The teenager made a bold statement about Djokovic’s legacy compared to Roger Federer. And his opinion may have given the 24-time Grand Slam champion the motivation he needs if and when they eventually meet on the match court.
Djokovic has won everything possible in tennis and holds almost every record in the sport. He has 24 Grand Slam titles – the most in the Open Era – and the most all-time weeks at No. 1.
However, Fonseca has rubbished the numbers and believes Federer is the greatest player.
Asked who was on top in the sport, the world No. 68 told GE: “Federer. There’s no way to change that.
“People can say that Djokovic is the greatest of all time, but for me, there’s no way. Djokovic may be the best of all time, but Federer is the greatest. Unmatched.”
After hearing Fonseca’s claims, Djokovic will be even more motivated to defeat the 18-year-old if they face off on the tour.
The Serb enjoys sparring with the world’s best young players. At the end of 2023, he said his younger rivals like Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune “awaken a beast” in him.
The 37-year-old is always keen to prove that the old guard still has what it takes. And he did just that at the recent Australian Open, beating Alcaraz in the quarter-final despite carrying an injury.
Djokovic has also been impressed with what he’s seen from Fonseca so far – even comparing the teen to himself.
The Brazilian qualified for his first Grand Slam tournament at last month’s Australian Open and, on his debut, upset No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev. It caught the 10-time Aussie Open champion’s attention.
“I’ve been a fan of his game. I’ve been watching him also last year,” Djokovic said at the time.
“I think in one of my interviews for ATP I was saying I see some of my game there in his game, particularly when I was his age when you’re kind of carelessly going for the shots, just showing what you’re capable of.
“I mean, he’s got the goods definitely. He showed that last night on a big stage to go very far. The future is bright for him, no doubt, if he keeps going this way.”
But the current world No. 7 might change his mind after seeing what Fonseca had to say about the GOAT debate.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk