The greatest tennis player of all time has to be none other than Roger Federer. Evert is the only female tennis player to have won seven titles at the French Open. He broke the top 100 following a run to the Lyon semifinals in 2018. Theres no doubt that Gustavo Kuerten deserves mention on this list, but he is a specialist for the most part. Furthermore, Federer has notched 1,251 match wins with a winning rate of 81.98%. Rod Lavers career is unique because of his success and crossover from amateur to professional and subsequent success during the Open Era. Thats certainly not something to diminish, but everyone is going to evaluate that lopsided performance differently. They almost won the 72 NCAAs. This fact was significant because these were arguably his peak years, winning five of his eight Grand Slam titles during this time and denying him the opportunity to complete a Grand Slam that year when he won all other majors. By the time he was 21 years old, he already had a U.S. Open and Wimbledon title to his name. In addition to his Grand Slam success, Federer has claimed 103 ATP titles, the most ever behind Jimmy Connors in the Open Era. John McEnroe was perhaps the sweetest recruiting plum in college history. Stanford, 1998 1. 1 for the first time, a position he held for a total of 170 weeks throughout his career. Rankings. She also made it to 11 other Grand Slam finals, where her opponent defeated her. UCLA, 1965-1966 In July of 2011, Djokovic became world No. Australian Rod Laver was born on August 3, 1938, and players and fans widely regard him as one of the greatest players of all time. UCLAs Arthur Ashe and Charlie Pasarell were the most impactful roomies in tennis history. Many will argue that of the top players, head-to-head performance should carry significant weight. 7. He liked to play from the baseline and go for big shots, even when most of tennis was still serving and volleying. When it comes to the Olympics, Serena is also highly accomplished. Top 10 Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time: 10. UCLA, 1971 For years they were at the heart of the US Davis Cup team. Serena was ready to play at the professional level when she was 14 in 1995. He closed out his career with USC on a 72 match win streak. A helpful place to start when considering who might make a list of the best players of all time are the challenges we face making comparisons. Top Men's Tennis Programs. After going 21-1 at the No. He played for UW-Whitewater and was the highest-drafted football player in college history, having been selected 98 th overall in the third round of 2021 NFL drafts. Not too long after, in 1962, Laver became the second man after Don Budge to achieve a calendar-year Grand Slam, winning all four major tournaments in a single year. Johnson anchored the Trojans to four consecutive NCAA Team Championships and collected two NCAA Singles Championships for himself. 15. In 2019, Koepfer made his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon. A lot of guys are more than happy to jump in to this question especially in the aftermath of US Open 2018 final fiasco (and Serena's claims on sexism) on. talent. Now decades after his passing, he still remains one of the biggest faces for the fight against AIDS. Agassi was well known for his rivalry against all-time great Pete Sampras. Beyond her success in singles, Venus achieved stellar results in doubles with fourteen Grand Slam titles and three gold medals. Would have to argue that the 2007 UGA team, led by John Isner, that went 32-0, only lost 1 point in NCAAs, had the #1 singles player and #1 doubles team in the country, the US Open Jr Doubles Champs at #3 deserves to be in the Top 10. Born on July 16, 1942, in Australia, Margaret Court is a right-handed tennis player who played with a one-handed backhand and holds some of the most significant records in womens tennis. She played her final singles match in 1983 at the Australian Open. 3 player. Born on June 3, 1986, in Mallorca, Spain, Rafael Nadal has consistently delivered some of the most impressive results the sport has ever seen and is one of the most successful teenage players in history. The big reason why thats the case is that Rafael Nadal won them all during his prime. Margaret Court retired in 1977 and earned a spot in the International Tennis Hall of fame in 1979. Required fields are marked *. When he first burst on the scene in the 1970s, that playing style was very much ahead of his time. 1 ranking for longer than any other player in history at 345 weeks and currently has 85 titles to his name. He spent the most weeks at number one in the world, and has finished as the year-end #1 seven times. Monica Seles returned to the French Open a year later after a solid start to the season and captured her first Grand Slam victory defeating world No. Help us better understand the makeup of our tennis