Pete Sampras Named His Greatest Male Tennis Player of All Time

Former tennis star, Pete Sampras, once chimed in on one of the biggest talking points in the sport to this day, which is who is the outright greatest player to ever pick up a racket and grace the tennis court.

The answers from those within the world of tennis naturally all point to one of the renowned Big Three of the 21st century, made up of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. The trio competed against one another for the biggest titles for much of the past two decades and all remarkably hold at least 20 Grand Slam title wins.

All three tennis icons each have a case for being regarded as the greatest of all time. Djokovic has the most majors won by a male player with 24, while Nadal’s 14 titles at Roland Garros make him the most decorated player at a single Grand Slam. Federer, meanwhile, spent the most consecutive weeks as the world’s top men’s player, doing so for 237 weeks from February 2004–August 2008, while many regard his individual game as the best of any player due to the elegance and fluidity he showcased during his career.

Aside from the Big Three, some might consider tennis greats, Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, and Sampras himself, as the best ever to show out on the court. Sampras won 14 Grand Slam titles, including seven Wimbledon singles titles, with four of those wins coming in consecutive years from 1997-2000.

Pete Sampras’ Pick For Tennis GOAT

The American didn’t hesitate in his selection

Back in 2021, he was questioned on the GOAT debate in tennis by the Tennis Channel, when he told them: “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.”

Since Sampras’ glowing comments, Djokovic has added one more of each major to his resume and the Serbian finally got his hands on an Olympic gold medal after beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final last summer in Paris.

Sampras’ comments from four years ago meant a great deal to Djokovic, due to the American’s influence on the 24-time Grand Slam champion from a young age. The Serbian commented: “I saw what he said. I love it Pete, thank you so much, he knows how much he means to me. When I was four (or) five years old, he was the first tennis player that I looked up to. Him winning Wimbledon in 1992 was the first image of tennis that I remember.”

Many will echo Sampras’ view that Djokovic stands as the best to ever play tennis, as the longevity and phenomenal Grand Slam triumphs he has showcased are unlikely to be replicated by a player anytime soon.

Young stars of today, such as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, likely have the best chance of replicating Djokovic’s dominance in the men’s tennis game. The pair, in their early 20s, are already multiple-time Grand Slam winners and have put on exhilarating contests between them recently. Alcaraz came out on top in a five-set epic in the French Open final last month, while Sinner got the better of Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final on Sunday, taking home his first title at SW19.

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