Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are widely considered to be the three greatest players in men’s tennis history.

Djokovic is perhaps the greatest: he has won the most Grand Slam singles titles in men’s tennis history [24], and leads Nadal and Federer in almost all major statistical categories.

However, there is much to be said for the greatness of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer – the duo dominated the ATP Tour throughout much of their respective careers.

Nadal’s career highlight was a remarkable 81-match winning streak on clay courts between April 2005 and May 2007, while Federer became the world No.1 for a record 237 consecutive weeks.

Tennis fans often compare these players using different metrics, but when it comes to who was most beloved by fans during their prime years, Federer likely stands out.

Djokovic may have more Grand Slams, but he never reached the same level of global adoration. Some believe his lack of support at tournaments even fuels his motivation on court.

On social media, one fan summed up this sentiment well:

During an appearance on the Nothing Major Show, former American No. 1 Sam Querrey spoke at length about Federer’s influence on the sport.

While Querrey didn’t shy away from acknowledging Djokovic’s case as the greatest of all time, he said Federer had a different kind of impact that set him apart.

“We always talk about who is the greatest of all time. In my opinion, with the stats, it’s Novak [Djokovic], he’s the greatest tennis player,” Querrey began.

“But when you ask who’s the most beloved, who has the biggest impact, it’s Roger [Federer].

“He was always the guy, it didn’t matter where you played him anywhere in the world, he had the crowd on his side. Even if you were an American playing in America, they’d be on his side.

“I played Federer five times, never beat him, never got more than four games in a set against him.

“The moment always felt bigger playing Roger. You always go out a little more nervous. He made you uncomfortable. That was part of his superpower as well.”

When it comes to who the fans loved most, Federer is hard to argue against. The Swiss maestro won 19 consecutive ATP Fans’ Favourite awards between 2003 and 2021 and remains one of the most well-respected retired players in tennis history.

However, while Federer’s impact on tennis earlier in his career was undoubtedly greater than Djokovic’s, the Serbian star has become one of the most influential sports figures on the planet in the past few years; a player admired by his contemporaries and fans alike.

It is difficult to judge the overall impact of Djokovic while his career is ongoing. However, if the Serbian star captures a 25th Grand Slam title this year, his impact on the sport may eclipse Federer’s.

It has been suggested that Djokovic will not win another Grand Slam. However, this is unlikely to impact the Serbian star’s motivation heading into the first major of the year in Australia.