Given latest landscape, Federer’s choice for 2020 FO winner will (should?) be Nadal or Djokovic, if those are the only two options?

Djokovic?

Nadal failing to win Roland Garros will have some ‘not so potent’ reverberations strong enough to dampen his outright GOAT status claim - considering there is - still - no one even close to legitimately threatening him on clay - implying ‘it was an inside job’ thereby weakening Nadal’s persona - somewhat. Losing to Djokovic will add even more fire to that fuel - forget losing to some midget or some Theme Park Ear spectacle.

Federer’s goal today - given that he has lost the power to add to his Slam total - is to somehow ensure the portfolio of these two GOAT contenders are weakened and slighted as much as possible so in the very least Federer is not completely kicked out of GOAT contention - alphabet (GOAT a, b, c, d,.....) attachment notwithstanding.

Federer has already declared publicly that he thinks both Nadal and Djokovic will pass him. ONLY thing in his ‘control’ - given that admission and declaration - is to hope his voodoo dolls work to ‘arrange’ for a ‘less than imposing’ resume for both so he has something left to save his face and nose @ the GOAT table.

Additionally, by rooting for Djokovic to get to No. 18, Federer can STILL hope to stand alone @ 20 for sometime - hopefully forever - considering that Djokovic has sputtered and faded in the past that was bad enough for some to write him off completely. Now that he is couple years older and at least Theme Park Ear spectacle is showing some signs of WiFi - if not Zverev too - there is ample there to still keep dreaming of a stand alone 20. Nadal winning here will  demolish it so thoroughly that reconciliation of getting kicked to the curb from the GOAT table - when you once with near total consensus was considered the UNDISPUTED GOAT - will occur instantly triggering the suicide watch syndrome - irrevocably.

Point: Federer may be looking for instant gratification over long term benefits.

Djokovic win here keeps him alive @ 20 but in the long run it may result in TWO passing him on the Slam pole - compared to possibly just one if Nadal wins here.

After all, Djokoivc still will have to win THREE Slams to get to 20 - with ‘tied at 20’ and with no pressure Nadal in full flight coupled with Theme Park, if not others, as legit hurdles. Then there’s always the possibility of another line judge moving quickly to stand in the way of another errant shot from Djokovic, if not another divorce scare (from parents this time?)

Deduction: Djokovic may not be that much of Slam dunk in reaching 20 as Nadal is - with or without the 2020 FO title.

So like my famous going goes ‘Get the two bushes and let the bird in your nose fly’ or something like that.

Comments

[O]

Let's say that eventually that Rafa gets 25, Djokovic 20, and Federer 20. Federer still has a good GOAT case, because of Rafa's various shortcomings. Other hand, if Djokovic gets 21, then Djokovic is undisputed GOAT with longest serving number one ranking, most prize money, most masters, favorable h2h and so on.

[Bento]

I agree, my choice would be Rafa.

However, grand slam titles don't grow on trees, even for these gods of tennis. I understand Nadal and Djokovic are beasts, far from your average grand slam champion. I'm not saying it isn't going to happen (it would be foolish of me), but I don't find likely that Nadal will end at 25, and even Djokovic at 21, that would depend on how he will perform next year when he will be 34 freaking years of age facing younger opponents.

[Gary Lee Moser]

FACT: To end with 25, Rafa has to win 6 more.

FACT: He has won 6 of the last 24 --- an average of 1 per year for the last 6 years.

FACT: The last 6 years --- when he was age 29-thru-34.

PROJECTION: As opposed to the NEXT 6 years --- where he will be age 35-thru-40.