John McEnroe Names His Tennis Mount Rushmore Amid Ongoing Debates

PARIS, France — The debate over the greatest tennis player of all time is heating up as John McEnroe shared his picks for his Mount Rushmore of men’s tennis. During an appearance on ‘Inside the NBA’ on Saturday, McEnroe named Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rod Laver as his top four players.

Nadal, who dominated the clay courts at Roland Garros with 14 titles, was highlighted by McEnroe for his prowess on that surface. ‘My Mount Rushmore would be: Rafael Nadal on the surface we are going to see the next couple of weeks at Roland Garros,’ he stated.

McEnroe continued by acknowledging Djokovic, whom he called ‘the best hard-court player of all time,’ and Federer, who he recognized as the top grass-court player. He concluded with Laver, recalling the legend as his idol.

Together, McEnroe’s four choices hold a remarkable total of 77 Grand Slam singles titles. Djokovic currently leads the men’s standings with 24 Grand Slam titles, while Nadal follows closely with 22, and Federer has 20.

While McEnroe’s selections include three of the most successful players in tennis history, he notably omitted other champions like Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, and Roy Emerson, who collectively claimed 37 Grand Slam titles.

Amidst this debate, Nadal recently bid farewell to his fellow tennis legends during an emotional ceremony at the French Open. The event celebrated his successful career and included poignant tributes from Djokovic, Federer, and others.

Nadal expressed gratitude, saying, ‘Tennis is just a game. What that means for me is that all of you are here, it is a great message to the world. We can be good friends even if we had the best rivalries on the court.’

The tennis world remains split over who qualifies as the greatest, reflecting both the diversity of opinions and the accomplishments of these extraordinary athletes.