Roger Federer weighs in on GOAT debate, says 'what Novak has achieved is gigantic but till Nadal is around...'

Veteran Roger Federer was the guest of honour on the 30th anniversary of the Halle Open on June 21, Wednesday, while inside OWL Arena, a special ceremony was held to mark his achievement. The ten-timeGerman grass-court ATP 500 event winner also weighed on the GOAT (Greatest of all time) debate following Novak Djokovic’s record-breaking 23 Grand Slam wins at the Roland Garros in Paris lately.

As the tournament commemorated "Roger Federer Day" on the centre court, the 103-time ATP tour-level winner praised Novak for his gigantic achievement but said for as long as Rafael Nadal is around, this debate stays alive.

Federer, who retired from professional tennis last September during the Laver Cup, showered praises on Novak, aged 36, for becoming the first male Tennis star to win 23 Grand Slams in Open Era, surpassing Nadal's tally of 22 Slam wins.

And by mentioning Rod Laver’s unique record of him lifting the Wimbledon title at the age of 17 in the same sentence, Roger said, "What is better? Winning Wimbledon at 17 like Becker or Paris at 36 like Novak? I don't know."

Meanwhile, when asked to share his thoughts on the GOAT debate, Roger, who is widely regarded as the greatest athlete of all time, let alone in Tennis, replied by saying till the time his old foe on the field and a dear friend of his, Rafael Nadal is around, calling Novak the GOAT will not do justice.

"What he has achieved is absolutely gigantic. It could be sufficient. But I think as long as Rafa is still playing, too, you can't answer that definitively yet," Roger added.

Rogers relishes time spent in Halle

At Halle, Roger boasts a 69-8 career record, having won in 2003-06, 2008, 2013-15, 2017 and 2019. Upon returning to the event for the first time since hanging his boots, Federer rememberedthe time spent in this event over the past two decades and cherishedhis friendship with the Weber family.

“With Halle, we go way back,” said Federer. “I don’t know the first time I ever came here, maybe 22 years ago, and I played 18 years in those years. More than just a partnership, it’s also become a friendship over the years with the Weber family, first Gerhard Weber and then Ralf, who is now the tournament director. So it’s been a wonderful time, obviously also [I had] a lot of success here."

“[There were] great times, good moments spent as well in the second part of my career with the family. My kids would be running around all across the venue, and also the fans. We got to know them all, there’s been a lot of moments for interaction as well. It’s been really good, to be honest, and I always love coming here, so it’s really nice to come back again once I’m retired,” Federer added.

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