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Novak Djokovic ‘not comfortable’ with ‘GOAT debate’ question, calls it ‘disrespectful’ in strong remark
Novak Djokovic is currently ranked as the World No. 4. He has been ranked as the world No. 1 in the past for a record 428 weeks.
Considered by many to be the greatest tennis player in history, Novak Djokovic is regarded by some as surpassing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, at least in terms of Grand Slam titles won and longevity.
His 2025 campaign had an unexpected ending as he skipped the ATP Finals in Turin for the second year in a row. He ended his season with a title at the Athens ATP 250.
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In an interview with Piers Morgan, Djokovic revealed that he wasn't comfortable with being asked about the GOAT debate. "I've often been asked this question listing the various statistics, but the truth is that I'm not in the right position to address this topic. It would also be disrespectful to all the rivals I've had during my career. I consider myself a huge tennis fan and I respect all the eras before mine," he said.
"It's not easy to compare different eras with each other, because tennis has undergone many changes over the years in terms of equipment, balls, surfaces and technology. Everything became more professional," he added.
Djokovic is currently ranked as the World No. 4. He has been ranked as the world No. 1 in the past for a record 428 weeks and has ended the year as the year-end No. 1 a record eight times. During his glittering career, he has won 101 ATP Tour-level singles titles, which also includes a record 24 majors (a record ten Australian Open titles), a record 40 Masters, an Olympic gold medal and a record seven year-end c'ships.
He is also the only man in history to be the reigning champion on all four majors at once. In singles, he is the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam and the only player to complete a Career Golden Masters (twice).
