Quote:
Originally Posted by Zimmer4141
I don't really think it's possible for Rafa to beat Fed in GOAT Status even if he passes him in total majors. Most of those paths probably involve him winning 3-4 more French Opens, then like 2 others. And I just don't know that a resume with 20 majors, 14 of them at the same tournament is more impressive than Fed having 18/19, with a career slam, 10 on hard courts and 7 on grass.
I disagree with this, and I'm on Team Fed. I think Fed is clearly the GOAT, and that Rafa will not catch him, although he has a chance.
But if Rafa made it to an insane 20 as you describe, that would be a better GOAT argument, especially combined with his individual dominance of Fed. Although Nadal would have the majority of his titles on one surface, that surface still counts, and it's not like he would be a slouch on the other surfaces.
He would also have a career Grand Slam and have 7 GS's on the other surfaces (and 7+ Finals on those other surfaces as well). If you took away their best surface, their GS titles would be Fed 11-7 on other surfaces, and then Nadal 13-7 on their best surface. That's not enough of a discrepancy to invalidate the greater amount of GS's.
That said, I don't think it ever gets to that point. I think Nadal finishes at 16-17 and Fed at 18-19, with Fed staying GOAT perhaps forever. But if Nadal surpassed Fed, I would be forced to admit that he was now GOAT.