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By Scoop Malinowski
Roger Federer is generally considered the greatest tennis player of all time and his record breaking achievements certainly support that notion.
Twenty major titles, regaining the ATP World No. ranking again at age 36 are accomplishments that may never be equaled.
Yes Roger Federer has to be consider the greatest of all time. But did he play the greatest tennis we ever saw?
It has been argued that Novak Djokovic, when at his best, uplifted tennis to a new height, above and beyond Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic’s unbelievable defense and agility and movement and counterpunching and mental strength and burning desire to win made him a nightmare for any player to have to contend with. Djokovic even beat Nadal eight times in a row in finals, one of the most incredible achievements in tennis history.
But an outside, uncoventional view that has to be considered is the Juan Martin Del Potro factor. The Might Argentine has shown many times he is a special colossus of the court, with an abundance of power in his arsenal that has proven on many occasions that it’s too much for even Federer, Nadal and Djokovic to handle and deal with.
When Del Potro is at his best, in full health and operating in his optimum zone level, he has blasted prime Fed, Nadal and Djokovic off the court, even reducing the Serbian to tears after their 2016 Olympics clash of titans in Brazil.
Most recently, Del Potro blasted Federer off the court at last year’s US Open but was a faded version in the next round against Nadal, having been drained in the previous round five setter vs Dominic Thiem.
But it’s entirely possible that Del Potro at his most potent, powerful, pinpoint best is actually too much for Fed, Rafa and Djokovic. Del Potro is the only player who has the capacity to inflict devastation on Fed, Rafa and Djokovic. He can’t do it all the time because he simply cannot sustain his magical level of play except for only rare and special occasions.
Usually Del Potro is at his best in the big events on the big stage stadiums, where his singing supporters have a special ability to uplift and inspire Del Potro to raise his level. I have witnessed this on many occasions. Last year at the US Open vs Federer, the Argentine fans sang just once each late in the first set and then in the third set tiebreaker and mysteriously, Del Potro responded on cue by suddenly raising his level to take each set. It was uncanny to experience.
if only Federer, Nadal and Djokovic had fans that sang for him to produce and inspire even greater tennis. But they don’t. Only Del Potro has that secret weapon.
We may never know the real true answer but I think it’s possible, and nobody can discount this opinion, that Juan Martin Del Potro, when at his very best, could be the most potent, explosive, devastating…greatest tennis player we ever saw.
Don’t even try to shoot down this assertion. I have seen Del Potro annihilate Federer, Rafa and Djokovic too many times to concede on this. Yes, Fed, Rafa and Djokovic are three of the greatest of all time with Fed on top of the list. But when big Juan Martin Del Potro is in the mood and the stars are aligned, he might produce the best tennis in history.
I plan on discussing this topic with the humble tennis mastermind Del Potro this week in Delray Beach.
Sock plays tomorrow night as does Young vs the young Indian Ramanathan.
