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Agassi enters Federer v Nadal GOAT debate

Former world No 1 Andre Agassi says he believes Roger Federer is the greatest player of all time, apparently abandoning a previously stated opinion that it was Rafael Nadal.

Agassi won a career slam, and was ending his career just as Federer was beginning to dominate.

They met in the final of the 2005 US Open, which Federer won, and it appears to be that which has been the deciding factor in Agassi’s opinion.

“Federer, without doubt,” he told Bild, when asked who the GOAT is.

“Nobody stood out from their opponents on the court as much as he did.

“I don’t think [I would have had a chance against him at my best].

“I played against him in the final of the 2005 US Open. I won a set - more was not possible.”

It’s an about-face from Agassi, who six years ago declared Federer’s greatest rival, Rafael Nadal, to be the best player of all time.

“I’d put Nadal No 1, Federer No 2,” Agassi told the Straits Times in 2014, adding: “it’s just remarkable to me what he has done, and he has done it all during Federer’s prime.

“Nadal had to deal with Federer, [Novak] Djokovic, and [Andy] Murray in the golden age of tennis.”

- TEAMtalk media

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