Andy Roddick, who managed to win the 2003 US Open and reach world No 1 during the era Roger Federer established his dominance, said a record number of Grand Slam titles was all Djokovic needed to make him the undisputable GOAT, with the 34-year-old now holding all the other big records in the sport.
“I’ll say it very clearly,” he said, speaking on Tennis Channel. “If Novak Djokovic ends his career with the most Grand Slams titles of all time it is a statistical impossibility to argue against him being the greatest based on numbers.”
The 86-time title winner looks poised to be able to end his career on the most number of Majors compared to his fellow Big Three members, as he is younger than both Federer and Nadal.
Roddick’s comments come after the former Grand Slam record holder, Pete Sampras, said Djokovic was already the “greatest of all time”.
The retired American finished as year-end No 1 for six seasons in a row from 1993 to 1998 and held the record for the most number of Grand Slam singles titles with 14 before Serena Williams and the Big Three all surpassed him.
Speaking to the ATP Tour after Djokovic broke his record for most year-end No 1 finishes, Sampras said: “I do think what Novak’s done over the past 10 years, winning the majors, being consistent, finishing No. 1 for seven years, to me it’s a clear sign that he is the greatest of all time.”