Numerous fans have slammed a tennis portal for placing Rafael Nadal at No. 8 in the list of the greatest players over the last century.
A website by the name of Tennis Abstract recently compiled a list of 128 best players on the tour in the last hundred years, which was topped by 11-time Grand Slam champion Rod Laver of Australia. His biggest achievement was winning all four Majors in the same year twice. Second on the list was 22-time Major winner Steffi Graf, who is the only player in history to win the Golden Slam (four Majors and an Olympic gold medal) in 1988.
Martina Navratilova, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer were the next three superstars, while 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and Nadal found themselves at No. 6 and No. 8, respectively. The top 10 names and the order prompted the fans to express their views as the majority rejected the list. Quite a few names were coined that fans felt should have made the top 10, like Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Margaret Court, and Justine Henin.
A section of the followers was particularly mad that the Grand Slam record-holder among men, Nadal, was placed in the eighth position after having competed against Federer and Djokovic in their primes.
“No logic in this list. The man with the most Grand Slam titles in the history of the sport comes in 8th place? While playing (his whole career) against peak number 4 and 5 on the list?” a fan tweeted.
@RelevantTennis @CoruscaKhaya No logic in this list. The man with the most grand slam titles in the history of the sport comes in 8th place? While playing (his whole career) against peak number 4 and 5 on the list?!?😂
“Laver as the GOAT seems fair since he completed the calendar slam twice as an amateur and pro. I think Graf benefited from Seles’ unfortunate assault. Seles should’ve been to Graf what Nadal is to Federer,” a fan tweeted.
“This list doesn’t even have Borg in it. I also feel like some people underestimate impact the Big 3 have made to sports in general. They are all on 1st 3 places, no matter the order,” another tweet read.
This list doesn’t even have Borg in it. I also feel like some people underestimate impact the big3 have made to sports in general. They are all on 1st 3 places, no matter the order. twitter.com/RelevantTennis…
Here are some more fan reactions:
still can’t comprehend how a player born in the 19th century is ranked higher than rafa. the men’s slam record holder who competed in toughest era of tennis like be ffr twitter.com/relevanttennis…
Novak ahead of Federer & Nadal? Federer is the entire reason tennis is what it is today. Taking the piss, surely. twitter.com/RelevantTennis…
Doesn’t make sense bro, totally different era. No Sampras ? No Justin Henin ? Nadal is on your 8th list ? Crap. twitter.com/relevanttennis…
“It’s a gift to still be active for another year” – Rafael Nadal
After winning the 2022 ATP Fans’ Favorite Award for the first time in his career, Rafael Nadal was honored with a sixth AS Sports Award in Spain for his outstanding 2022 season. The 36-year-old clinched two Grand Slam titles and ended his season as the World No. 2.
Speaking at the event, the Spaniard stated that although he was excited about 2023, doubts were still there in his mind, like they were there when he was younger.
“I am very excited. We will have to find little by little the way the season will start, there are always doubts. I had them at 20 and 22, and still at 36 and a half. It’s a gift to still be active for another year,” he said.
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