Arthur Fils clear on Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic debate
Arthur Fils has firmly planted his flag in the ongoing debate over who reigns supreme among tennis legends Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. The trio, often referred to as the sport's 'big three', have been at the pinnacle of men's tennis for nearly two decades, with only Djokovic, aged 37, still competing at the highest level.
Federer hung up his racket in 2022 with a tally of 20 Grand Slam titles. Meanwhile, Nadal retired at the end of last year with 22 Grand Slams under his belt after grappling with injuries.
Djokovic leads the pack with 24 Grand Slam victories, yet this doesn't settle the debate on who is the greatest.
World No. 14 Fils has declared that, in his view, the suave Swiss maestro Federer is the top male player of their time. Sidelined from the French Open due to a back injury, Fils was quizzed by Prime Video Sport France to rank players:
Question: Roger or Rafa? Answer: "Roger. I love Roger."
Fils had to bow out of the competition following an exhilarating five-set win against Jaume Munar in the second round, explaining: "I had some issue with the back since a long time and during the match against Munar it [got] worse.
"[I] got some stress fracture. What we decide with the team it was better to stop now, because if I'm stopping now, I could stop for only four to six weeks.
"If I was pushing myself too much, I would probably stop for a couple of months. This is not what we are trying to do, so [we] had to make a choice."
As for Djokovic, the Serbian ace is in prime position to clinch his 25th Grand Slam title after he dispatched British hopeful Cameron Norrie in straight sets during the fourth round at Roland Garros, marking his 100th career victory at the French Open, reports the Express.
"Considering my opponent's form and the occasion, I think it was a very good match from my side, a very solid performance," Djokovic said.
"A straight-sets win again. I'm pleased with the way things are going. Obviously matches only get tougher. I look forward to the next challenge."
In the quarter-finals, Djokovic is set to take on German third seed Alexander Zverev, who progressed after Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands had to retire due to injury in the second set of their match.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Antiques Roadshow expert shares huge value of Titanic letter but guest refuses to sell
Antiques Roadshow expert Hilary Kay met with a guest whose father Sidney Daniels was hired to work on the Titanic as a plate washer at the age of 18 Antiques Roadshow's Hilary Kay had an emotional encounter with a guest whose father, Sidney Daniels, was employed as a plate washer on the Titanic at just 18 years old. Sidney was one of the survivors of the tragic sinking, and his daughter brought along a poignant letter he penned to the beloved BBC series. She recounted: "It was a Sunday, he was sound asleep, there was a banging and shouting and it was the night watchman. They were all a bit bleary-eyed because at first they thought it was a drill. "It wasn't until he got up on deck, there were hardly any people around at first and then officers came and turned to him and said, 'Go to these cabins.' Of course it was hard to wake people, they were asleep. "Some reacted in different ways. One or two said 'What does this young man know? He's 18, the boat is unsinkable. We're not going up on deck.' Others were saying, 'We've got children, they're going to get a chill if they go up on deck.' So he helped the children with the lifejackets and ushered them up on deck." Hilary reflected on the harrowing event, adding: "You can imagine the scene of chaos and despair because people realised there weren't enough lifeboats." Relaying the harrowing tale of survival, one of Sidney's kin recounted: "That was his job, to try and get people into the lifeboats and the water was rising all of the time. When all the lifeboats had gone, the water was up around his knees and he thought, 'It's time to go.' So he dived off the side of the boat, swam away from it, came to a lifebelt and to my Dad's mind, it was too close to the boat, he was afraid when the boat went down, the suction would take them down so he said to this chap, 'It's no good here, let's swim away.'". They continued with the gripping narrative: "Apparently this chap followed him and they just kept swimming. He said he saw a star in the sky which he thought was his mother and swam towards this star and eventually came to this life raft which was upside down and managed to cling onto that." The story took an emotional turn as they shared: "When he was on there, he said, 'I'm tired, I want to go to sleep,' and the chap next to him said, 'Don't go to sleep lad, if you do, it will be your last.' So they sat there singing hymns trying to pass the time away." Accompanying their visit, the relatives brought a poignant piece of history - a letter from Sidney's uniform pocket as he leapt from the Titanic, reports the Express. Expert Hilary weighed in on the artefact's significance and value: "It's an extraordinary item and anything related to Titanic has this extraordinary affect on people. It is an extraordinary moment to behold something which is so linked into an extraordinary moment in history." She estimated it's worth: "We're talking about around £10,000, is the realistic value." Upon hearing the valuation, the guest firmly stated: "It's very nice but it's not going out the family, it's going to a museum." Antiques Roadshow is broadcast on Sundays at 8.15pm on BBC One.
