Real Madrid CF star Toni Kroos, who is widely considered as one of the best midfielders in the world, labeled Roger Federer as the greatest athlete of all time. Kroos admitted a soft spot for the Swiss maestro and believes that it would be difficult for any tennis player to surpass him.
It is not the first time that Kroos has regarded Federer at the G.O.A.T. Earlier, the German star was asked by one of his fans on the social media about his favorite athletes of all time. Subsequently, Kroos didn’t hesitate to call Federer as his favorite of all time.
“It’s not hard for me to be a fan of Roger Federer” – Toni Kroos
Kroos also recalled his few encounters with Federer and revealed that the Basel native is a pleasant guy. He explained that it was quite easy for him to be a fan of the 20-time Grand Slam winner.
“I am absolutely convinced of this – even if I can only speak for the time I have experienced. I can’t judge the rest, but even then, it could be hard to surpass Roger. For me, it’s a mix of success and the fact that his tennis is nice to look at,” Kroos told Eurosport.
“I’ve met him a few times and can confirm that he is a totally pleasant guy. He comes across as a family man. He is interested in soccer – even if he didn’t hit the jackpot with FC Basel. But he has to go through it. So, it’s not hard for me to be a fan of Roger Federer,” he added.
Earlier, Kroos was also seen enjoying his quarantine by playing tennis after accepting Federer’s 100-volley challenge. To date, Federer has clinched 103 ATP singles titles including 20 Grand Slam titles, which an all-time record. He is arguably one of the greatest players ever to play the sport.
Mike Tyson Picks Roger Federer Over Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic As ‘GOAT Of Tennis’
Mike Tyson said that it is fantastic to see Federer play at this level and he is amazed at how he manages to remain competitive at the age of 38.
Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have been untouchable ever since they have reached the pinnacle of the sport. The ‘Big Three’, as they are referred to, have been a dominant force on court and still continue to do so despite the emergence of some exciting players on the ATP circuit.
Apart from dominating the tennis world, all three players have been often dragged into the debate as to who is the ‘Greatest of All Time’ (GOAT). The ‘GOAT’ debate in men’s tennis have left fans divided with their opinions. Recently, legendary boxer Mike Tyson shared his thoughts on who he thinks is the ‘GOAT’ between the ‘Big 3’.
Mike Tyson picks Roger Federer as GOAT of tennis
According to a report in Essentially Sports, the ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson has picked Roger Federer as the greatest of all-time. The former heavyweight champion said that it is fantastic to see him play at this level and he is amazed at how Federer still manages to play at his best despite being 38.
Mike Tyson picks Novak Djokovic as his favourite player
Although Tyson considers Roger Federer as the GOAT, he picked Novak Djokovic as his favourite player currently. Mike Tyson called Djokovic a true fighter and is his favourite because of the way in which the Serbian has come back from injuries and beaten the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer remarkably.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic Grand Slam record
The trio has till date shared 56 of the last 67 Grand Slams titles among themselves. However, among the three, Roger Federer leads the way with 20 Grand Slam titles and is closely followed by his nemesis Rafael Nadal, who has 19 Grand Slam titles to his name. Novak Djokovic is third on the list with 17 Grand Slam titles to his name .
