A moment that has been inevitable for some time yet still feels far too soon, Rafael Nadal will soon hit the yellow fuzzy ball for the final time, as the Spanish sensation enjoys a Davis Cup swansong with his beloved Spain.
Plagued by a multitude of injury problems during the latter part of his career, the 22-time Grand Slam champion confirmed in October that he would be retiring from tennis after the 2024 international tournament, leaving some uncertainty as to when his final match will actually take place.
The Spaniards will commence their bid for glory against the Netherlands on Tuesday, where Nadal and co could be sent packing straight away, but the 38-year-old's career could be prolonged for another few days if the host nation reach Sunday's final.
Regardless of Nadal's performance at the Davis Cup, the 'king of clay' has established a legacy that will be forever immortalised in the sport, although a select few have a case to rival him for the title of the GOAT.
Here, Sports Mole selects its picks for the 10 greatest male tennis players in the history of the sport.
10. Roy Emerson
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Achievements
An all-time great of the pre-Open Era, Australia's Roy Emerson racked up 12 major singles titles over the course of his career, six of which came Down Under at his home Australian Open.
Emerson's dominance in the first major of the year did not waver from the 1963 to 1967 seasons, and he remains the only man pre or post-Open Era to win five successive AO men's singles titles.
Also a terrific doubles performer, he is the only man to achieve a career Grand Slam both on his own and with a partner, but he was never considered 'professional', having opted to remain an amateur throughout the entirety of his career.
9. Andre Agassi
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Achievements
The first Open Era male in history to achieve the Career Super Slam and Career Grand Slam, Andre Agassi wrote his name into tennis folklore by doing that unprecedented feat at the 1999 French Open, having already conquered Australia, Wimbledon and New York.
A major master either side of the millennium, Agassi also travelled home from the 1996 Olympic Games with the gold medal around his neck and won three Davis Cup titles with the USA between 1990 and 1995.
Off the court, the American forms one half of tennis' power couple with Steffi Graf - whom he has been married to since 2001 - and he will succeed John McEnroe as Team USA's Laver Cup captain from 2025 onwards.
8. Ivan Lendl
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Achievements
Before becoming a recognisable figure as Andy Murray's long-time coach, Ivan Lendl took home 94 career titles, eight Grand Slam honours and five year-end championship crowns over the course of a 16-year senior career.
Renowned for revolutionising the forehand approach, Lendl also holds the Open Era men's record for the most successive finals won, triumphing in an incredible 18 on the bounce from 1981 to 1982.
Speaking of unprecedented feats, the Czech-born star is the only Open Era male player to have a 90%+ winning record in five different years, and with his help, Murray achieved something that his former mentor never did; winning a Wimbledon title.
7. Jimmy Connors
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Achievements
The man who has won more Open Era men's singles titles than anybody else, Jimmy Connors hoisted a trophy aloft a sensational 109 times during his professional career, eight of which came in a Grand Slam setting.
Like Emerson in Australia, Connors enjoyed his greatest major success in his homeland with five US Open titles - the joint-most in history alongside two other men on this list - and he reached the or won 11 of his 12 Grand Slam tournaments between 1974 and 1978.
In addition to his Grand Slam successes, Connors's longevity was also lauded; he still boasts more match wins (1274) and matches played (1557) than any other men's player in the Open Era.
6. Bjorn Borg
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Achievements
Bjorn Borg may be the only man on this list without either an Australian Open or US Open title, but the Swedish sensation shone on either side of the English channel to become the first Open Era men's player with at least 10 singles Grand Slam victories.
Six of those successes came at the French Open, with another five at Wimbledon, and his 89.2% win rate from Grand Slam singles tournaments remains the best of any male player in the Open Era.
Immediately recognisable thanks to his distinctive blonde locks, Borg was a trailblazer of topspin and enjoyed just a few high-profile meetings with John McEnroe, the "fire" to his "ice".
5. Rod Laver
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Achievements
Boasting multiple titles in every Grand Slam singles tournament, Rod Laver led the way in men's tennis for a good chunk of the 1960s and has more singles titles under his belt than any other player to have played the game, a ridiculous 198.
On two occasions did Laver complete a Grand Slam, winning all four majors in the 1962 and 1969 seasons, the latter being the first and currently only time a male player has done so in the Open Era.
Laver's unrivalled 1969 campaign saw him take home 18 championships in total - still an Open Era men's record for the most in a single year - and the Australian Open finals are now contested on the arena named after the legendary Queensland native.
4. Pete Sampras
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Achievements
"Pistol Pete", as he was affectionately known, Pete Sampras flexed his hard-court and grass-court muscles for 14 years from 1988 to 2002, clinching 14 major singles honours and spending 286 weeks at world number one.
Sampras also sits fourth on the all-time list of men's career singles titles - only behind three of the top four on this countdown - and was named year-end world number one six times, only behind Novak Djokovic's eight on the ATP Tour.
As well as possessing a venomous serve, the American also proved to be equally adept at the net, with a serve-and-volley technique that would get Tim Henman off his seat.
3. Rafael Nadal
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Achievements
Whether tennis is your cup of tea or something that immediately makes you change channel, Rafael Nadal and his beaming smile are universally adored, thanks both to his on-court demeanour and extraordinary skills with racquet in hand.
Making Roland-Garros his playground before, during and after his prime, Nadal was crowned French Open champion a whopping 14 times - unsurprisingly the most all-time - while winning 92 top-level singles crowns overall.
Together with great rival Novak Djokovic, Nadal is just one of two male players to win singles titles in 19 successive years in the Open Era, and the Spaniard's delicate drop shots and unique pre-serve flick-the-hair-back ritual will be missed to no end when Spain's Davis Cup journey concludes.
2. Roger Federer
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Achievements
Always the recipient of a huge cheer when his face lights up the big screen, Roger Federer is the only player on the ATP Tour to win a century of singles titles, clinching an unparalleled 103 before calling it quits in 2022.
The Swiss sensation achieved Grand Slam singles glory on 20 occasions, has won more matches than any other man in the Open Era (1,251) and spent 310 weeks as the world number one.
While he won eight of his major titles at Wimbledon and only conquered Roland-Garros once, Federer was a formidable foe on any playing surface and was celebrated just as much for his grace and decorum.
1. Novak Djokovic
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Achievements
Long after Nadal, Federer and Djokovic have all hit an ace or fired a winner for the final time, debate will rage over which member of the 'Big Three' was truly the greatest of all time, and our selection will certainly not sit well with all.
However, with 24 Grand Slam singles honours, 99 singles titles, a record seven year-end titles and an astounding 428 weeks as the world number one, the scintillating Serbian gets our GOAT vote.
In the history of the Open Era, Djokovic's 83.5% win rate is the best of any male player in history, and his incredibly emotional Olympics win in 2024 saw him become the only man to complete a Big Titles career sweep, winning all Grand Slam, Tour Finals, Masters and Olympic championships.
The twilight of his career may be approaching, but as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz wrestle for the torch that Djokovic has passed down, the 24-time Grand Slam winner can retire safe in the knowledge that he has more or less completed tennis.
Ben Knapton