community. Here we have listed our picks for the top 12 best tennis players of all time: Top 12 Best Tennis Players of All Time 12. Trying to figure out the 25 greatest tennis players of all time can seem like a daunting task for a lot of people out there. Playing from the baseline at a time when many were not, the left-hander found a way to play against the best in the world and win consistently. Henin would claim seven Grand Slam titles, one at the Australian Open, four at the French Open, and two at the US Open. 1 ranking for the first time, which he retained for 109 weeks throughout his career. In his final season, he was named the Big 12 Player of the Year another first for the program. One thing is for sure, these types of lists will continue to change as new players emerge. Hes very close, and having 20 Grand Slams to his name will keep his name in the discussion for quite a while. Roger Federers most significant rivalries in his career are Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is the governing body of college tennis, overseeing mens and womens varsity tennis at all levels NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College. Fourteen Former Mens Collegiate Players in US Open Singles Draw. 10. All Rights Reserved. Unfortunately, that would be the only two career Grand Slams for him. However, he decided to turn professional to start 1963, which meant he couldnt compete in any Grand Slam Events through 1967. But they faced off in a dicey semi against each other in the NCAA championships and then had to play doubles together. However, our analysis suggests a bit of a different story, with her results overshadowing the past performance of other female tennis players who may deserve the title. In a 23 year career spanning four decades, the Swiss has spent a combined 310 weeks at world no.1 and holds the longest streak at world no 1. in Open Era history, having topped the ATP rankings for a four and a half year period (237 weeks) from 2004 to . The US Open will be his first tour-level event since resumption of the ATP Tour. Against Federer, Nadal has an impressive 24-16 record. The greatest tennis player of all time is Roger Federer. Its just a matter of what is weighed most importantly in tennis. He won 8 Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal, spent 101 weeks as the world number one, and received over $31 million in . Stefanos Tsitsipas Tennis Racket What Does He Use? 368. Norrie received a scholarship from Texas Christian University and played tennis for the Horned Frogs from 2014 to 2017, becoming the top-ranked college player in the nation. Grass. Tennis Strategy by Grant Grinnell. He is also one of only two players to achieve a career Golden Slam winning all four majors and a Gold Medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But in 72, Trinity enticed USC to come to San Antonio for a dual match, dubbed the Super Bowl of Tennis. In the so-called open era of tennis, which began in 1968, players from 20 different nations won a Grand Slam title. Everyone else, I believe, would benefit greatly from . As a result, looking back at players like Bjrn Borg, who has a thoroughly impressive resume, only played the tournament once in 1974 as a 17-year-old, which gave him limited opportunities to further add to his Grand Slam count of 11. Hard, clay, and grass are significantly different surfaces, and while some players have had more success on specific surfaces, is it more compelling if a player manages to perform well on all of them? Herschel Walker #2. He would then win another Wimbledon title in 2016. $15 million. Novak Djokovic has held the No. He held a 15-4 singles record and a perfect 26-0 doubles record. 2023 by Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). In 1999, Venus saw quite a bit of additional success, which would push her year-end ranking to No. Hed add a record-tying 20 Grand Slam titles to his name with tremendous success at all of the tournaments, including nine at the Australian Open, two at the French Open, six at Wimbledon, and three at the US Open. USC, 2011-2013. In 1977, Borg reached the world No. Federer: 11. 5/28/2021. Winning only one Grand Slam title might not be impressive to the average person, but Andy Roddick had the challenge of coming up through the ranks at the same time as Roger Federer. Some of the most famous players under his tutelage include Ken McGregor . He finished with 11 Grand Slams, and was the first to dominate the French Open and Wimbledon in the Open Era. What's new. A Wimbledon finalist while at USC, he was ranked as high as No. In 2003, Henin claimed her first Grand Slam title at the French Open, making her the first Belgian ever to win a Grand Slam. 3. 