Toni Nadal,
IN PHOTO: Toni Nadal, coach and uncle of Rafael Nadal of Spain, attends his men's singles final match against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland at the Australian Open 2014 tennis tournament in Melbourne January 26, 2014. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

Toni Nadal, the coach and uncle of Rafael Nadal, has said that Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time. Does it mean Toni has doubts that his protégé can ascend up the pinnacle as the greatest tennis player of all time?

In an interview with the press before Rafael's meeting with the media in Switzerland, Toni said that Federer is almost certainly the greatest tennis player of all time when he is playing well. "Unfortunately for us, and for the other, he is still very much playing well," Toni said.

From 2004 until 2009, Federer was routinely hailed as the all-time Grand Slam champion because of his amazing accomplishments. In 2004, Federer won three Grand Slams, namely the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S./. Open. Federer did the same thing in 2006 and 2007. Altogether, Federer has won 17 Grand Slam tournaments.

However, there are some people who weren't exactly fascinated with Federer's long list of achievement in the sporting world of tennis. In September, Paul Gibson of The Guardian has vigilantly studied Federer's head-to-head record with Nadal. Federer has undoubtedly an upright claim to be the greatest, but as Gibson pointed out, the main argument is how Federer can be the best ever if he is not really the greatest in his own time. Gibson said that Nadal, who has already won 14 slams, could win more Grand Slams even if Federer (17-time Grand Slam champion) hangs up his racquet.

"Federer was hastily coronated in the midst of his domination because nobody foresaw the teenage clay-court sensation from Mallorca developing into the complete player," Gibson wrote.

Federer just didn't play so good against Nadal. Federer and Nadal's head-to-head record is 23-10 in favour of the Spaniard. Their last meeting was in the semifinals of the 2014 Australian Open, where Nadal defeated Federer , 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-3. It was Nadal's sixth straight victory against the Swiss.

Nadal and Federer are currently competing in the 2014 Swiss Indoors Basel. Nadal secured an easy first round win over Simone Bolleli in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. Nadal and Federer could meet in the tournament, but only if both players made it into the finals.

Nadal and Federer are two of the greatest tennis players that the world has ever seen in recent years. Both athletes have certainly taken the sport to a different level, do you agree?

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