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Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni recently gave his take on the GOAT debate, which has not gone over well with tennis fans.
Speaking to Clay magazine, the Spaniard put his nephew and Roger Federer ahead of Novak Djokovic, saying that the duo have "transcended" the sport more than the Serb.
In fact, he opined that Federer should be placed even ahead of Nadal, seeing as he has transcended tennis more than anyone else.
“I think Federer and Nadal have transcended their sport more than Djokovic. And Federer has transcended his sport more than anyone else,” Toni Nadal said.
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“When it comes to categorising who is the best, we would have to establish clear standards that are always a bit open to opinion, because who is the best, the one who holds the (Grand Slam) world record or the one who wins the Olympics? I don’t know," he added.
However, with Djokovic having more Grand Slams than both Federer and Nadal, tennis fans on social media do not think the comments are fair. The Serb has 23 Majors, while Federer and Nadal have won 20 and 22 respectively.
Djokovic has also more Masters 1000 titles than the duo, having won 38 compared to Nadal's 36 and Federer's 28. Furthermore, the World No. 2 is all set to add to those tallies. Federer, meanwhile, retired last year, while Nadal is expected to play the final season of his career in 2024.
Responding to Toni Nadal's comments, one Twitter user wondered what "transcended" even meant, asking the question of when the Spaniard and the Swiss have ever "stood up" for an important cause.
"Can someone please explain what does "transcended the sport" mean? Invited to the Met Gala? Friends with the lady from American Vogue? Have Nadal and Federer ever stood up for something that could cost them money and/or PR?" one fan tweeted.
Another fan opined that it's Novak Djokovic who has transcended tennis, pointing out his numerous achievements on and off the court.
"By making a stand for freedom in the name principles, it is Novak who transcended the sport. It is Novak who has the records. It is Novak who created the PTPA. Uncle Toni Nadal's sour grapes are embarrassing," another fan said.
"Dude is getting saltier by the day. Since, when did GOAT debate become a popularity contest? Yeah, Roger is the most popular player of all time, but Novak is the greatest tennis player ever. His nephew was 2nd to Roger in 2000s, and 2nd to Novak since 2010s," one user wrote.
Here are a few more reactions from fans:
"I think the one who has managed to play at a better level and do more difficult things is Federer" - Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni
Elaborating further on the GOAT debate, Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni opined that it's Roger Federer who has done the more difficult things in tennis, even if Novak Djokovic remains the one who has won the most.
As for his nephew, the Spaniard proclaimed that he would have had more than the others had he not been so injury-prone.
“I think the one who has managed to play at a better level and do more difficult things is Federer, the one who has won more is Djokovic and if we were to count all the things Rafael hasn’t played because of injury, he would probably have won more than the others,” Toni Nadal said.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
