Federer, Nadal, Djokovic 'Greatest Generation Ever Seen' In Tennis, Goran Ivanisevic Says

Goran Ivanisevic is the only tennis player to have won a Grand Slam title after entering the tournament as a wild card. He achieved the feat at the 2001 Wimbledon Championships.

The Croatian beat the likes of Carlos Moya and a young Andy Roddick in the early rounds of the tournament before going on to beat three top ten seeds in the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final. Ivanisevic beat then world number three Patrick Rafter in the final which ended 9-7 in the fifth set.

The 2001 Wimbledon title was the only major Ivanisevic won during his career that spanned 16 years. He did make the final at the All England Club on three occasions in 1992, 1994 and 1998 losing to Andre Agassi and then twice to Pete Sampras respectively.

The Croation, former world number two, admitted he would have liked to win more major titles, but is aware his generation included players like Sampras, Agassi, Jim Courier and Stefan Edberg.

“I have a special memory of every day from that tournament,” Ivanisevic said during a recent interview, as per Tennis World USA. “First when I got the wild card, then the semifinals, finals, those four match points, then lifting the trophy, and more and more things that were happening and that I keep in my mind.”

“But I remember that final like a football match. And that environment is the best I can remember,” he added. “I would have liked to win a few more, but I shared this era with great players like Sampras, Courier, Becker, Edberg and other young guys who came after, and it was not easy.”

Ivanisevic had the opportunity to play with many a great generation in the Open Era, as he also came against the like of Ivan Lendl, Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander at the start of his career and the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the latter part of his career.

The Croatian tennis star, who also played football for Hadjuk Split in his country, admitted it was difficult to compare different generations. However, he agrees with the widely agreed notion that Federer is the greatest player in the history of tennis and suggested along with the Swiss tennis legend, Nadal and Novak Djokovic they make up the best generation the sport has ever seen.

“I had the opportunity to play against everyone, with Lendl, Wilander, Bjorn (Borg). And then against Nadal and Federer. It's difficult to compare,” Ivanisevic said. “Every generation is unique and you have great players. Probably Federer is the best out of everyone, Rafa and Djokovic, they are part of the best generation ever seen.”

Nadal, Djokovic and Federer are currently ranked one, two and three on the ATP men’s singles rankings respectively. And the trio have won between them 36 of the last 44 Grand Slam titles.