Former world number four, Tim Henman, has voiced a decisive verdict on the long-standing debate of who holds the title of the greatest male tennis player of all time. His answer? It’s unequivocally Novak Djokovic, a conclusion he proclaims is “fairly straightforward.”
The illustrious trio, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer, universally recognized as the ‘Big Three’, have left indelible imprints on the history of men’s tennis. Among them, Djokovic has etched his name in gold, boasting a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles. Not far behind, Nadal and Federer follow, with impressive hauls of 22 and 20 titles respectively.
Federer bid farewell to his career at the 2022 Laver Cup, and Nadal hung up his racquet at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in November. Djokovic, however, continues to wield his racquet on the global stage, currently ranked seventh in the world. His list of recent accolades includes the gold medal at the Paris Olympics and runner-up at the Wimbledon championships.
Henman, in a conversation with talkSPORT, was resolute in his assertion that Djokovic stands unparalleled in the realm of men’s tennis, attributing this to the staggering records he holds. “How do you judge that?” he said, “I think it does become a numbers game, it’s who has won the most Grand Slams, who has had the most weeks at number one, who has won the most Masters 1000 – and it’s Djokovic.”
Henman’s statement comes in the wake of public backlash Djokovic faced after a hamstring injury forced him to retire from his Australian Open semi-final match with Alexander Zverev. Henman defends Djokovic’s decision, stating the booing he experienced was “pretty indefensible.”
Despite the occasional controversy surrounding Djokovic’s actions on and off the court, Henman believes his achievements speak for themselves. “You big a bit deeper and in my opinion, he has always craved the affection of Federer and Nadal,” Henman says, “Some people don’t like the way he behaves sometimes, but you look at what he has achieved in the game and in every statistic, he is the best in the men’s game.”
Henman’s evaluation leaves little room for debate. With Djokovic boasting 24 Grand Slam titles, the highest number of weeks at the top spot, and the most Masters 1000 wins, he has indeed claimed every possible accolade in the men’s game. His on-court prowess, combined with his record-shattering achievements, affirms his standing as the greatest male tennis player of all time.