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Who are the top men’s tennis players of all time? Here is our top 10 countdown:
Note: Updated in 2022.
10. Andre Agassi: blessed with one of the best service returns in tennis history, Agassi is one of only eight men to achieve a Career Grand Slam (and one of only five in the Open Era to do it); eight career Grand Slam singles titles, including being the last American man to win the French Open (1999).
9. Jimmy Connors: a true grinder, Connors holds Open Era records for most career singles matches and titles won, which includes eight career Grand Slam singles titles; also the only player to win the US Open on three different surfaces.
8. Ivan Lendl: known for his aggressive baseline style, Lendl won 94 career singles titles, including eight career Grand Slams in singles; unfortunately, also holds the dubious distinction of most losses in Grand Slam singles finals (11).
7. John McEnroe: one of the most talented tennis players ever, McEnroe was nearly unbeatable at his peak (his 82-3 record in 1984 is the highest single-season winning percentage in the Open Era); in addition to his seven career Grand Slam singles titles, he was also one of the best doubles players ever.
6. Bjorn Borg: despite retiring at the age of 26, Borg won six French Open and five Wimbledon titles during his brilliant peak, 3x achieving what is considered the most difficult double in tennis (1978-1980).
5. Pete Sampras: upon retirement, Sampras held the men’s record with 14 career Grand Slam singles titles, including a then-record seven Wimbledon titles and a record five US Open wins (shared with Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer).
4. Rod Laver: with 11 career Grand Slam singles titles, Laver is the only man in tennis history to achieve a Grand Slam twice (1962 and 1969); also won a record 200 singles titles across his amateur and professional playing days.
3. Novak Djokovic: often viewed as the third of men’s tennis’ “Big Three”, Djokovic currently ranks second all-time behind Rafael Nadal in career Grand Slam singles titles (21), including a record nine Australian Opens, and has achieved the Career Grand Slam.
2. Roger Federer: viewed by many as the greatest men’s tennis player ever for many years, Federer won 20 career Grand Slam singles titles and spent 310 weeks at #1, highlighted by a record eight Wimbledon titles and five US Open wins; in addition, he was only the second man in the Open Era with 100+ career titles (after Jimmy Connors).
1. Rafael Nadal: the greatest clay court player ever, Nadal currently has the most career Grand Slam singles titles for men (22) and has won a record 14 French Open titles while also achieving the Career Grand Slam.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
More Good Stuff
- Watch: Get tickets to see the US Open or other major tennis tournaments
- Wear: Buy sports apparel
- Collect: Buy unique sports memorabilia for your favorite tennis player(s)
- Play: Show off your tennis knowledge by playing daily fantasy tennis
- Build: Start your own sports website/blog
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Countdown 4: Top 10 Five-Tool Players in MLB History
