'I've won the Wimbledon title - Federer and Djokovic are not the best grass players'

Debate rages on as to whether Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic is the greatest player to ever grace the grass of Wimbledon, and one former champion has now voiced his opinion. However, he isn’t likely to impress with the Swiss maestro or the Serbian, who have 44 Grand Slam titles between them. 

Like the two icons, Pat Cash also knows what it’s like to prevail at SW19, having claimed his maiden Grand Slam title there in 1987.

That record pales in comparison to Federer’s eight titles, just one ahead of Djokovic, who this week underlined his desire to continue competing on the ATP Tour and in Slam events.

But which of the two does the Australian think deserves the honour of being labelled the sport’s best ever on grass? In a twist to the debate, his answer is simple. Neither.

Despite being just 21, Carlos Alcaraz already has two Wimbledon titles to his name having beaten Djokovic in two successive finals. And Cash has already seen enough to make a huge statement on the Spaniard.

“He hasn’t got a weakness. I almost think he is one of the best, in fact the best player I have ever seen on grass,” he told Sky Sports Tennis. “Ever seen, and I am really talking about ever seen.

“Because he is a young guy, he has taken the best of Rafa, the best of Federer and he has been able to adapt that. Without these great players, he wouldn’t have had that, and he admits that.

“He said without Rafa ‘I wouldn’t be where I am’, but he has just taken the best of everything and somehow at the age of 21 has put it all together. I have never seen anything like that.”

Despite Alcaraz having only played 27 top-level matches on grass, the statistics suggest Cash has a strong argument. The four-time Slam winner, who also won at Queen’s in 2023, has a 24–3 record on the surface, which amounts to an 89 per cent win rate.

Federer retired in September 2022 with a 192–29 (86.9 per cent) record on grass, while Djokovic currently stands at 120-20 (85.7 per cent). Sandwiched between the pair is John McEnroe, who racked up a 121-20 (85.8 per cent) record in his own esteemed career.

World No.2 Alcaraz has already been touted to one day overhaul both Federer and Djokovic in terms of Slam wins. He now needs just the Australian Open to become the sport’s youngest ever male player to have captured all four major titles.