1 ranking for the first time, a position she held briefly throughout her career for a total of eleven weeks. I am a former college tennis player that competed on a highly successful, top-10 Division I team at the University of Minnesota. Vernon Gholston - 6'3, 260 lbs. Discussion Boards Bradley was an ITA Scholar Athlete, an ITA All-American in singles and doubles, and a fierce competitor. Husband to Steffi Graf, a shoo-in for one of the top spots in the best female tennis players of all time, Agassi comes in at number 8 on the tennisbros.com's list. He was an American tennis player who won a total of 77 career titles in his playing years. Throughout his career, Nadals most significant rivalries have come against the only two players I rank above him for the greatest male tennis players of all time. He earned his Olympic gold medal in 1996 in Atlanta, GA. Agassi also was a solid contributor at the Davis Cup and helped lead the United States to three titles in 1990, 1992, and 1995. Hottest Female Soccer Players. Cressy will make his tour-level singles debut at the 2020 US Open. Wed love to hear from you in the comments below. In 1998, she won her first WTA tournament, which she followed up with a few additional titles that year. However, winning a Grand Slam in 2014, 2015, and 2016 put him in the top 25. USC was led by Steve Johnson, who won 72 straight matches, was ranked No. Before finishing his career as a Buckeye, Wolf won the school's first ITA Men's All-American Singles Championship and was named an ITA All-American in singles. In March 1991, Seles replaced Stefi Graf as world No. No problemo. Menu. Another factor that often arises when selecting the best players of all time is the depth of field or how many elite players were competing during any highly successful players time on tour. Tennis Channel/USTA College Tennis Top 25. I won't repeat it but answer the implicit question- it doesn't matter. Djokovic has also eclipsed the rapidly fading Nadal as the active player with the best chance to eclipse Federer for best ever, even if he has far to go in the major title tally (12 to Federer's 17). At age 25, Norrie is entering his prime, and has reached a career-high ranking of 41 in the world. Others claim that John whos often said to be the seventh-best player ever was the most talented college player of all time. Top Tennis Players Ever. List of ATP number 1 ranked singles tennis players. He was the schools first champion since 2000. 1; 2; First Prev 2 of 2 Go to page. Andre Agassi. Trinity, 1972 However, her first Grand Slam victory came a few years later at the French Open in 1971, which she quickly followed up with a win at Wimbledon as well. For of the French Open titles were back to back from 1978 1981. Depending on a players ranking, that extra cash can be crucial. 1 ranking and, to date, has held that position for 319 weeks. I have followed Joe to his company JXS Tennis Academy at Babson College and I love it. Vernon Gholston, the powerhouse defensive end, easily claims the title. 1 singles slot his junior season, Norrie also claimed TCUs season singles winning percentage record. 10. Similarly, is it more impressive that a player wins a Grand Slam at the age of 16 or 35? A linchpin in the Cavaliers three straight NCAA Team Championships. Wolf turned professional a little over a year ago in July of 2019. He made history winning his second Grand Slam title in 2013, as he broke the long cold streak for British tennis players at Wimbledon. For most coaches, the recruiting process begins with academics. Trinity, 1972 Dick Stockton, Brian Gottfried, Bob McKinley. Born on March 7, 1960, in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, Ivan Lendl had an impressive career that began in 1978 when he turned pro. Johnson has finished the past six seasons ranked in the Top 100. However, in 1924, the Olympics dropped tennis due to disagreements between the International Olympic Committee and International Lawn Tennis Federation. For example, which of the following hypothetical players is better: Theres no doubt the Grand Slam events are the most prestigious and challenging for a player to win. He used his size and athleticism to get to the net, and that helped him win six Grand Slams. You have entered an incorrect email address! Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the essential meaning of best as: By definition, the word best is subjective. Popular German former tennis player Boris Becker is ranked number ten on the list of the greatest tennis players in history. In 1962, Margaret Court achieved a career-high ranking of world No. By the time he was 21 years old, he already had a U.S. Open and Wimbledon title to his name. With the average age of tennis players at the top of the professional game increasing each year - the world's top three are aged 33, 32 and 38 respectively - there is no longer a sense of . He was named the ITA National Mens Senior Player of the Year a first for the program. 