Amid the excitement of the ongoing ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters, a fascinating video surfaced on the social media platform X. In this video, a selection of tennis stars got the opportunity to unveil their Greatest of All Time – GOAT athletes beyond tennis. As the tournament was heading toward its conclusion, the tennis’s most elite male players revealed their choices.
American players Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton, along with Greece’s tennis titan Stefanos Tsitsipas, collectively placed former NBA luminary Michael Jordan as the GOAT player outside tennis. Italy’s Jannik Sinner, however, had his loyalty placed with the late Kobe Bryant as his GOAT pick. The American star, Sebastian Korda chose golf icon, Tiger Woods as his GOAT.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev and Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman took to soccer for their selection of GOAT outside the world of tennis. Medvedev, known for his love of soccer, declared a captivating dual GOAT selection. With genuine enthusiasm, he asserted, “Just because I like soccer, I would say Cristiano and Messi, together combined is the GOAT. Let’s do it this way.”
Who you choosing? 🐐👀#RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/rz8F9FbGyt
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 14, 2023
In contrast, Schwartzman, hailing from the soccer-loving nation of Argentina, showed his national pride in his choices. His GOAT duo comprised Argentina’s footballing legends—Lionel Messi and the late Diego Maradona. He declared, “The GOAT? Outside [tennis]? Messi and Maradona. Easy question! Argentinian, Messi and Maradona. The Double M,”
In a fascinating mix of admiration for other great athletes and their likings, these tennis stars showed their preference for legends from different fields as their GOAT, giving tennis fans and sports enthusiasts some food for thought!
Nick Kyrgios compares legends of the past with those of the present
Nick Kyrgios joined American media personality Logan Paul on a popular podcast, providing candid insights on various tennis-related topics. The 27-year-old, who is preparing for a return to training after recovering from an injury, shared his thoughts on Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, legends from the past and much more.
Kyrgios drew an interesting parallel between two sporting legends. He remarked, “Federer and Jordan are very similar, but I think statistically Novak is better.” This statement emphasized Djokovic’s remarkable statistical achievements over other legends, indirectly hinting at Novak Djokovic being the GOAT in the world of sports and not just tennis.
Tennis superstar @NickKyrgios on tomorrow’s episode! 🎾🔥 pic.twitter.com/5OlPShE0Jw
— IMPAULSIVE (@impaulsive) February 20, 2023
Moreover, when questioned about the possibility of players from earlier tennis eras, like John McEnroe and Pete Sampras, competing against the current ‘Big Three’, Kyrgios was dismissive in his response, saying, “No way because I think Jordan could still play [in the NBA] in this era, whereas those guys would get snipped in this era.”
As per Kyrgios, the demands of today’s game are significantly more challenging than in the past, especially when it comes to tennis. His remarks shed light on the evolution of the sport, where modern players like the ‘Big Three’ have raised the bar in terms of physical conditioning, mental strength, and longevity.