Arthur Fils clear on Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic debate
Arthur Fils has firmly planted his flag in the ongoing debate over who reigns supreme among tennis legends Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. The trio, often referred to as the sport's 'big three', have been at the pinnacle of men's tennis for nearly two decades, with only Djokovic, aged 37, still competing at the highest level.
Federer hung up his racket in 2022 with a tally of 20 Grand Slam titles. Meanwhile, Nadal retired at the end of last year with 22 Grand Slams under his belt after grappling with injuries.
Djokovic leads the pack with 24 Grand Slam victories, yet this doesn't settle the debate on who is the greatest.
World No. 14 Fils has declared that, in his view, the suave Swiss maestro Federer is the top male player of their time. Sidelined from the French Open due to a back injury, Fils was quizzed by Prime Video Sport France to rank players:
Question: Roger or Rafa? Answer: "Roger. I love Roger."
Fils had to bow out of the competition following an exhilarating five-set win against Jaume Munar in the second round, explaining: "I had some issue with the back since a long time and during the match against Munar it [got] worse.
"[I] got some stress fracture. What we decide with the team it was better to stop now, because if I'm stopping now, I could stop for only four to six weeks.
"If I was pushing myself too much, I would probably stop for a couple of months. This is not what we are trying to do, so [we] had to make a choice."
As for Djokovic, the Serbian ace is in prime position to clinch his 25th Grand Slam title after he dispatched British hopeful Cameron Norrie in straight sets during the fourth round at Roland Garros, marking his 100th career victory at the French Open, reports the Express.
"Considering my opponent's form and the occasion, I think it was a very good match from my side, a very solid performance," Djokovic said.
"A straight-sets win again. I'm pleased with the way things are going. Obviously matches only get tougher. I look forward to the next challenge."
In the quarter-finals, Djokovic is set to take on German third seed Alexander Zverev, who progressed after Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands had to retire due to injury in the second set of their match.
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