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The discussion surrounding the greatest tennis player of all time has long centered on three legendary names: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. Darren Cahill, a highly respected coach currently working with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, has made his stance on the debate crystal clear.
Cahill, who has previously coached stars such as Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Simona Halep, and Andy Murray, did not hesitate to name Djokovic as the undisputed greatest.
“To win 24 Grand Slams, I mean the guy is the greatest I have ever seen, I don’t think there is any question about this anymore,” Cahill stated during an appearance on the Advantage Connors podcast in September 2023.
While acknowledging that personal preferences might lean toward Federer, Nadal, or even Rod Laver, Cahill emphasized Djokovic’s incredible accomplishments in surpassing his two biggest rivals in Grand Slam titles.
“We could all have our favourites—Roger, Rafa, Rod Laver for me, winning two Grand Slams (Calendar), the last one in ’69, which was a remarkable effort. But to do what Novak has done and come from way behind when Rafa and Roger had a big Grand Slam total, and actually pass them on the Grand Slam total, remarkable performance,” he added.
Djokovic’s Record-Breaking Achievements
Apart from winning 24 Grand Slams, he has dominated the sport in several other ways. For more than 400 weeks now, more than any other player in history, he has held the position of World No. 1. This year, he has again been named the year's end No. 1 for the eighth time in a record.
Djokovic also holds the record as the only man who has won all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments at least twice, thus achieving the coveted Career Golden Masters, an accomplishment unmatched by anyone in the history of tennis.
The Serbian star also has an upper hand against Nadal and Federer in their head-to-head rivalry. He has an edge in the number of ATP Masters trophies, winning 40, while he also won seven ATP Finals titles, thus reaffirming his supremacy in the sport.
Darren Cahill’s Legacy in Tennis Coaching
The well-accomplished Cahill, professional player of the late 1980s and early 1990s, reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 22 in 1989. He was a fine doubles player with 13 ATP wins and a doubles rank of No. 10. He contributed much to the game of tennis as a coach.
Another milestone in Cahill's playing career came in 1988, when he reached the semifinals at the US Open, but was defeated by Mats Wilander. Constant knee injuries forced Cahill into early retirement and on to a coaching career.
Cahill has become the key figure in many champions' careers and helped to develop their games. Lleyton Hewitt became World No.1 under Cahill's reign', and Andre Agassi made a return to No. 1 at age 33 under his tutelage. He has worked with Simona Halep on the way to two Grand Slam titles: 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon.
Cahill's view on Djoko as the greatest ever carries a lot of weight in the GOAT argument, simply based on his wide tennis credibility.
