Ljubicic on the GOAT debate: "When it comes to success, it's not Roger"
Ivan Ljubicic, Roger Federer's ex-coach, only sees his former protégé as a GOAT on one condition.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Mar 25, 2023, 12:58 pm
Ljubicic was asked whether one could only take the number of major titles won into account - or whether there were other criteria that would favor Federer or someone like Rod Laver.
Federer has won 20 Grand Slam tournaments in his career, his rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic 22 each. And: Nadal and Djokovic are both still active.
"I have an opinion," said Ljubicic - but he knew that everything he said would be evaluated from the point of view of Federer's coach. He was not sure whether he could judge objectively. So he doesn't believe that everything about the Grand Slams can be evaluated, "after that Federer would not end up as the most successful player. He is already not."
Federer as GOAT?
Is he the "greatest"? You have to consider what that means. "Greatness and achievement aren't the same thing, or they don't have to be. If they are, Roger isn't. But if you factor in other things, like the influence someone has in sport, I don't think it's Nadal and Djokovic can compete with Roger's influence. But in terms of numbers, the two are more successful than him."
If you look at basketball and there at Michael Jordan: He was probably only so successful in his playing days because he had ended his career when those who were now being compared to him appeared. That is the difference to Federer, who has played against his biggest rivals for most of his career. "They hit him more often than he hit them. Even if you have to consider that he's five or six years older."
The great thing, according to Ljubicic: With the "Big 3" you also had three different characters, three different styles of play, from three different countries - one from Eastern Europe, one Swiss, one Spaniard. "You see in the three everything that anyone could wish for in sport and in the love of sport."
Ljubicic bets on Djokovic as the major champion
His favorite for most majors at the end of his career is Djokovic, "mainly because he is physically so much healthier and has more stamina. If you look at Novak now and Novak ten years ago, we see almost no difference in terms of physique. At Rafa sees him." If you look at Nadal's games from 2005 or 2006 or 2010, you see a different Nadal - one who plays more aggressively and physically you see a difference.
"You don't see that with Novak, so I think Novak will win more Grand Slams. I'm not sure about Nadal." Ultimately, however, one must wait for the end of the career of the two.