6 in the world, beat Roy Emerson to reach the 63 US Nationals final, where he lost to Osuna. College Tennis Talk . Pasarell did the same in 66. It doesnt make accomplishments from years past less impressive, relevant, or important, but its a factor that we should weigh when making comparisons. In 1967, she played at the Australian Open, her first Grand Slam event. Steffi is right-handed with a one-handed backhand and our pick for the greatest female tennis player ever. In the fall of his senior season, Isner won the ITA All-American Doubles Championships and the ITA National Indoor Doubles Championships. McDonald was named an ITA All-American in singles for three straight years. Greatest Tennis Players of All Time. Each of the 14 left a legacy at their school and in the greater scope of college tennis. 1 in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings a first for the program. The Tour de Frances loss was tennis gain. In the Olympics, Roger Federer has a silver and gold medal. Bob Bryan won the singles championship over Goldstein. He won a total of 16 Davis Cup titles in his 22 year spell as coach of the Australian Davis Cup Team between 1939 to 1967. Hes been as consistent as any player in tennis history, and even as he approaches 40 years old, he still is a Grand Slam threat. However, there are players who make winning Grand Slams a habit and win numerous titles at prestigious events. Dad Racket was created exclusively as a one-stop resource to answer all your tennis questions. He had some mild success on other surfaces, but clay courts are where he made his name. He was twice a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 1960 and 1961, reaching as high as World No. In 1960, at the age of 18, Court began playing professional tennis and quickly enjoyed success, including her first major title at the Australian Open, then named the Australian Championships. No.1 in 1991. For such a small school to have two of your all-time top ten teams shows what an incredible job Clarence Mabry and later Bob McKinley did with limited resources. He was the greatest clay-court player of all time until Rafael Nadal hit the scene, but it was his all-around game that caught attention from the very beginning. For example, as black athletes, Serena and Venus Williams overcame unprecedented challenges growing up to break into tennis. In addition to the NCAA national championships his senior year, Kwiatkowski helped Virginia to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. Definitely. <br><br>After completing my Master's degree at Minnesota, I . Additionally, he holds the record for more wins at 1,274 than any other player in the Open Era. King returned the following year and made it to the third round. He finished his career with four Grand Slams, but he might most be remembered for his 16 ATP tour championships in one season in 1977. She also had an impressive career record of 704-165, winning 81% of her matches. Longevity is another factor to consider. Even though he never won Wimbledon, he did win the Australian Open when it was on the grass. Rodrigues Finishes as NCAA Singles Runner-Up. Wolf turned professional a little over a year ago in July of 2019. During those years, he claimed eight titles at three of the biggest professional tournaments, the US Pro, French Pro, and Wembley Pro. Andre Agassi had one of the longest careers of any of our top-ranked mens tennis players at a thoroughly impressive 20 years. 1 player in the world. This incredible player started his professional career young and won six of his first major singles at 17. 1 player for the first time after defeating his rival Roger Federer to take his first Wimbledon title, and since then has held that position for 209 weeks throughout his career. Erase the USA (No Outlines) 3. When Boris Becker was on grass or indoor carpet courts, it was nearly impossible to beat him. One of the most challenging elements to establishing a list of the best players of all time is that all of the most accomplished players didnt play tennis or compete at the same time. Most can only . Although there a virtually an endless list of data points one can use to compare these players, weve highlighted a handful of criteria that we believe help showcase why these titans of our sport made our list. Ten years ago . Stefi Graf is third all-time on the title leaderboard with 107 and has a singles career record of 900-115 for a win rate of 88.7%. Nadals career started early. And college tennis has changed so drastically that it's insane to try to come up with an all-time collegiate top 10. No American has won a Grand Slam singles title in men's tennis since 2003, when Andre Agassi won the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam and Andy Roddick won his lone . 6. 