Zverev snubs Serena Williams in women’s GOAT debate

Alexander Zverev has overlooked Serena Williams when naming the greatest women's tennis player of all time.

The 29-year-old German instead picked his compatriot Steffi Graf during a recent interview with BB Tennis.

Zverev, who just ascended to world No. 1, said Graf is the greatest female player in tennis history.

Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles during her career.

Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles — one more than Graf.

Williams also achieved considerable success in doubles alongside her sister Venus Williams.

But Zverev has a special connection with Graf because they are both German tennis players.

Graf was already one of the biggest names in German sport before Zverev started his professional career.

Zverev has never hidden his admiration for Graf, who enjoyed one of the most successful careers in tennis history.

The current world No. 1 picked Graf ahead of Williams, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Margaret Court.

Graf won 107 WTA singles titles during her career.

Williams won 73 WTA singles titles.

Graf also spent more time at world No. 1, holding that position for 377 weeks.

Williams accumulated 319 weeks at world No. 1.

One of Graf's biggest achievements happened in 1988.

That year, she won all four Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympic gold medal in Seoul.

She remains the only singles player in tennis history to complete the Calendar Golden Slam.

At the Australian Open that year, Graf defeated Chris Evert in the final.

She later won Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Then she added the Olympic title with a victory over Gabriela Sabatini.

Zverev had previously revealed that he would have loved to play against Graf or share the court with her.

During a conversation with content creator Gareth Richman in July 2025, he explained that the former world No. 1 was someone he admired quite a lot.

Zverev also mentioned Roger Federer during that interview.

He revealed that he had already fulfilled one of his childhood dreams by playing singles and doubles with the Swiss legend.

"I played against and with Roger Federer," Zverev said, according to an English translation of the interview.

"I played doubles with him and singles against him. That was my childhood dream, for sure. It was surreal when I played doubles with him."

The two-time Grand Slam champion added that he would also have enjoyed playing with Graf.

He described her as an absolute legend and one of the players he admired.

The GOAT debate in women's tennis has long been a contested topic among fans and players alike.

Williams, who retired after the 2022 US Open, is often cited as the most dominant player of her era.

She won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most of any player in the Open Era.

Only Margaret Court, with 24 titles, has more in tennis history.

Graf, who retired in 1999, won 22 Grand Slam singles titles.

But Graf's 1988 Calendar Golden Slam remains a unique achievement in singles tennis.

No other singles player — male or female — has won all four majors and an Olympic gold in the same calendar year.

Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and 31 women's doubles major titles.

Evert won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including seven at Roland Garros.

Court won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, though many came before the Open Era began in 1968.

Zverev's choice of Graf reflects his personal connection to her as a fellow German.

It also highlights the statistical arguments that support Graf's case.

The debate is unlikely to be settled by any single player's opinion.

Fans have already begun reacting on social media to Zverev's comments.