Arguably, the most iconic phase in the history of men’s tennis is nearing its twilight. With Roger Federer already retired from the sport and Rafael Nadal sidelined due to injury, the end of the golden era of men’s tennis looks all the more imminent. Novak Djokovic, however, is still very dominant on the tour, as he continues to break more and more records – thereby surpassing his 2 biggest rivals statistically in most aspects of the game.

Having said that, personal preferences hardly depend on just numbers or statistics. Renowned British author and tennis pundit Geoff Dyer echoed similar sentiments, as he put Roger Federer ahead of a more statistically successful Novak Djokovic after bringing in a soccer reference in the form of Jose Mourinho.

Geoff Dyer gushes over Roger Federer while snubbing Novak Djokovic and Jose Mourinho

Apart from being a universally acclaimed writer, Geoff Dyer is also known for his love for tennis. His book ‘The Last Days of Roger Federer and other endings’ is a testament to his undying passion for the sport. In a recent interview with Dutch daily Nederlands Dagblad, Dyer heaped praises on the playing style of Roger Federer, which, according to him, exudes ‘exquisite beauty’.

He further claimed that despite statistically surpassing Federer, Novak Djokovic lacks the vulnerability that Federer had, as he compared him to the world-renowned Portuguese soccer coach Jose Mourinho. “With Roger, all I have to think about is his one-handed backhand slice to miss him terribly. Look, statistically Djokovic has long since surpassed Roger. His style is visibly more efficient than Roger’s and his approach to the opponent is much more ruthless. Like Portuguese football coach Jose Mourinho, Djokovic has something unrelenting about it. But as successful as both winners are, they lack something essential – they lack any kind of vulnerability, lack some of that exquisite beauty that is necessary to touch and move the audience.”

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‘It’s a Joke That Roger Isn’t Here’ – Serena Williams’ Long-Time Coach Patrick Mouratoglou Once Again Stirs Controversy With His Diverse Roger Federer Take

Not just Geoff Dyer – Roger Federer’s excellence is still unmatched in the eyes of many other tennis experts and former players. Just a month ago, former British number 1 and Chris Evert’s ex-husband, John Lloyd, expressed his admiration for the Swiss maestro’s elegance in a similar fashion.

John Lloyd echoed similar sentiments about ‘artist’ Federer

A former player himself, John Lloyd weighed in on his thoughts about tennis’ Big 3 while speaking at Tennis Channel’s podcast Inside-In last month. According to him, Roger Federer stands out from his arch-rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic due to his artistic and ever-graceful style of play. Lloyd claimed that Federer had the capability to pull off unbelievable shots that defied logic and all possibilities, which he did quite effortlessly, in his usual nonchalant manner. Therefore, to him, the Swiss legend’s elegance remains unmatched, even by statistically more successful peers Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

This is, in many ways, very similar to Geoff Dyer’s assessment. As Novak Djokovic seamlessly continues to add to his tally of records, it is clearly not enough to replace the grace and elegance of Roger Federer in the hearts of many, including the likes of Geoff Dyer and John Lloyd.

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