Rafa? Serena? Roger? Tennis’s Goat debate is an affront to history

This September marks the 20th anniversary of Pete Sampras’s 14th and final grand slam victory, when he beat his longtime foe Andre Agassi to claim his fifth US Open title. It was also the last match Sampras ever played on tour, making his victory in New York a glorious capstone to a magnificent career. At the time, it appeared as if Sampras’s extraordinary career stats – namely his then-record slam count for men – would be the benchmark for future generations.

Yet as the tennis world makes its annual descent into Gotham, it’s remarkable that not only has Sampras’ grand slam record been eclipsed, it’s been smashed to pieces by a trio of players, the so-called Big Three of Rafael Nadal (22 major titles), Novak Djokovic (21) and Roger Federer (20). For three players to have done this, all in the same era, is almost beyond comprehension.

But, unless there’s an 11th-hour reprieve allowing Djokovic to compete at Flushing Meadows unvaccinated, only Nadal will start the tournament next Monday (the 41-year-old Federer, still recovering from a knee injury, is scheduled to return to action in the coming months). No matter one’s position on Djokovic’s vaccination status, it’s a shame fans are being deprived of the possibility of another Nadal–Djokovic matchup (theirs is the most prolific men’s rivalry in the Open era: they have played each other 59 times, with Djokovic edging the series 30-29). After all, while these three competitors appear immortal, the monster of time will swallow their careers sooner rather than later.

All eyes will be undoubtedly be focused on Nadal during the fortnight, although he also comes into the year’s final major having only played one match since he pulled out of Wimbledon with an abdominal injury. And