"Novak Djokovic is the greatest, it'd be silly to argue" - Rafael Nadal-fan Daria Kasatkina

Daria Kasatkina picked Novak Djokovic as the GOAT of tennis despite being a huge fan of Rafael Nadal. The Russian explained that it was hard to engage in the debate when one holds such deep admiration for one of the three players. (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic)

The GOAT debate is perhaps the most popular discussion among the tennis community, with fans fiercely defending their favorite player's claim to the title on various platforms. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, collectively known as the 'Big 3', are the usual subjects of this debate, each presenting a strong case for the greatest of all time.

During a recent interview with TNNS, a tennis app, Daria Kasatkina was asked to weigh in on the GOAT debate among Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. The Russian responded by saying that all three players were unparalleled.

"All three of them are unreachable," she said. (at 21:58)

She was asked for her perspective on the ongoing GOAT debate, given her love for Nadal. As a huge fan of Nadal, Kasatkina explained that her admiration for him wouldn't be diminished by results. She implied that her love for Nadal was more than just a statistical analysis.

Nonetheless, Kasatkina admitted that from an objective standpoint, Djokovic is the GOAT and it's difficult to argue against his achievements. The 27-year-old also acknowledged that the GOAT debate ultimately comes down to personal preference and who someone considers their favorite

"You know if someone has an idol, they'll love him even if the results are not up to par. And it's obvious in my case, because it started in my childhood. But objectively, looking at the results, Novak is the greatest. It'd be silly to argue about that. And the rest is a matter of taste," she said.

Djokovic is the only player from the Big 3 to have completed the career Golden Slam, won all the Masters 1000 titles, and the Nitto ATP Finals. He also holds the record for the most Majors - 24 and also has the most weeks on top of the ATP rankings with 428 weeks.

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"For me he’s the perfect example how I have to be as a sportsman" - Daria Kasatkina on Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal (Image Source: Getty)

Back in 2016, during the Canadian Open (formerly called the Rogers Cup), Daria Kasatkina said that Rafael Nadal had been her idol since she was eight years old.

"Since I was eight years old, I start to watch Rafa’s game from Roland Garros 2005 when he won his first Grand Slam, Roland Garros. I just fell in love with his game, with his character, everything. Since the tournament, I started to love him as a player," she said.

The Russian expressed her deep admiration for the Spaniard, stating that she loved everything about him.

"I love everything: how he play, how he behave. So for me he’s the perfect example how I have to be as a sportsman."

Last year, Kasatkina said that she wanted to put off crying over seeing Rafael Nadal end his career because she was not in a rush to see it happen.