Roger Federer: 'Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic will beat my Major record'

The season's second Major event at Roland Garros brings a thrilling opening half, with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer sharing the same half of a Major draw for the first time ever! Thus, the rivals from the bottom half will have a chance to advance into the final without facing anyone from the 'Big 3' group that has won 58 Major titles since Wimbledon 2003! Rafa, Roger and Novak are separated by only two Major titles, with Nadal and Federer standing on 20 and Djokovic claiming the 18th crown at the Australian Open in February. The GOAT race should be fascinating by the end of the season and in the next couple of years, with Nadal and Djokovic both hoping to pass Federer and finish ahead of the Swiss who turns 40 in August.

At the beginning of the previous season, before his severe knee injury, Federer stated that Nadal and Djokovic should pass his record in the upcoming years, knowing how good they are. After the Australian Open 2010, Federer had been on a steady course towards winning enough Major crowns that would keep him safe ahead of all the competitors that would come in the next couple of decades, although Nadal and Djokovic had some other plans! The Spaniard had trailed ten titles after the mentioned event in Melbourne 11 years ago, reducing the gap already in the rest of 2010 and staying on Roger's trail for all these years.

Roger Federer spoke about the GOAT race ahead of the Australian Open 2020.

Delivering at least one Major crown in almost every season since 2005, Nadal matched Roger at the last year's Roland Garros, looking good to pass him in two weeks in Paris. Novak Djokovic had to wait for a couple of years after that first Major title that came in Melbourne 2008, becoming the player to beat since 2011 and adding 17 titles to his tally in the previous decade to chase the opponents and keep himself in the GOAT race in the next couple of years. Roger has won just three Major crowns after Wimbledon 2012, staying empty-handed for four years and bouncing back in 2017 and 2018 to extend his time on the throne for a couple of more years. 

"I think the way it's going, Rafa and Novak will win more Majors than me, because they are that good," Federer said. "The season they had in 2019 shows that there is more to come for them. After that knee injury in 2016, I would have taken one more Major and was able to grab three amazing ones. I had my moment and always said everything that comes after 15 was a bonus," Roger Federer said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/34DKyBD