Tim Henman delivers GOAT verdict between Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer… read more

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The debate over who is the greatest male tennis player of all time has been a longstanding one, with many experts and fans weighing in on the topic. However, according to former world No. 4 Tim Henman, the answer is quite straightforward. In a recent interview with talkSPORT, Henman asserted that Novak Djokovic stands alone as the greatest male player of all time, citing his impressive array of records and accolades.

“For me, it’s fairly straightforward that Djokovic is the greatest male player of all time,” Henman said. “How do you judge that? I think it does become a numbers game, it’s who has won the most Grand Slams, who has had the most weeks at number one, who has won the most Masters 1000 – and it’s Djokovic.”

Henman’s comments come as no surprise, given Djokovic’s impressive résumé. The Serbian superstar has won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record nine Australian Open crowns. He has also spent a record 373 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings and has won a record 38 Masters 1000 titles.

While some may argue that other players, such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, are also in the running for the title of greatest male player of all time, Henman believes that Djokovic’s sheer volume of achievements sets him apart. “So for me, it’s a pretty straightforward conversation that Djokovic is the greatest male player of all time,” he said.

Henman’s comments also touched on the harsh reaction Djokovic received from the crowd during his Australian Open semi-final with Alexander Zverev. Djokovic was forced to retire from the match due to a hamstring injury, but was booed by the crowd as he left the court. Henman believes that this reaction was unfair, given Djokovic’s impressive record and his clear distress during the match.

“I think they got it completely wrong,” Henman said. “For someone going for their 11th Australian Open title and their 25th Slam, to be the leader in the history of the game, he’s clearly in a bad way if he has pulled out after a set. For him to be booed in that moment was pretty indefensible.”

Henman also addressed the criticism that Djokovic has faced throughout his career, including accusations of being selfish and arrogant. However, he believes that these criticisms are unfair, and that Djokovic has always craved the affection and respect of his peers and fans.

“I’m not on social media, but what I hear goes on with him and his fans is chaos and maybe at times he has done things that have attracted that (negativity),” Henman said. “You dig a bit deeper and in my opinion, he has always craved the affection of Federer and Nadal. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know. That’s my opinion.”

Ultimately, Henman believes that Djokovic’s on-court achievements speak for themselves, and that he is undoubtedly the greatest male player of all time. “Some people don’t like the way he behaves sometimes, but you look at what he has achieved in the game and in every statistic, he is the best in the men’s game,” he said. “So I find it difficult to debate that. He has got 24 Slams, the most weeks at No. 1, the most Masters 1000s, he’s got it all.”