Daily Record
43 minutes ago
- Daily Record
I tried posh £21 fish and chips that David Beckham ordered – 3 words sum it up
I was dispatched to see if a luxury order of fish and chips was worth the hefty price tag What's the most you'd be willing to fork out for fish and chips? For me, it's not about the money but the time spent journeying to the east coast where two chip shops serve up fare so delightful it's downright soul-stirring. In St Andrews, Tailend and Cromar are where you'll find succulent haddock in a batter that's been fried to a masterful standard I've not seen elsewhere - an astonishingly light, supremely crunchy coating with frilly, jagged edges that audibly snap into fragments. This culinary masterpiece is nestled atop a pile of chips that aren't too chunky, boasting a crispness, fluffiness, and creaminess that could sway even a staunch advocate of skinny fries like myself. These chippies set the bar by which I judge all other fish and chips. Having once been a local, I now stay in Glasgow, regrettably a 90-minute drive from chippy heaven. However, I've recently been given the mission to determine whether a posh serving of fish and chips justifies its price tag, reports the Express. Inspired by a review of £18 fish and chips, my quest led me to Crabshakk, the fashionable seafood eatery, which opened its doors in Finnieston well before it became the Glasgow's foodie epicentre. The restaurant has drawn in celebrities like David Beckham and Sam Heughan. Although the Outlander star kept mum about his meal, Becks excitedly shared his dining experience on Instagram, praising the scallops "cooked to perfection", rollmops reminiscent of his grandmother's, and, of course, the fish and chips. Their latest venture, Crabshakk Botanics off Byres Road, exudes sleek and chic with industrial black fittings, trailing greenery, timber-clad walls and floor-to-ceiling windows — an ambience my fellow diner described as "very New York". We agree it's the type of swishy restaurant to bring friends visiting from out of town. When I'm off on a weekday, as someone with inflexible working hours, I like to wonder what other people who are out and about do for a living. I don't have to think too hard – at noon on a Wednesday, the clientele at this upmarket seafood restaurant consists of three tables populated by well-groomed, silver-haired guests. Before a father and daughter arrive, we are the youngest diners by decades - a journalist enjoying a day off in lieu with a friend on the backshift. One look at the menu and you know it's for seafood lovers. Lobster, crab, scallops, langoustine, squid, Arbroath smokies — whatever you fancy, they've got it. Non-seafood mains are few, featuring one meat option (steak frites) and four vegan dishes. My companion opts for the complimentary fizzy water, whilst despite being off duty, my afternoon plans rule out alcohol. I spring for the Spicy Rita (£8), a coral mocktail blending citrus, sweetness and savoury elements that pleasantly evoked tomato flavours. Rather than the traditional salted rim, black Himalayan salt adorns one edge of the glass, not unlike a sandy bum on the beach. The service here is courteous and prompt. It's a quiet lunch service and our hefty plates of fried seafood and chips soon arrive. So, my verdict on £21 fish and chips — not worth it. Giving credit where it's due, it's a good meal overall and they certainly don't scrimp on portion size. The chips are creamy and delicious, but it's the fish that falls flat. While I wasn't anticipating it to be the best I've ever had, the fried coating is thicker, darker and oilier than it should be. A look at TripAdvisor reviews reveals I'm not alone in this observation. The creamy tartare sauce is good but one glaring omission are peas, mushy or otherwise. Meanwhile, my friend happily tucks into her breaded monkfish cheeks accompanied by skinny fries, salad and a tangy and moreish housemade ketchup (£27). To share, we can't pass on the tomato and watermelon salad with salsa verde (£9) garnished with what appear to be edible succulent leaves that provide pops of salty juiciness. The restaurant didn't invite me for a review nor were they aware I was conducting one. Having footed the bill, I winced at the cost but I'm not overly put out. I'm not against the idea of posh fish and chips. But I'd suggest holding off on the craving until you can make your way to the East Neuk of Fife.
