
The 15-time ATP titlist labelled Djokovic as the “the best athlete on the planet” and feels the Serbian would like to win 27, 28 majors to further distance himself from the rest and cement his goat status.
The Serbian defeated #3 seed Daniil Medvedev in straight sets at Flushing Meadows to complete his record-extending 24th major. The 36-year-old has clinched three of the four major tournaments this year and has repeated the feat for the fourth time in his career – a men’s record. He was once again on the verge of completing the calendar slam and was one set away from achieving the feat but remained unlucky to narrowly lose against Carlos Alcaraz in the five-set Wimbledon final.
The World No. 1 now tops the all-time Open Era majors list as he is one ahead of Serena Williams 23 titles. His fourth US Open title also saw him draw with Margaret Court for all-time GS count of 24.
Rusedski, a former world No. 4, featured in an episode of Tennis Channel’s Inside-In podcast, and claimed that only the NFL GOAT Tom Brady has matched the success and longevity of the legendary Serb.
“He wants to be known as the greatest of all time, not even have a debate about it. There’s only one athlete in sport I can think, especially in American sport – Tom Brady. Look at all the Super Bowls he’s won. Ironically, Tom Brady was there [at the 2023 US Open] watching Novak Djokovic,” said the 1997 US Open finalist.
“Novak to me is the best athlete on the planet at the moment bar any sport. I don’t care what sport you are talking about. His consistency, what he is doing on court and what he is doing at his age – nobody has done before apart from Tom Brady with the Super Bowl wins.
“Right now I’d say he’s the GOAT, wanting 27, 28 majors and distancing himself from the pack. He’s tied Margaret Court. Not only he wants to be the best male tennis player, he wants to be the best tennis player male, female, anything. An Olympic gold next year in Paris is huge for Novak.”
Rusedski, a former British No 1, has 15 ATP titles to his name including the Paris Masters before he walked out of professional tennis in 2007.