"Roger Federer's just so far above everybody else" - Swiss picked as 'toughest' competitor over Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal by Steve Johnson

American tennis professional Steve Johnson recently chose Roger Federer as his toughest competitor over the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

Johnson has called it a day as he played his final match on the ATP Tour at Indian Wells Masters 2024. It wasn't a fairytale ending for him as he ended on the wrong side of the doubles match he played alongside compatriot Tommy Paul.

Johnson and Paul lost 6-2, 7-6(3) to Nikola Mektic and Wesley Koolhof in the opening-round match on Sunday, March 10. Additionally, Johnson aimed for singles main draw entry but failed to qualify after losing to Emilio Nava (6-7(6), 7-6(10), 6-4) in the qualifiers first round.

After the loss on Sunday, Johnson sat down in the press room to reflect on a career that began in 2012 and disclosed that facing Roger Federer on the court was the toughest task for him.

"For me, the toughest player was Roger to play against just because I played Novak only once, Rafa once," Johnson said.

He notably clashed with the Swiss on three occasions at Wimbledon (2016), Indian Wells (2017), and Australian Open (2020), and lost every time. Further, during the press conference, he lauded Federer for his tactical genius saying:

"To see how Roger played me once, the second time I played him, I almost beat him here, lost 6 and 6, had some chances and then the next time I played him, the differences he made in his game, beat me like a drum.

"I left the court thinking, like, what he was able to do from the last time I played him, how he changed his strategy, and what he did was one of the most remarkable things for me. That he's just so far above pretty much everybody else in the world at not only being a tennis player but tactically, how he could get me into situations where I was in big trouble."

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Roger Federer holds the joint record for winning Indian Wells Masters title five times alongside Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer lifts the Indian Wells Masters 2017 men's singles trophy

Roger Federer holds the joint record of winning the Indian Wells Masters title the most (five times) and is joined by Novak Djokovic atop the all-time winners' tally.

The Swiss won his first trophy at the Masters 1000 event in the year 2004 by defeating Tim Henman 6-3, 6-3 in the final. He then defended his title the following year with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over Lleyton Hewitt in the decider. Furthermore, he scored a hattrick by securing the title in 2006 by overcoming James Blake 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 in the summit clash.

Federer clinched his fourth title at Tennis Paradise in 2012 when he went past John Isner 7-6(7), 6-3 in the final. His fifth title came in the year 2017 with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over compatriot Stan Wawrinka on the final day.