163 which is a career record. Share your location for a more tailored experience. Cressys senior season was outstanding. Rankings. Before the Bryans, the Woodies, and Mac and Fleming, there was Stan Smith and Stanford transfer Bob Lutz. Stefi Graf retired from professional tennis in 1999 and earned her spot in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. With that in mind, its common that fans heavily debate the topic of the best male and female tennis players of all time, and our list of the best players will likely differ from others, which is part of the fun. 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) Chris Evert was born in 1954; she is an American professional tennis player. The Tigers beat the Trojans and went on to win all their matches that year. Team Player - 5. Any list of outstanding male tennis players should include names like Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Rafael Nadal and Bjrn Borgas these guys are easily the top tennis players. Skip to primary navigation; . He started his professional career in 2003 and soon after becoming professional, Djokovic started a journey of success that continues. Sampras is well known for his rivalry with fellow American Andre Agassi, and it was unique because of Sampras dominant serve and Agassis return. Active Career: 1983 - 1996. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. USC, 1967-1968 8 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 4 Australian, 2 French, 2 US Open. No other female tennis player has won eight. The greatest male tennis player of all time is Roger Federer. Awards: 3x National College Player of the Year, 3x ACC Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year, 3x . Just making it into the top 25 is Lleyton Hewitt. References. Steve Johnsons collegiate career is the stuff of legends. Shes also the second oldest woman behind Serena Williams to have held this position. . One might argue these experiences give extra weight to their already impressive accomplishments. Learn more about available mens tennis scholarships and mens tennis camps in your area. 1. Outside of singles, Navratilova has one of the most impressive doubles careers in history. With that said, not all professional tennis players compete in doubles, or if they do, it takes a back seat to singles for a few reasons. He is one of three men to end each of the last 10 years ranked in the top 20 and with 30+ wins. In four years at Pitt, the smooth runner, named in a 2016 ESPN coaches' poll as the 10th-best college player of all time, dodged and weaved his way to a then-record 6,082 career rushing yards. 57 after reaching the third round in Barcelona in 2019. For starters here are our top ten men's teams. 1 ranking for the first time, a position he held for a total of 101 weeks during his career. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 1 for the first time, and she was able to maintain that position for a total of 221 weeks throughout her career. 6 in Lance Tingay's amateur rankings. But in 73 they didnt just lose one top player, they lost their top two. In 2011, he was selected as a member of the USTA Summer Collegiate Team along with his teammate Rhyne Williams. Then again, insanity has never stopped us before. Bill Dwyre noted, They came from places that tennis does not. For 12 years the collegiate championships had been Prime Time for LA either USC or UCLA won. Andy Lloyd was a Forest Hills quarterfinalist and Butch Newman lost only one dual match in his collegiate career. 24) Ralph Sampson (Virginia) College Averages: 16.9 points, 1.2 assists, 11.4 rebounds. His determination keeps him in any match. Trinity, 1962-1965 Chuck McKinley, Cliff Buchholz, Frank Froehling. The left-hander from the United States finished his career with seven Grand Slams, and he became an icon in the sport fairly early on. Swiss player Roger Federer, the greatest player of all time is easily justifiable. Born on June 14, 2969, Steffi Graf is a German tennis player. Nakashima only spent one season with the Cavaliers before turning pro, but he made the most of his time. Your email address will not be published. However, with such great emphasis placed on Grand Slams when considering the greatest players of all time, its worthy of reference and consideration. List of the best men's tennis players from 2000s, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. The last comment and 13 other comment(s) need to be approved. ranking, but despite her success, she only held that post for two weeks throughout her career. To date, hes the only player to achieve that feat twice in his career, and only five players on the mens and womens side have won a calendar Grand Slam. Nadal: 8. 