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Lions can roar to clean sweep over Australia
What a match, what a victory, what a Saturday morning celebration after the British & Irish Lions stormed to a sensational series win over Australia by taking the second Test with a seismic late try. The Melbourne Cricket Ground has hosted many memorable Ashes moments throughout the ages with arguably the greatest being the 1982 fourth Test with just a single boundary required for the Baggy Green to regain the famous urn when Jeff Thomson edged an Ian Botham delivery to Chris Tavare at second slip. The hosts' hearts skipped several beats as he fumbled the ball only for Geoff Miller to snaffle it before it could hit the ground and England were triumphant. This time the last-gasp heroics were supplied by Lions full-back Hugo Keenan who bulldozed his way over the line to give the tourists a stunning 29-26 victory in front of record crowd of more than 92,000 fans. The drama didn't end there, however, as rugby's equivalent of VAR was called into action, although this didn't take six minutes or longer to be decided and the nail-biting fightback from 23-5 down was confirmed. The first Test in Brisbane wasn't quite so gut-churning with the tourists winning 27-19 but it wasn't really as comfortable as the final score suggests with the Lions dominating the first half and the hosts causing all manner of problems as they regrouped after trailing 17-5 at the interval. The series may be decided but the third Test in Sydney will be just as gripping, with no quarter given. Australia will be firing on all cylinders as they seek to a modicum of pride and redemption by winning the final Test while the Lions have stated from the start that they want to return to the northern hemisphere with a 3-0 whitewash tucked under their belts. It's safe to assume Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt will field the strongest possible line-up and it would be a surprise if his opposite number Andy Farrell didn't do the same with the Lions chasing a perfect 9-0 success rate on the tour and the first Test clean sweep in Australia since 1927. Can they do it? The character and physical and mental fortitude displayed as they registered the biggest comeback in Lions history more than suggests they can and bookmakers agree, with bet365 posting the best odds on another victory at just 1/3. The better wager to place before another early Saturday morning pint at your rugby club or in the pub is 4/6 with BoyleSports that the Lions win by more than six points. Mirra Andreeva played some delightful tennis as she reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon before losing in straight sets via two tie-breaks to Belinda Bencic and she also advanced to the last eight at the Bad Homburg Open after battling through to the last four on the clay at the French Open, Italian Open and in Madrid. The 18-year-old Russian won the women's title at Indian Wells in March and is terrific each-way material for this week's Canadian Open in Montreal at 9/1 with William Hill and bet365. More Trending Taylor Fritz is the second seed in the men's draw and has the benefit of being in the fourth quarter of the draw over in Toronto where he dodges most of the big guns in action such as Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune and the promising Joao Fonseca. The American will potentially have to face either Andrey Rublev or Miami Open champion Jakob Mensik in the last eight but should be going at full pelt by then and is 6/1 with bet365 to take the title. MORE: Prince Andrew among 100 people who could be dragged into Epstein scandal MORE: Parts of Athens evacuated over 'apocalyptic' wildfires and 44°C heatwave MORE: From beach to bar: Fat Face's new drop is your summer wardrobe, sorted
