“Unreliable”: Roger Federer fans turn on Rafael Nadal when Novak Djokovic makes greatest athletes list

Rafael Nadal left many tennis fans talking after naming his top 10 greatest male athletes and leaving out Roger Federer. During the promotion of his new Netflix documentary series, Rafael Nadal shared a list of sports stars he believes belong among the greatest athletes ever.

His selections included Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Novak Djokovic, Muhammad Ali, Michael Schumacher, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Diego Maradona, and Pelé.While many fans focused on the famous names that made the list, others quickly noticed one major omission. Roger Federer, Nadal’s longtime rival and one of the most successful tennis players in history, was not included. The list spread across social media, where many Roger Federer supporters questioned the decision.

Some fans argued that Federer should have been an automatic choice, especially given his impact on tennis around the world.One fan wrote, “Roger?”Another commented, “Ask 100 people do you know about any tennis player? Almost 80 people will say Roger Federer, not Novak Djokovic.”A third fan wrote, “Federer 100% c’mon Nadal.”Others were even more critical. One social media user said, “Always knew he was an unreliable and jealous pest.”

Another wrote, “Lol what. Ridiculous. He’s such a sore loser.”The reactions came from posts shared online after Nadal’s list became public during the Netflix promotion.

Rafael Nadal explains career-long injury battle after Roger Federer snub debate sparks fan reaction

While fans debated his athlete rankings, Rafael Nadal also opened up about the physical struggles that followed him throughout his tennis career. Speaking during an interview connected to the Netflix series, Nadal revealed that many of his biggest achievements came while dealing with constant pain from a foot problem.“I’ve had to make decisions about my health, where you are on the borderline between right or wrong,” Rafael Nadal said.“But if I hadn’t explored all that, I probably would have had 10 fewer grand slams … this is the reality.”The former World No. 1 explained that he was diagnosed with Mueller-Weiss syndrome during the 2009 Madrid Open after suffering a foot injury years earlier. The condition created serious challenges and at times put his future in tennis in doubt.

Even so, Nadal continued competing and went on to win 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 French Open championships.The Spaniard also revealed that there were times when he received anesthetic injections because the pain became so difficult to manage. He said he often stepped onto the court without knowing how much longer his body would allow him to play.Since retiring from professional tennis, Nadal has largely stayed out of the spotlight. He now spends much of his time with his family in Mallorca and remains involved with the Rafa Nadal Academy, where young players train and develop their games.