British tennis icon Tim Henman recently reflected on his career and shared his thoughts on the greatest players he has ever faced, as well as his first impressions of the sport’s modern legends: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
Henman, who was active on the ATP Tour from 1993 to 2007, reached as high as world No. 4 in the rankings, won 11 singles titles, and made six Grand Slam semi-final appearances. He had the privilege of facing the “Big Three” during his career, and out of them, it was Federer who was by far his most frequent opponent.
Henman holds a narrow 6-7 head-to-head record against Federer, with a dominant start to their rivalry. The Brit won six of their first seven encounters, but Federer ultimately gained the upper hand, claiming six consecutive victories as he entered his prime. These wins occurred between 2004 and 2006, while Henman’s victories were mostly spread across 1999 to early 2004.
On the other hand, Henman’s matchups with Nadal and Djokovic were limited. He lost both of his encounters with Nadal and was defeated in his only meeting with Djokovic, all of which occurred in 2006.
When reflecting on the success of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, Henman acknowledged their unprecedented dominance. Between Federer’s first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003 and Djokovic’s latest triumph at the 2023 US Open, the trio collectively claimed 66 of the 81 Grand Slam titles, solidifying their place in tennis history.
Speaking about Federer, Henman recalled his admiration for the Swiss maestro’s versatility and all-around game. “I played Federer the most, and I felt that he had the most complete game,” Henman shared with talkSPORT. “He could play on any surface, had very few weaknesses, and there wasn’t a specific area that you could necessarily attack.” Henman, who competed with Federer at a time when the Swiss was just beginning to hit his stride, described him as the most challenging player he faced.
Henman also offered insights into the early stages of the careers of Djokovic and Nadal. “I only played Djokovic once when he was young—maybe around 18 or 19—and his game was still developing,” Henman noted. “He didn’t serve quite as well, but it’s been incredible to watch how their games have evolved over the years.” Despite being impressed with their potential, Henman admitted that he didn’t foresee the level of dominance that these players would eventually achieve. “If you’d have said to me back then when I played them all for the first time, could they win a Slam? I’d have said, yeah, maybe one or two,” he admitted. “But I certainly didn’t think they would go on to win 69 between them.”
Reflecting on their careers in hindsight, Henman reserved high praise for Federer, calling him the “most complete player” he had ever faced on the court.
The debate over who is the greatest male tennis player of all time continues to rage on, but Henman has a clear stance. He firmly believes that Novak Djokovic deserves the title. “For me, it’s fairly straightforward that Djokovic is the greatest male player of all time,” Henman stated confidently.
He went on to explain that the debate, at least in his eyes, boils down to statistics. “How do you judge that? I think it does become a numbers game: who has won the most Grand Slams, who has had the most weeks at No. 1, who has won the most Masters 1000 – and it’s Djokovic.”
Henman’s reflection offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of these legendary players, underscoring the astonishing feats that have reshaped the sport and set new standards of excellence.