7. Stanford, 1978 Does it make him a better player for staying injury-free all those years, which enabled him to miss a tournament rarely and give him more opportunities to win? He took home a total of three French Open titles, and became an icon in Brazil for his consistent play. A few years later, in 1995, he achieved the world No. Every generation produced great tennis stars, dating all the way back to the 1890s. He still walked away from the sport with three Grand Slam titles, and recently made a comeback to continue playing the game he loves. He finished his collegiate career ranked No. Both Sandy Mayer, who weeks later reached the Wimbledon semis and would rise to No. With that said, his achievements are thoroughly impressive, especially considering the short timeline of his career. He reached #1 in the world and dominated during the U.S. Open run, but he was a mainstay in the top 10 for quite a while as well. He captured his first professional singles title at the Godfrey Futures by taking the day over Rudy Siwy. Some rules are different, i.e., on-court coaching is allowed on the WTA tour outside of the Grand Slam events. 11 - Boris Becker. She was also highly accomplished in doubles with 16 womens and 11 mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. Ashe won the singles, and then the doubles with Ian Crookenden. Chris Evert was once known for 1,309 appearances, a record number. Harvard's second-place finish is driven by the Danish-born Caroline Wozniacki, who became the first Scandinavian woman to rank as the top player in the world, a title she held for 71 weeks between 2010 and 2011. During her career, Seles won 53 titles and ended with a winning record of 595-122. A lot has changed in the sport, but its hard to argue that he doesnt deserve at least a little bit of consideration near the top. We won 25 matches 7-0 and the other three matches were 6-1., That team was a dream to coach, added Gould. However, he impressed once again, winning another calendar-year Grand Slam in 1969. Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. Although its tough to imagine a player who will eclipse the big three on the mens side or the top players on the womens, one thing is for sure it will happen. However, we removed a lot of nuances when we broke the two out and therefore decided to rank men separately from women. Stanford's chest-bumping identical twins and all-time men's doubles champs Bob and Mike Bryan rank just behind McEnroe. During his career, John McEnroe was also highly successful at the Davis Cup, where he helped revive the United States. The Top Ten. She holds seven titles at the Australian Open, three at the French Open, seven at Wimbledon, and six at the US Open. He was named the ITA National Player of the Year and an ITA Singles All-American for the second consecutive year. He claimed three Grand Slams and five ATP Masters titles with significant wins against his two biggest rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. For example, if one player has a winning record against a player with straight-set victories is more compelling than a player who has a winning record where every match was highly competitive and could have gone either way. top 50 players 2023; From ITA Player to Watch to ITA All-American in singles, Tennys anchored his name in the Volunteer history books. 1 Stefi Graf. Although she was young, she delivered solid performances and made deep runs at several tournaments. The result earned her a total of 129 titles, 67 that were during the Open Era. -These polls use voters to determine the best 25 men's and women's teams in Division I. Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Rankings. Access available rankings data at ITA. Honorable mention also to UGAs 1985 team whose #1 and #2 played the singles final. Without a doubt, shes one of the greatest female tennis players ever. 3 in the world and was the only player to win NCAA singles and doubles titles back to back. NCSA analyzed over 880 four-year colleges with mens college tennis programs across four division levels (D1, D2, D3 and NAIA) to develop a list of the Best Mens Tennis Colleges for Student-Athletes. The year after, John McEnroe earned his first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 1979, which he defended for the following two years in 1980 and 1981. He is currently ranked No. 2. 4. Djokovic turned pro in 2003. View the full college tennis rankings below and favorite to save your list of top mens tennis colleges. His Grand Slam titles include seven at the Australian Open, one at the French Open, eight at Wimbledon, and give at the US Open. Despite his record against Nadal, I give Federer the edge in my list of the all-time best tennis players for a few reasons. It wasnt that the professionals werent as talented, far from it. Create a free account and explore my latest videos below, Before we dive into many of the nuances of ranking the best players of all time, lets get clear on what exactly we mean by best.. 5/21/2021. The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey. Born in Serbia on May 22, 1987, Novak Djokovic is currently my pick for the best mens tennis player of all time.

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