John McEnroe picks the four players he would put on his Mount Rushmore for tennis
The debate over who the greatest player of all time is continues to divide the tennis world.
Fans are still undecided over which metrics to use in order to judge the best players in history, and whether comparing eras is fair or not.
Novak Djokovic won his 100th title at the Geneva Open on Saturday, making his case even stronger, but the conversation is still far from over.
It’s much easier to choose four than one, which is exactly what John McEnroe did in his appearance on Inside the NBA, when he picked his Mount Rushmore of men’s tennis players.
John McEnroe picks who would be on his Mount Rushmore of tennis
When asked who the four players he would pick to be on his Mount Rushmore were, McEnroe delivered his verdict.
The American legend said: “My Mount Rushmore would be: Rafael Nadal on the surface we are going to see the next couple of weeks without a doubt at Roland Garros on clay.
“The best hard-court player of all time would be Novak Djokovic.
“We also play on grass for one month a year, which I would give to Roger Federer.”
To conclude with his fourth pick, McEnroe said: “To me Rod Laver way back when was my idol.”
John McEnroe’s Mount Rushmore by the numbers
McEnroe’s Mount Rushmore has a combined 77 Grand Slam singles titles, with the ‘big three’ holding the lion’s share.
Djokovic holds the record for the most Grand Slam titles in men’s tennis history, tallying a total of 24 major crowns and counting.
| Player | Australian Open | French Open | Wimbledon | US Open | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | 10 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 24 |
| Rafael Nadal | 2 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 22 |
| Roger Federer | 6 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 20 |
| Rod Laver | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 11 |
Second in the all-time table with 22 is Nadal, who holds a record of 14 French Open titles.
Federer has 20 Grand Slam titles to his name, a record he briefly held until his rivals surpassed him.
Prior to the beginning of the Open Era, Laver had six major titles under his belt, and collected five more after 1968.
McEnroe’s top four snubs the likes of Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, and Roy Emerson, who, between them, have 37 Grand Slam titles.
