For some time now, a debate has been going on in the tennis community over the so-called GOAT. GOAT stands for “greatest of all time,” and the debate is over which player should be considered to hold this honorary title. Starting at the height of his period of utter domination of the men’s tour, and especially after his victory at the French Open in 2009, many people have put forward Roger Federer as the GOAT. Since then, however, in an improbable turn of events, not one but two new players emerged to contest the title: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Shockingly, some of the records set by Federer were subsequently broken in just a few seasons. First Nadal and then Djokovic accumulated more Masters titles, and though Nadal is now highly questionable it’s conceivable that Djokovic will end up overcoming even Federer’s number of Majors.

In spite of the loss of these distinctions, however, one generally agreed-upon fact remains: among all other players, active or retired, Federer is the most stylish and technically perfect. Nadal’s style, while compelling in its own right, is laboured and brutal. Djokovic is fluid and agile but often off-balance and a bit ragged. Even the respective fans of these two greats wouldn’t claim that either can compare to Federer in terms of poise, inventiveness, serenity, and elegance. There are countless video compilations on YouTube that pay homage to Federer’s style of play. Of course, these would be considered soft qualities and don’t necessarily translate into success in terms of statistics and wins, but for many they command more admiration and wonder than more objective accomplishments.

These soft qualities are not irrelevant or unimportant; nor are they merely the “cherry on the cake,” a gratuitous bonus. In the end, it’s not just about the numbers. Success encompasses the manner in which you do things, and not just the results. Sports are in part about mastery, and mastery isn’t only displayed by beating opponents. It can also be expressed in a player’s relationship to the game itself, in how its inherent challenges are corralled with accommodating assurance. Like a proficient writer, a good player has such a handle on the material that he has resources left over to polish its presentation and create a pleasurable experience for himself and the audience. This doesn’t go unappreciated, and rightfully so.