There's a lot of talks in the world of sports about who is the best of the best. Who is the greatest of the greatest? Who is the greatest of all time? People refer to the greatest of all time as the GOAT. Whoever is the greatest of all time is debatable as many aspects can be taken into consideration. Earlier in 2018, we have seen Lionel Messi posing with a goat, and we have seen Ronaldo reacting to it after he scored a goal against Spain during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. There seems to be a battle going on between the two of them, in which they are aiming to prove that they are the GOAT.

Lionel Messi with a goat (Source)
Cristiano Ronaldo imitating a goat (source)

Every sport has its GOAT, or a not yet decided GOAT, or whatever kind of GOAT. In tennis, for instance, this is also arguable. Recently I have seen people referring to Novak Djokovic to be the GOAT. Others mentioned Pete Sampras, Rod Laver, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. As for women's tennis, you would expect names like Martina Navratilova, Martina Hingis, Margaret Court, Steff Graf or Serena Williams. How well can we compare sportspeople who were active in their career in different decades? Probably not very well, but people still tend to do it.

The question is, is there arguably anyone better in the history of tennis, other than the ones mentioned above? Or for that matter, in any other sport? Who is the greatest of the greatest ever? I guess most of the people in the world would come up with an American swimmer. Right? Yes, that is the one and only Michael Phelps.

Michael Phelps showing off his medals (source)

But yes, this article is about tennis and I would not have placed this article in the tennis section if it was about swimming. Also Mrs. Unbeatable is not very likely to be a man.

Has anyone ever heard of Esther Vergeer?

Probably some, but not many. I believe you should have, and that is the exact reason why I am introducing her to you.

Esther Vergeer (source)
Esther Vergeer as part of the basketball team (source)
Sportswoman of the year with a handicap in 2002 (source)
Esther Vergeer at the Australian Open (source)
Esther Vergeer's Backhand (source)
Esther Vergeer, gold at London 2012 (source)

Awards, autobiography, posing nude, and the Esther Vergeer Foundation

Esther Vergeer has been nominated for the "Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability" a total of six times. She won the award twice, in 2002 and 2008. Oscar Pistorius won it in 2012, I think knowing what happened since (Source) and reading all this most of you will agree with me that Esther deserved to win it in that year as well.

Esther Vergeer wins the Laureus Award (source)

In 2013 Esther Vergeer's autobiography named "Esther Vergeer, fierce & vulnerable" was launched during the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam. Roger Federer authored the foreword of the book and also Novak Djokovic has his part in it.

For those who are interested, the book is available at Amazon.

In 2010 Esther Vergeer has been posing nude for the cover of ESPN's magazine "The Body Issue" (Cover / Photo 1 / Photo 2). Besides many positive reactions, Vergeer also received criticism as many people found the photos to be inappropriate. Vergeer has admitted she has been surprised and hurt by these comments.

Esther Vergeer Foundation (source)