Former 7-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander says Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have taken the game to a ‘different level’ He added the Swiss definitely could have won a lot more major titles if he had not had in front of him Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Federer took tennis by storm when he arrived on the Tour, and everyone expected him to break the all-time Grand Slam record, to finish with the most Grand Slams ever. .
Federer, now a 20-time Grand Slam champion, broke the all-time Grand Slam record while beating that of Pete Sampras, who was already 14 major titles. After winning the French Open in 2020, Nadal then equaled Federer’s record to rise to 20 titles.
Last year, Djokovic also achieved this by achieving the feat of winning 3 Grand Slam tournaments in the same year (and reaching the final of the 4th and last tournament).
Nadal now holds a record 22 Grand Slam titles, while Djokovic has 21, and Federer is at 20. At Wimbledon, Nadal said Roger Federer was his ‘biggest rival’
Wilander: Federer and Nadal have a game on a different level
“I think they both took the game to a different level,” Mats Wilander commented on Eurosport when asked about Federer and Nadal.
“Without Rafa and Novak, Roger might have been able to win 30 Grand Slams, but that’s a bit off topic. He was also pushed to another level of play by those two.
As a tennis player, you are not going to win the most major tournaments, you mainly go there to improve your game and reach a certain level (to be able to beat others). Why does Rafa see Roger as his biggest rival? I think it has something to do with the story, of course there are the matches you play, but also the pleasure of playing against the opponent.
What’s not to like playing against Roger Federer? I think Rafa enjoyed playing against Roger maybe more than Roger enjoyed playing against Rafa, because Rafa was the youngster, a southpaw it was difficult.
There is also the contrast in style. It’s the most interesting rivalry for me,” continued the former tennis pro. Federer, who turns 41 next month, is expected to return to action this season.
However, it is very unlikely that the Swiss will win another Grand Slam title at this stage of his career, and after three knee surgeries.
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