Google News Mouratoglou explains why Federer isn't the GOAT: "Sports milestones the only metric"
by LORENZO CIOTTI
Roger Federer may have stopped playing tennis at the 2022 edition of the Laver Cup, but he still remains the tennis player most loved by crowds and fans. The Swiss legend is acclaimed in stadiums around the world, as seen at the Shanghai Rolex Masters 2023, during the match between Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov.
All eyes were on him with the fans cheering Roger. The 20-time winner of the Grand Slam titles talked that time to the official ATP website about how he experiences this phase of his life.
Roger is out of action, but many hope to see him on the court, even just for a single performance.
"I tried to go to the gym four times a week but it's not easy and I can't do it continuously. At home I bought some machines to train, I did it only a week after the Laver Cup last year. I have had a gym for some time but usually never used it.
Since I officially retired I have to use it somehow. I don't play a lot of tennis and I don't do a lot of physical activity so I have to watch everything I eat. In the next few years I would still like to do some performances and for this reason I want to keep in shape."
Then a comment on current tennis: "I follow the results every day.
I like to understand and know what happens, if necessary I watch the highlights to have a better idea of the match. In 5 minutes you can understand the key moments of the match, then it's difficult for me to watch an entire match because I don't have much time.
I was busy with the kids but I saw part of the Wimbledon final. I was busy, but I was monitoring the results, at a certain point I decided to turn it on and see!"
Mouratoglou explains why Federer is not the GOAT
Media, insiders and fans have always been in discussion about who the greatest tennis player in history is and, obviously, there are three names at stake: Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
There are those who side with Federer for how he changed tennis, those with Nadal, for what he did at Roland Garros, those with Djokovic, for the records achieved, as in 24 Majors. The former coach of Serena Williams and Simona Halep, Patrick Mouratoglou, probably angered Roger's fans, underlining on X that the Swiss is not the GOAT, as it is the sports milestones that determine who is the greatest of all time.
"No doubt that Roger’s elegance and inspired tennis is unmatched as much as there is no discussion about who is the Goat. In that matter, sports achievements is the only metric," he wrote. Obviously, the fans of the Swiss legend did not appreciate the comment of the French coach, who was the target of the comments (just take a look at X) of users who wrote in support of Roger.
No doubt that Roger’s elegance and inspired tennis is unmatched as much as there is no discussion about who is the Goat. In that matter, sports achievements is the only metric. — Patrick Mouratoglou (@pmouratoglou) January 4, 2024