In 2017, then-US President Donald Trump publicly declared Rafael Nadal his favorite tennis player, a notable snub to Novak Djokovic, who was enduring a challenging season. Trump’s comments, made during a visit to Spain, highlighted his appreciation for Nadal’s competitive spirit at a time when the “Big Three” debate was already a hot topic among fans and pundits.
An avid sports enthusiast with a particular passion for golf, Trump has also shown a keen interest in tennis, frequently attending the US Open. His endorsement of Nadal came during a period of contrasting fortunes for the sport’s titans.
Trump’s 2017 choice and Nadal’s response
During his 2017 visit to Spain, Trump made his preference clear, praising the Spanish superstar’s relentless drive. “My favorite player, Rafael Nadal, I love Rafael. You talk about a guy who wants to win, who won’t allow himself to lose. To me, I just think he’s a great, great champion,” Trump stated, as reported by GiveMeSport and HITC. This sentiment resonated with Nadal’s dominant year, which saw him finish as world number one, clinching both the French Open and the US Open titles.
Conversely, 2017 marked the first time since 2005 that Novak Djokovic ended a year without a Grand Slam title, largely due to injury. His season included a retirement from a quarter-final match against Dominic Thiem at Wimbledon.
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Interestingly, Nadal himself had previously expressed reservations about Trump’s communication style. In a 2017 interview with El Espanol, Nadal commented that he did not appreciate Trump’s way of speaking, stating it was “not the style that I appreciate, his way of expressing himself.”
The evolving ‘greatest of all time’ debate
Trump’s 2017 pick was not an isolated opinion in the ongoing “greatest of all time” (GOAT) debate, which has long centered on Nadal, Roger Federer, and Djokovic. Years before Trump’s comments, tennis legends John McEnroe and Andre Agassi had also weighed in, with both favoring Nadal.
In 2013, following Nadal’s return from a seven-month knee injury layoff, McEnroe made a bold declaration during an ESPN roundtable, as reported by Larry Brown Sports. Despite Nadal suffering a surprising first-round exit at Wimbledon that year to world No. 135 Steve Darcis—his first-ever Grand Slam opening-round loss—McEnroe stood by his conviction. “This guy is to me, I think you can make an argument right here and now, the greatest player that ever lived. If you look at [Rafael Nadal’s] record against [Andy] Murray, [Roger] Federer, and [Novak] Djokovic, it’s way better than that,” McEnroe asserted. At that point, Nadal had already secured 12 Grand Slam titles, including a record eight French Open crowns, and held a 20-10 head-to-head lead over Federer and a 20-15 lead over Djokovic.
A year later, in 2014, Andre Agassi echoed a similar sentiment, stating, “I’d put Nadal No. 1, Federer No. 2.”
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However, the landscape of the GOAT debate has significantly shifted since these pronouncements. After 2017, Novak Djokovic embarked on a period of unprecedented dominance, winning 17 of his record 24 Grand Slam titles, including five Wimbledon championships. While Nadal retired in 2024 with 22 Grand Slam singles titles and Federer also retired with 20, Djokovic remains active and holds the record for most Grand Slams in men’s tennis history:
- Novak Djokovic: 24 Grand Slam titles
- Rafael Nadal: 22 Grand Slam titles
- Roger Federer: 20 Grand Slam titles
These later achievements by Djokovic have added new layers to the “greatest of all time” discussion, making the timing of past endorsements all the more intriguing.
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