"If you ask ChatGPT to make the ideal tennis player, it makes Roger Federer": Ex-ATP pro puts Federer as GOAT over Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer might not have won as many Grand Slams as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, but according to a former World No. 15, the Swiss should be considered the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).

Federer retired from tennis in 2022, winning 20 Grand Slams and then retiring with the most weeks atop the ATP rankings. Since then, however, those records have been shattered, both done by Djokovic. The Serb has 24 Majors to his name, more than any other player in the Open Era. Federer's arch-rival Nadal, who retired in 2024, also overtook in the Slam race, finishing with 22 to his name.

Ex-ATP player Juan Ignacio Chela, a three-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist, however, sees things differently. The Argentine is of the opinion that even though the numbers don't back him up, Roger Federer is the GOAT for him, having seen his mastery up close on the tennis court.

Interestingly, Chela opined that if one entrusted Artificial Intelligence to create the ideal tennis player, it would create the Swiss maestro first, and not Nadal or Djokovic, for all their statistical supremacy.

"They beat him in numbers, but for me Roger is the [greatest of all time]. I experienced it firsthand. I only won a set against him, once, in Miami: I couldn't stand on the court against him. He took me off the baseline: with his serve, with a drop shot, he took time off me on the forehand, on the second shot after the return," he said in an interview with La Nacion.

"If you ask Chat GPT to make you the ideal tennis player, I think it makes Roger. The others surpassed him in numbers, but for me, no one has the ease, talent and class of Federer," he added (as sourced by Punto de Break).

Federer and Chela met six times on the ATP Tour, with the 20-time Slam champ winning all six battles and losing only one set along the way. Chela also faced Nadal six times, winning once and losing five times. Against Djokovic, he lost both meetings, but took the Serb to three sets once.

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Roger Federer ended his career with a losing record to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic

2025 Shanghai Rolex Masters - Day 12 - Source: Getty

Unfortunately for Roger Federer, he ended his tennis career with a losing record against both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Against Djokovic, he finished 23-27, losing six of their last seven matches on the tour.

Against Nadal, meanwhile, he finished with a 16-24 record, despite winning six of their last seven meetings. Federer's final official tennis match came at Wimbledon in 2021, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Hubert Hurkacz.