Stefanos Tsitsipas’ mother, former tennis player Julia Apostoli, recently shared her preference among Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. She also had a message for Djokovic’s critics.
The GOAT debate among tennis’ Big 3 has spanned decades, with each earning admiration from fans and prominent figures. Federer bid farewell at the 2022 Laver Cup, while Nadal’s retirement at the Davis Cup knockouts on November 19 marked the official end of this legendary rivalry.
Djokovic, with 24 Major titles—the most in the Open Era—remains the only member of the Big 3 still competing, with no clear timeline for his retirement.
Speaking to Russian vlogger Dychkovsky in a YouTube interview, Apostoli put the Serb ahead of Nadal and Federer. The 60-year-old praised Djokovic as a self-made player who rose to greatness while the Swiss and Spaniard were already established.
She believes that Djokovic’s naysayers would need time to re-evaluate his achievements.
“Djokovic is a self-made man. No PR. In other words, he entered tennis when Federer and Nadal were at the highest level. They were already the fathers of tennis. And Djokovic was not a name, but over time, as time has shown, he proved that everything is possible. Those who condemn him will need time to reassess this,” she said (translated from Russian via we love tennis).
