Who Donald Trump named as his favorite tennis player in 2017 over Roger Federer

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Donald Trump is a keen sports fan and named his favorite tennis player back in 2017.

The 45th and 47th President of the United States has a close relationship with sports, and is a big fan of golf in particular.

Trump was also in attendance for the US Open men’s tennis final earlier this year, watching Carlos Alcaraz take on Jannik Sinner in another fascinating clash.

Eight years earlier, during a visit to Spain, Trump named his favorite tennis player…

Donald Trump said Rafael Nadal was his favorite player

Speaking in 2017, Trump explained why Rafael Nadal was his favorite tennis player.

“My favorite player, Rafael Nadal, I love Rafael,” he said.

“You talk about a guy who wants to win, who won’t allow himself to lose.

“To me, I just think he’s a great, great champion.”

Nadal is indeed ‘a great champion’, winning 22 Grand Slam titles throughout his career.

The Grand Slams (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) are the most prestigious tournaments in tennis, and to win 22 is almost unheard of…

Only three players in the history of men’s tennis (Open Era/Since the tournaments became professional) have won 20 or more Grand Slams: Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic.

The trio, better known as the ‘big three’, battled it out at the sport’s biggest tournaments for much of the 2000s and 2010s.

Both Nadal and Federer are now retired from tennis, finishing on 22 and 20 Grand Slams respectively, while Djokovic remains active, with 24 titles to his name.

It’s unclear whether Trump still favors Nadal over Federer and Djokovic, although his opinion may well have changed, after hearing what the Spaniard had to say about him…

Rafael Nadal once said he didn’t like the way Donald Trump speaks

During an interview with El Espanol in 2017, Nadal had this to say about Trump.

“It is true that I don’t like the way he speaks because it is not the style that I appreciate, his way of expressing himself,” he said.

“As I am not an arrogant person, it is not my style.”

He did, however, concede that Trump’s manner had improved since he became President.

“Since he was elected, his speech has been much more moderate and perhaps more correct, but during the campaign it has not been like that,” said Nadal.

Trump continues to make headlines in 2025, while Nadal, for the most part, remains out of the news, enjoying his retirement from tennis.