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- TENNIS Alcaraz's first coach: "The same thing happened to me with Carlos's father as it did with Ferrero"
For years, the debate that has haunted sports fans is which of all the figures that each discipline has produced is the best of all time.
Some of them cannot decide on one in particular, but others have already made up their minds, and a former Olympic medalist is clear about his choice.
Former tennis player chooses his favorite athlete
Some fans debate who is the GOAT of soccer between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, while others have different candidates.
There are also other fans who have the same question about LeBron James and Michael Jordan in the NBA, or can't decide between Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, or Roger Federer in tennis. Very few have settled on a single candidate, and Steve Johnson is one of them.
In an interview with Nothing Mayor, the American tennis player who won bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 shared his opinion on this debate and did not hesitate to mention Rafa Nadal as his favorite:
"He's the best competitor in the history of the sport," Johnson said. "You know exactly what he's going to do, and you prepare for it, but he always finds a way to mess you up on the court," he added.
Steve knows what it's like to face Nadal, as the two faced each other at the 2015 Mutua Madrid Open. However, Steve also confessed that he was afraid of losing and being embarrassed:
"I was really scared of losing 6-0, 6-0 in front of such a big crowd and being laughed at... Luckily, I won the first game, which calmed me down, because if you go down 4-0 or 5-0..." he said.
The match ended 6-4, 6-3, but before knowing the result, Johnson recalled: "There was a lot of fear in my eyes and very little in his. Of course, it would have been hilarious to lose 6-0, 6-0 and remember it a decade later," he said.
In this way, for Steve, Nadal is not only a good rival in tennis but also surpasses other sports and their top players.