Not a lot of people talk about him currently, but he was as tough a player as any in his prime. In 1984, he had a stellar year with his only finals appearance at the French Open and titles at Wimbledon and the US Open. John Whitlinger, Jim Delaney and Chico Hagey (who a few weeks earlier had been Stanfords No. These character traits, when combined, will produce exceptional, top-tier results, as evidenced by the accomplishments of the coaches and their tennis programs. Born on August 8, 1981, in Switzerland, Roger Federer is one of the most dominant players in the history of our sport with a massive number of impressive stats that will cement him as one of the greatest players of all time. All Rights Reserved. 5/28/2021. He would then win another Wimbledon title in 2016. 2, Frank Froehling, who was ranked No. Stockton edged Gottfried to win the singles championship. When it comes to the Olympics, Serena is also highly accomplished. 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. Billie Jean King. Marcos Girons debut at the US Open came in 2014 when he earned a wild card into the Grand Slam after winning the NCAA Singles Championships. Check out the Men's tennis worldwide rankings for 2023, here at ESPN.com. Ivan Lendl. He was named the ITA Player of the Year in his final two seasons. Herschel Walker #2. 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. The 2020 US Open will be Kwiatkowskis first tour-level event since the resumption of the ATP Tour. Although her career has slowed, Venus Williams competes in a limited number of tournaments on the WTA tour and has not yet made it clear when she intends to retire. 1 ranking for the first time, which he retained for 109 weeks throughout his career. However, there are players who make winning Grand Slams a habit and win numerous titles at prestigious events. It wasnt that the professionals werent as talented, far from it. Popular Quizzes Today. Every generation produced great tennis stars, dating all the way back to the 1890s. Before the Bryans, the Woodies, and Mac and Fleming, there was Stan Smith and Stanford transfer Bob Lutz. Andre Agassi turned pro in 1986 at the age of 16 and, in two short years, rocketed to a ranking of world No. 1 ranking and, to date, has held that position for 319 weeks. He holds the joint-record for the most grand slams in history and has consistently dominated the court since he turned pro in 1998. We have compiled this list of 10 best tennis players of all time. In 1999, Andre Agassi became the fifth man to win all four Grand Slam titles in a single year and the second in the Open Era. In 65, even without Pasarell, the Bruins broke USCs three-year stranglehold on the championships. BTW: Whitlinger beat Hagey to claim the singles crown, and would coach Stanford for a decade. After qualifying at ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati, Wolf reached a career high ranking of 143. Beyond her success in singles, Venus achieved stellar results in doubles with fourteen Grand Slam titles and three gold medals. Bjrn also won 66 titles. Table of Contents show. When it comes to the best female tennis player of all time, many consider the case to be closed due to the sheer dominance of Serena Williams in recent years. However, in 1924, the Olympics dropped tennis due to disagreements between the International Olympic Committee and International Lawn Tennis Federation. 1 Margaret Court in a small clay court tournament held in Charlotte, NC. USC, 1967-1968 She was also highly accomplished in doubles with 16 womens and 11 mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. The Australian reached #1 at a very young age, and his overall career success started younger than most players in general. Ma Long. 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. Earning the title as the most jacked football player is not an easy job. She played a limited schedule for the following two years but accumulated a few solid wins, including her first top 20 victory in 1995. Unfortunately, he had a relatively short prime, as injuries cut his career short compared to the others. 3 in the world and was the only player to win NCAA singles and doubles titles back to back. $15 million. In 1999, Venus saw quite a bit of additional success, which would push her year-end ranking to No. 6 in Lance Tingay's amateur rankings. Read our weekly recap of the 5 most interesting things we dig up in tennis. Heres another hypothetical example to consider: Again, which player is more impressive. UCLA, 1970-1971 Jimmy Connors, Jeff Borowiak, Haroon Rahim. 1 Roger Federer Roger Federer (born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss former professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. Still, the teams best singles players roommates Dennis Ralston and Rafael Osuna played each other in the US Nationals for three straight years and together won the 60 Wimbledon doubles crown. On the surface, ranking the best male and female tennis players of all time might appear like an easy task. Forty of his 44 career tournament wins all came on dirt. 6/22/2021. Throughout the years, there have been many great tennis players who have made a name for themselves. After all, if someone is coming up with their list of the best tennis players of all time, they might want to consider the whole player beyond their talents on the court. However, the divide makes it particularly tough to compare player accomplishments. Winning Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces can be a huge challenge. As a senior, Isner led the Bulldogs to a perfect 32-0 record and the programs fifth NCAA Team Championship. Can you imagine Federer and Nadal on the same college team? He broke the top 100 following a run to the Lyon semifinals in 2018. Coming off his NCAA titles, McDonald was awarded a wildcard into the 2016 US Open. 1 Stefi Graf. Venus Williams (Born: June 17, 1980) Venus Williams is an American professional tennis player. First, he only played the Australian open twice throughout his entire career. The last comment and 13 other comment(s) need to be approved. In 1971, Goolagong managed to reach the world No. Share your location for a more tailored experience. Similarly, is it more impressive that a player wins a Grand Slam at the age of 16 or 35? 