Andre Agassi says Rafael Nadal is the greatest tennis player ever

Roger Federer congratulates Rafael Nadal after losing in the 2014 Australian Open. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi says Rafael Nadal, and not Roger Federer, is the greatest tennis player of all-time.

Federer has 17 Grand Slam singles titles, with his last Grand Slam victory coming at Wimbledon in 2012.  Nadal, who is currently the world's No. 1 ranked player, has 13 Grand Slam titles.

"I'd put Nadal number one and Federer number two," Agassi said to Singapore's Straits Times newspaper, via aljazeera.com.

"Federer separated himself from the field for four years. He separated himself from Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt. Nadal had to deal with Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray in the golden age of tennis. He has done what he has done and he's not done yet," Agassi said.

Nadal has beaten Federer 23 times in their 33 all-time meetings, and Agassi said grand slam titles shouldn't be the only thing that decides who is the greatest ever.

Federer was ranked No. 1 for a record 237 consecutive weeks and, like Nadal, has won all four Grand Slams. But Federer's play has slipped in recent years. Agassi also heaped praise on Federer:

"He has won multiple (majors), every single one (more than once) except the Australian Open - and give him another year on that," Agassi said. "It's just remarkable to me what he has done, and he has done it all during Federer's prime."

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