When discussing tennis and its greatest players, opinions often vary, influenced by personal preferences and playing styles. However, statistics paint a clearer picture, and no conversation about the sport’s legends can exclude the “Big Three” of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—the trio with the most Grand Slam titles in tennis history.
This time, former World No. 1 and Grand Slam champion Jim Courier shared his perspective on how the three legends stack up against one another. Courier, who reached the top of the ATP rankings during a fiercely competitive era dominated by Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, has since become a highly regarded tennis analyst.
On a December 2024 episode of the Tennis Channel Podcast, Courier joined former Federer coach Paul Annacone to weigh in on the debate. According to Courier, each player had their era of dominance, only to be surpassed by the next in line. In his view, Federer was initially unmatched until Nadal emerged, who was later eclipsed by Djokovic.
