"We never saw him do anything strange on the court": Former ATP player says Rafael Nadal is GOAT over Novak Djokovic for this reason
Tennis NewsSaturday, 02 December 2023 at 07:29
Former World No.14, Younes El Aynaoui is the latest to weigh in on the long running GOAT debate by claiming that Rafael Nadal is the greatest of all time over Novak Djokovic for a simple reason.
El Aynaoui reached World No.14 back in 2003 at the age of 32 and he faced Andy Roddick in an iconic match that year at the Australian Open which lasted a shade under five hours and was won in the final set by Roddick 21-19.
Speaking to Punto de Break, he says he picks Nadal over Djokovic due to his temperament on the court and how he manages defeat instead of doing 'strange' things on the court like Djokovic and he says it is more about that than stats or numbers in his eyes.
"For me it's not all about tennis and numbers, you also have to look at how the person is and how they manage defeats. In that sense, Nadal is number one, we never saw him do anything strange on the court, and I don't say it because he is Spanish," he said to Punto de Break.
"He never broke a racket, nor did we see him complain about anything or throw/tank a match, he has always shown a good attitude, he is an example for everyone who plays tennis. We will probably never see players like Federer or Nadal again. There is something else beyond the numbers, that is seen in the difficult moments of life, in how one behaves.
"When you win it's very easy, everyone is with you, but the real champion is seen in defeat. Rafa and Roger have always accepted the defeats better than Djokovic, maybe that is why he has won more than them. But not everything is about the on-court numbers, above that is the person themselves."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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