MUCH has been written about last Sunday’s Australian Open final. Mostly about the emotional outpouring of tears by Roger Federer.

Was he wrong to cry? Many people have chosen to salute Federer’s tears as a sign of a athlete’s mortality. Others have decided to vilify the man for attempting to steal the moment away from Rafael Nadal.

As Nadal embraced Federer to console him and as the poignancy of that moment struck me, I could not help but compare the two men. Comparisons between athletes are always difficult to justify, they require in-depth research and imagination coupled with a good dash of relativism.

It got me thinking, just how good is Nadal at this age? Compared not just to Federer but to the previous tennis greats over the last 50 years.

At 22 years and eight months, the Spaniard has already collected six grand slams (four French Open, one Wimbledon and one Australian Open) on three different surfaces (hard court, grass and clay).

Compare Nadal to the nine best tennis players and former world number ones in the open era, and at this age he is ahead of everyone, except Borg.

Is it presumption of us to think then that Nadal is a better player than Federer?

After all, athletes are judged on their performances. They are judged on numbers. Which was why it probably hurt Federer so much when he lost to Nadal.

For Federer, he wanted that number 14. 13 just isn't enough.

And for Nadal, it's currently six and counting.

1. Jimmy Connors 

At this age, Connors had only won three slams, albeit in the same year in 1974. The American missed out on a possible calendar year grand slam after missing the French Open that year due to a ban imposed on him.

2. Bjorn Borg

As the player most often compared to Nadal, it is perhaps fitting that the Spaniard’s record at this age is matched by the Swede.

With six slams won at Wimbledon and the French Open along with two finals appearance at the US Open, Borg ties Nadal’s tally though Nadal has been victorious on three different surfaces.

3. John McEnroe

Another left-handed player like Nadal and Connors, the controversial McEnroe’s five-set final’s victory against Borg at the All England Club in 1981, his first Wimbledon title, ended Borg’s record of five consecutive titles there.

4. Ivan Lendl 

Despite competing in 19 grand slam singles finals and reaching at least one slam final for 11 consecutive years (1981-1991), Lendl did not win a grand slam title until the age of 24, at the French Open in 1984.

By Nadal’s age however, the Czechoslovakia-born Lendl had managed two runner-ups at the French and US Open.

5. Mats Wilander

In a four year span between 1982- 1985, the Swede won four slams.

This was followed by a barren spell of almost three years before Wilander won his next three grand slams, all in 1988.

6. Boris Becker

After a meteoric rise at the age of 22 and with his four slams, “Boom Boom Boris” was the talk of the town. 

However, the German would only manage another two slam titles at the Australian Open in the next seven years.

7. Andre Agassi

The only man on the list with a career grand slam, having won all four grand slam titles on tennis’ three main surfaces.

Remarkably, Agassi had only won one slam title by the age of 22, with his next title only coming two years later at the 1994 US Open.

8. Pete Sampras 

The record winner of grand slams, with an astounding seven Wimbledon titles to his name.

However, at Nadal’s age, “Pistol Pete” was lagging behind with just four slam wins, including his first Wimbledon title in 1993.

9. Roger Federer

Regarded by many as the greatest tennis player of all time following a brilliant run from 2005-2007 where the Swiss won eight of the 12 grand slams while making the finals in three of the remaining four.

Unfortunately for Federer, those three final losses came at the French Open to Nadal.