9. Without a doubt, shes one of the greatest female tennis players ever. Even though he never won Wimbledon, he did win the Australian Open when it was on the grass. Conversely, some players like Roger Federer manage to go injury-free for the better part of their careers. For a guy who is so well known for his outbursts on and off the court, some forget just how good he was. Born on October 18, 1956, in Czechoslovakia, Martina Navratilova also competed as a US citizen after receiving her citizenship in 1981. And as fabulous as USCs singles lineup was, their doubles teams with Bill Bond, Tom Edlefson and Ramsey Earnhart were even stronger. Sampras would claim five total US Open titles, two Australian Open titles, and seven Wimbledon titles for a total of 13 Grand Slam victories. A few years later, in 1995, he achieved the world No. WTA Tour-WTA Homepage-See which former college tennis student-athletes are in the women's professional . Archie Griffin #3. Toward the end of 2003, Henin managed to find her way to the world No. Federer: 11. 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. Although he competed at the French Open and Wimbledon in 1977, McEnroe officially turned pro in 1978. Do we believe player A holding the number one ranking for 20 more weeks is more valuable than player Bs five additional titles? Furthermore, the surface can play a huge role in a players success against another. 1 in the world in 1983, and he held that post for a total of 270 weeks throughout his career. Agassi also managed to earn himself a career Super Slam, which he is the only player to hold, and a Golden Slam, the latter of which has only been matched by Rafael Nadal. References. Ashe won the singles, and then the doubles with Ian Crookenden. Trinity turned tenniss California dream into a nightmare. In 1896, the inaugural Olympics took place, and tennis was an official sport. World number 1 ranked male tennis players. Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. Now, hes on tour and will play in the US Open this week. In-depth Resources Connors won the singles in 71. "Playing college tennis, no, but going to university after tennis, yes, that was always the plan," Dabrowski said. Furthermore, he was never able to win the US Open despite four appearances in the finals. 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. Frazier Tommy #4. USC, 1962-1964 Dennis Ralston, Rafael Osuna, Bill Bond, Tom Edlefsen, Ramsey Earnhart, Chuck Rombeau. Although Djokovic has the same number of Grand Slam titles as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, his wins are the most diverse across the events showing that he can perform well in all conditions and on all surfaces. Learn with comprehensive resources to help you improve your game. Although its a challenging exercise to rank the best tennis players of all time, male or female, its a fun process that wed encourage fans to consider and dig into to develop their opinions. 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. Each is worth considering when ranking players. Despite that, he managed to win 72 of his 198 titles in the Open Era past the age of 30. In his final season, he was named the Big 12 Player of the Year another first for the program. Jung was awarded the prestigious ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award his junior season for his outstanding play and leadership. Go. But in 73 they didnt just lose one top player, they lost their top two. 5. 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. A linchpin in the Cavaliers three straight NCAA Team Championships. 57 after reaching the third round in Barcelona in 2019. 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 . Some players have significantly longer careers than others. The following year the pair fell just short of repeating their doubles title falling to Middle Tennessee State duo Marco Born and Andreas Siljestrm. As if her success on the singles court wasnt impressive enough, Court was also highly accomplished in doubles with 19 womens doubles Grand Slam titles and 21 mixed doubles titles. 1, which she held for 325 weeks, only surpassed by Martina Navratilova and Stefi Graf. Her professional career started around the age of 16, and throughout her career, she achieved impressive results, perhaps most notably including her seven Grand Slam titles. During that match he didnt drop a set. Vernon Gholston, the powerhouse defensive end, easily claims the title. From 2004 to 2007, Federer asserted significant dominance winning 11 of the 15 Grand Slam events during this period. Toward the end of 1982, Graf turned pro, and she played her first full season the following year at the surprisingly young age of 13. As a senior he got it right he beat Fred Stolle to win Wimbledon without dropping a set. Overall, Lendl earned 94 titles and is currently the third most in the Open Era behind Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer. Bob won the singles championship yet he was only their No. Perez-Somarriba Named ITA National Player of the Year. From ITA Player to Watch to ITA All-American in singles, Tennys anchored his name in the Volunteer history books. The official rankings page for college tennis including teams, singles and doubles. You have entered an incorrect email address! She was so successful across multiple disciplines that she swept Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mix doubles at the same tournament five times, referred to as the Triple Crown in tennis. New posts New profile . In 2001, he claimed his first significant singles title, and he also managed to make it to the quarterfinals of the French Open that year. 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. Margaret Court retired in 1977 and earned a spot in the International Tennis Hall of fame in 1979. Lutz won the NCAA singles in 67, but lost the 68 final to Smith. He only won five Grand Slams, but thats because he was playing right during the start of the Open Era. Pasarell did the same in 66. Born on August 8, 1981, in Switzerland, Roger Federer is one of the most dominant players in the history of our sport with a massive number of impressive stats that will cement him as one of the greatest players of all time. A year later, in 1987, Stefi Graf won her first Grand Slam tournament at the French Open, defeating Martina Navratilova, another top player and world No. These unique accomplishments certainly add weight to a players bid for consideration as one of the best players. 