Judy's favorite player Deliciano weighs in on GOAT debate and the verdict is in

"Right now, I see a huge difference between Novak and the rest of the guys," said Lopez, who advanced to Friday's quarterfinals of the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship with a 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory over Lukas Lacko on Thursday. "And it's the way he wins. That's so important. He's giving 50, 60 percent (and winning). But, when he needs more, he finds it.


"I've been taught since I was a kid you always have a chance to win, but when you play against Novak now … a lot of things have to happen for you to have any chance. When Roger and Rafa were at their best, they weren't as good as Novak (is now)."

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/article/Feliciano-Lopez-glad-he-plays-in-tennis-era-of-7235565.php

The guy who is Nadal's countryman and has grown up playing against Federer has come down and said neither of them were as good as Novak is now. Pretty bold comments by Deliciano. I mean he is friends with Nadal so it has some extra credibility because of how controversial it would seem. This is a very interesting and long article by the way. I took out one juicy quote, but I recommend everyone read the whole thing. Sock in particular has some interesting things to say about Djokovic as well saying that everyone wants to measure themselves against him and how big a deal it is now in the lockeroom that Djokovic owns them. They don't like it, they don't like one bit; they all want to get him and bad.

That's not saying he's the GOAT - it's saying that his level is higher than his predecessors - which it probably is.

Saying it is higher than Roger and Rafa ever, that is plainly what he is saying Julius; then you don't dispute that. That is all I am saying as well.

Can we put this in the GOAT sticky and lock the topic, since now the debate has been settled?

Perhaps Gilles Simon has an opinion, too?

Don't you dare sticky me laverfan.

Feliciano Lopez Head to Heads

Roger Federer: Played 12 lost 12.
2015 Cincinnati QF ...... Federer beats Lopez 6-3 6-4
2014 Canadian SF ....... Federer beats Lopez 6-3 6-4
2012 Dubai R16 .......... Federer beats Lopez 7-5 6-3
2011 Fr. Open R128 .... Federer beats Lopez 6-3 6-4 7-6
2011 Madrid R32 ........  Federer beats Lopez 7-6 6-7 7-6
2008 Basel SF ............  Federer beats Lopez 6-3 6-2
2007 Madrid QF ..........  Federer beats Lopez 7-6 6-4
2007 US Open R16 ...... Federer beats Lopez 3-6 6-4 6-1 6-4
2005 Doha QF ............. Federer beats Lopez 6-1 6-2
2004 Dubai F ..............  Federer beats Lopez 4-6 6-1 6-2
2003 Madrid QF ..........  Federer beats Lopez 4-6 7-6 6-4
2003 Wimbledon R16 ... Federer beats Lopez 7-6 6-4 6-4

Rafael Nadal: Played 13 lost 9.
2015 Cincinnati R16 ..... Lopez beats Nadal 5-7 6-4 7-6
2014 Shanghai R32 ..... Lopez beats Nadal 6-3 7-6
2012 Aus Open R16 ..... Nadal beats Lopez 6-4 6-4 6-2
2011 Rome R16 .......... Nadal beats Lopez 6-4 6-2
2011 Miami R32 ......... Nadal beats Lopez 6-3 6-3
2010 US Open R16 ..... Nadal beats Lopez 6-3 6-4 6-4
2010 Queen's QF ....... Lopez beats Nadal 7-6 6-4
2009 Shanghai SF .....  Nadal beats Lopez 6-1 3-0 Ret.
2008 Madrid QF ........  Nadal beats Lopez 6-4 6-4
2008 Barcelona R16 ..  Nadal beats Lopez 6-4 6-3
2007 Stuttgart SF ....   Nadal beats Lopez 6-1 7-5
2006 Barcelona R32 ..  Nadal beats Lopez 6-4 6-2
2003 Basle R32 ........  Lopez beats Nadal 3-6 6-3 7-6

Novac Djokovic: Played 9 lost 8.
The only win was a Djokovic retirement.
2016 Indian Wells R16 .. Djokovic beats Lopez 6-3 6-3
2016 Dubai QF ............. Lopez beats Djokovic 6-3 0-0 Ret.
2015 Shanghai R16 ....... Djokovic beats Lopez 6-2 6-3
2015 US Open QF .........  Djokovic beats Lopez 6-1 3-6 6-3 7-6
2012 Shanghai R16 ....... Djokovic beats Lopez 6-3 6-3
2011 Belgrade F ...........  Djokovic beats Lopez 7-6 6-2
2011 Dubai R16 ...........  Djokovic beats Lopez 6-3 2-6 6-4
2007 Miami R16 ...........  Djokovic beats Lopez 6-0 6-3
2007 Aus Open R64 ......  Djokovic beats Lopez 6-2 7-5 6-1

Summary
Lopez has never beaten Federer: played 12 lost 12.  
Lopez has one victory against Djokovic due to a retirement:  played 9 lost 8.
Lopez has four victories against Nadal, one on carpet, one on grass, two on hard: played 13 lost 9.

...still makes him an authority on saying who was better.

socal needs a new pair of glasses to distinguish GOAT and better

Nore, does your Staat equal to the Master Statistician?

Isnt that called "straw grabbing"

Depends how thick is the straw

Oh so true ...or indeed how cheesy

I don't know. Who should you believe? Socal and "Deliciano" or Federer? Federer claimed that Rafa was the most talented. I'm going with Federer he's a bit of an expert as far as tennis goes

Really ??  What the hell does Fed know

unless it suits your agenda, would anyone care what Feli's opinion was... had it been to the contrary and he had said that Novak would never be the GOAT in a million years. would we have had an article to discuss it...
I don't fink so !!!
.

Any one with less than 5 GS should shut-up about any kind of GOAT talk.

Do the three of you want an autograph? It seems all you can talk about is me. Roger would say Rafa is the greatest he always did have problem handling topspin on his pretty little one hander.

talk about disillusioned !!!!