Djokovic is the 'GOAT' for Sampras
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[November 16, 2021] (Reuters)
-The debate over the Greatest of All
Time (GOAT) in men's tennis has divided opinions for years but
American Pete Sampras has no doubt that Serbian Novak Djokovic is
the one.
Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal are currently tied at 20
major singles titles each and fans and pundits have continued to
argue over who should be considered the 'GOAT'
Djokovic, at 34, the youngest of the triumvirate, has been unmatched
in consistency and success in recent years and has already claimed
Federer's long-standing record for holding the men's world number
one ranking for most weeks.
This month the Serbian broke a tie with his childhood idol Sampras
by clinching the year-end world number one ranking for a record
seven times.
"Seven years, for him, I'm sure he sees it as a bonus to all the
majors that he's won," Sampras, who won 14 major singles titles
before retiring after the 2002 U.S. Open, was quoted as saying by
the ATP Tour website
https://www.atptour.com/en/
news/celebrating-djokovic-record-seven-finishes-at-year-end-no-1.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Nov/16/images/ads/current/chicagost_sda_FFARM_2021.png)
"But I think he'll appreciate it more as he gets older. He did it at
a time where he dominated two of the greats, in Roger and Rafa, and
he handled the next generation of players very well – all at the
same time.
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![](../images/111621PIX/sports21.jpg)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his group stage match
against Norway's Casper Ruud REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
![](../images/ads/current/graue_lda_2021.gif)
"I do think what Novak's done over the past 10 years, winning the
majors, being consistent, finishing number one for seven years, to
me it's a clear sign that he is the greatest of all time."
Djokovic, who also won a record 37th ATP Masters title in Paris this
month, was presented
https://www.reuters.com/
lifestyle/sports/djokovic-downs-debutant-ruud-winning-start-atp-finals-2021-11-15
with the year-end world number one trophy on Monday in Turin, Italy,
after his victory over Norway's Casper Ruud in the season-ending ATP
Finals.
"I was 'The Man' for those number of years, and he's been 'The Man'
even more so," Sampras said.
"I think he's been more consistent, he's won more events, he's got
more majors. I could go on and on talking about his career. I don't
think you will see (seven year-end number ones) again."
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Muralikumar
Anantharaman)
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