Patrick Mouratoglou chimes in on the GOAT argument - "We have to base it on achievements"

The argument over who is the greatest tennis player of all time (GOAT) has caused division among tennis fans, but renown coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes the criteria should be based on a player's achievements during their career.

The trio of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are often considered in the conversation for the GOAT. However, there is no clear winner, with fans of each player citing evidence as to why their favorite is the best player of all time.

Federer called it a career in 2022, winning 20 Grand Slam titles in addition to capturing several records on the tennis circuit. Long-time rival Rafael Nadal retired in 2024, with 22 Grand Slam titles to his name. However, Djokovic is still in the hunt for more Majors, and currently leads the Big Three in Grand Slam titles, having acquired 24 Major titles thus far.

In an interview with Eurosport, Mouratoglou spoke on the topic of what makes one the greatest of all time. While the Frenchman agreed the debate should not be based solely on titles, he was adamant that a player's career achievements should be included in the debate.

"I completely agree with the idea that numbers aren't everything, of course," said Mouratoglou. "Maybe in 50 years, we'll say that Federer left an infinitely greater mark than Novak. However, when we have to designate the best player of all time, we have to base it on achievements. If we base it on another criterion, it's completely subjective, it no longer means anything.
"The very idea of the top level is "who is the best?" Players compete against each other; at the end of each week, there's a best of the week, at the end of each year, there's a best of the year. So, it's a false debate. If the question is: who is the best? Then it's Novak."