Tennis legend Roger Federer has admitted that on his carefully considered list of GOATs, Rafael Nadal would come above Novak Djokovic.

This revelation came in an interview with Mexican television network Azteca Deportes ahead of Federer’s exhibition fixture with Alexander Zverev in Mexico City on Saturday evening.

After losing the first set, Federer overcame his German opponent in front of a lively crowd of 42,517, setting a new attendance world record for a tennis match in the process.

On this admirable feat, the Swiss maestro said, as per Tennis World : "I am very happy and proud.

"I kind of know how fans are here, because when I travel across America sometimes or elsewhere, people say, ‘I am coming from Mexico [and I am] very proud’.

"So I knew I have some fans here, but I did not know I had 40,000 fans!"

When asked what makes him fearful, Federer replied: "A lot of things. A public space, a match - I know sometimes I am a bit scared.

"But thankfully, I am not really in a position that makes me really nervous or uncomfortable, but of course also before big matches or before a tournament, I have butterflies in my stomach."

And finally, in response to the Nadal/Djokovic conundrum, Federer said: "That's interesting, they have totally different careers.

Right now, I would say Rafa, just because of what he did at the French Open. He is world number one right now.

The summer 2019 tournament to which Federer refers confirmed Nadal’s dominance on the clay of Roland Garros – after all, it was the Spaniard’s 12th French Open win.

And if these insights into the mind of the true GOAT of world tennis confirm anything, they prove Federer to be the humble, modest guy that we all knew him to be.

We suspect that if asked, Nadal and Djokovic might both place Federer number one.