"Novak Djokovic must have really hurt this guy" - Younes El Aynaoui placing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal above the Serb upsets fans

Former ATP player Younes El Aynaoui has stirred controversy by favoring Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal over Novak Djokovic in the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate. His perspective has not been well-received by several tennis fans.

Despite Djokovic's numerous accolades, El Aynaoui opined that the Serb's statistical dominance should not be the sole criterion in the GOAT debate, especially when comparing him to Federer and Nadal.

"On paper, Novak is making an increasing difference, he continues to add and add titles. Then we would also have to evaluate the behavior and the person, in that sense, for me Rafa and Roger are above. It's a personal opinion," El Aynaoui said.

The Moroccan argued that the Swiss and the Spaniard had an edge over the 24-time Grand Slam champion due to their superior ability to gracefully accept defeat.

"Like Roger and Rafa we will probably never see players again. There is something more behind the numbers, that is seen in the difficult moments of life, in how one behaves," the 52-year-old said.

"When you win it is very easy, everyone is with you, but the true champion is seen in defeat. Rafa and Roger have always accepted defeat better than Novak, perhaps that is why he has won more than them. But not everything is about the record, above all is the person," he added.

El Aynaoui's remarks did not sit well with fans. One fan humorously suggested that Djokovic must have somehow hurt the Moroccan, implying that this was the only plausible explanation for his remarks.

"Djokovic must have really hurt this guy," the fan posted.

Another fan argued that while on-court performance wasn't everything, Djokovic's statistical dominance should take precedence in the context of the GOAT debate.

"Agree not everything is about on court performance, unless you are judging who is the greatest player at that point it’s numbers. You can have your favorite but numbers is the only thing that matter for GOAT debate," the fan commented.

One user vehemently rejected El Aynaoui's claims that Federer and Nadal accepted defeat more gracefully than the World No. 1.

"What bullsh*t. I swear to God i’ve never understood how people say both Federer and Nadal are gracious in defeat. Both have given so many cold handshakes. Let alone the excuses they’ve come up with and arrogance that they shouldn’t have lost, are the better players and so on," the user posted.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

"Novak Djokovic is still playing, we will see next year how far the new generation goes" - Younes El Aynaoui

Novak Djokovic

Younes El Aynaoui also said Rafael Nadal is "number one" given the Spaniard's lack of on-court outbursts or instances of breaking his racket in frustration.

"For me it's not all about tennis and numbers, you also have to look at what the person is like or how they handle defeats. In that sense, Rafa is number one, we never saw him do anything strange on the court, and I'm not saying this because he is in Spain," El Aynaoui said.

"He never broke a racket, nor did we see him complain about anything or throw a match, he has always shown a good attitude, he is an example for everyone who plays tennis," he added.

The Moroccan also remarked on the tennis community's good fortune in having Roger Federer, Nadal, and Novak Djokovic compete simultaneously. He went on to say that as the Serb continues to solidify his legendary status, the 2024 season will reveal the younger generation's ability to challenge him.

"Fortunately we were able to enjoy the era of these three players, Djokovic is still playing and expanding his legend, we will see next year how far the new generation goes," he added.

Djokovic, 36, won seven titles in the 2023 season, including three Grand Slams and a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title.