Rod Laver's shock prediction about Roger Federer's downfall

Rod Laver is arguably Roger Federer’s biggest fan, but he’s just made a startling call that the Swiss legend probably won’t like.

Federer and Rafael Nadal are usually the key figures when people talk about the greatest male player of all time.

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Federer, 37, currently holds the male all-time record with 20 grand slam crowns, while Nadal, 32, isn’t far behind on 17.

Djokovic, 31, is a fair way back on 14, but according to Laver he’s perfectly placed to overtake them both because of his age.

“I think Federer has maybe got another Wimbledon in him,” Laver told The Metro.

“But he is battling a little bit. His age and strokes are not quite the same as they were two years ago. But he is still a force to be fought with.”

However Laver says 31-year-old Djokovic will ‘certainly’ beat Federer’s all-time mark.

“When you look at the others, Novak and Rafa, I would think Novak will certainly (pass Federer),” he said.

“When you look at his age, and form winning the last two, I would say Djokovic can eclipse Roger.”

‘Really important to Roger’

Fellow Aussie great Pat Cash agrees, suggesting it will be a big blow to Federer if anyone takes his record.

“I’m not sure these guys (Nadal and Djokovic) are that bothered about it, but for Roger it is really important to him to finish on top,” Cash said.

“He loves the records and I think that is why he has decided to play the clay-court season and get ready and be sharp for Wimbledon and the US Open and beyond.

“If Novak continues to win two grand slams over the next few years he’ll go ahead and if Rafa wins here and the French then he is one away. Anything can happen. I think it means more for Roger.”

‘One of them will catch Roger’

And they’re not alone, with Mats Wilander also predicting Federer’s downfall.

“One of them will catch Roger. I think the next 10 majors, I think eight of them will belong either to Rafa or Novak,” Wilander told the Australian.

“It’s possible that this one (Australian Open) makes a big difference but this surface is so much different to the other surfaces that they play the majors on.

“I don’t know if the outcome of this is going to make a huge difference for the future – I doubt it – but, yeah, I think both of them have pushed each other to the next level because of what Roger did in ’17 and last year here.

“I have a hard time seeing Roger beat both of them in a slam.

“Maybe once, he can beat one of them but I have a very hard time seeing how another player apart from Novak and Rafa is going to come up and win a major in the next two years.”