1. 1. And college tennis has changed so drastically that it's insane to try to come up with an all-time collegiate top 10. Whos on our list for the best male or female tennis players of all time? Your Membership Expires in $(daysToExpire) days! Like Rod Laver, Ken Rosewell came along when the Open Era was just beginning. 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. You might find a players ability to compete at a high level for an extended period more impressive than a shorter career, even if one player in each camp ended up with nearly the same number of titles. Although singles tennis is the more popular discipline, playing doubles still carries significant weight and requires a unique skill set that many fans believe distinguishes one player from the next. Johnson has finished the past six seasons ranked in the Top 100. Stanford's chest-bumping identical twins and all-time men's doubles champs Bob and Mike Bryan rank just behind McEnroe. He played college tennis for the University of Southern California (USC) and won the NCAA singles . Much like Lendl, he sometimes gets overlooked for just how many finals he made without winning the title. Similarly, all of his Wimbledon titles were consecutive from 1976 -1980. Thread starter Clemson_tennis; Start date May 28, 2012; Prev. View the full college tennis rankings below and favorite to save your list of top mens tennis colleges. 2. Video History Championship Info. She appeared in the semi-finals at the French Open and competed against Venus Williams in the finals of Wimbledon. They won back-to-back NCAA doubles titles and were part of a four-year run in which USC won the NCAAs from 66 to 69. For starters here are our top ten mens teams. He is currently ranked No. Born November 22, 1943, in America, Billie Jean King has had a tremendous impact on the sport during and after her retirement. Here are a few of the factors that present challenges when drawing comparisons. For example, if youre ranking two somewhat equally successful players, then their head-to-head records is an easy way to establish whos the better player. The Tigers beat the Trojans and went on to win all their matches that year. 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%. She also appeared in five finals, where her opponent defeated her. Federer is the player that has the most Grand Slam titles in the world (20) and is second behind Djokovic in most weeks spent at the world No.1 spot. 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. As a result, many players who are considered the greatest of all time didnt have an opportunity to compete at the Olympics, which is noteworthy when evaluating a players rank. We dont believe there is a right or wrong answer, but we think its worthy of consideration and, in some cases, can add significant weight to a players ranking as the best of all time. He has six Grand Slam titles in the Open Era, with an additional six before. Born on December 2, 1973, in Florida, Monica Seles represented Yugoslavia early in her career and the United States she became a US citizen in 1994. Sharing the all-time Grand Slam men's singles titles record is Roger Federer, from Switzerland. Of course, we had to make the cutoff somewhere, so here are a few additional men worth noting. The number 1 in our best table tennis players list is a Chinese player, Ma Long. 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. Learn more about available mens tennis scholarships and mens tennis camps in your area. Bjrns impressive career started early at the age of 15 when he represented his country in the 1972 Davis Cup, but he didnt officially turn pro until 1973. Federer is joint top as the player with most Grand Slam titles in the world (20) and is second behind Djokovic in most weeks spent at the World No.1 spot. Roger Federers most significant rivalries in his career are Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. However, winning a Grand Slam in 2014, 2015, and 2016 put him in the top 25. Longevity is another factor to consider. . 2023 by Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). 1. In his short career, Bjorn Borg was able to accomplish a lot. 1 for 270 total weeks through his career. Federer turned pro in 1998, and it didnt take long before his career began to pick up steam. Led by Dick Stockton, who became world No. 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. 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) Chris Evert was born in 1954; she is an American professional tennis player. However, it wasnt until 2000 when Venus would capture her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, one of seven total five at Wimbledon and two at the US Open. Wolf turned professional a little over a year ago in July of 2019. 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. Required fields are marked *. Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield. I am a former college tennis player that competed on a highly successful, top-10 Division I team at the University of Minnesota. One thing is for sure, these types of lists will continue to change as new players emerge. Although it would be a few years before her next Grand Slam title in 2002, Serena has claimed 23 throughout her ongoing career. Norrie finished his collegiate career ranked No. Before retiring in 2020, this talented, beautiful Danish tennis player became the first Scandinavian woman to win big prize money and hold her No. Ken Rosewall. Cameron Norrie | Texas Christian University. 75.9%. Its just a matter of what is weighed most importantly in tennis. 6 in the world, beat Roy Emerson to reach the 63 US Nationals final, where he lost to Osuna. Over the span of his collegiate career, Anderson was named an ITA Singles All-American three times and an ITA Doubles All-American twice. 1. Furthermore, she tied Steffi Grafs record for 186 consecutive weeks at No. It wasnt until 2004 that hed win his first singles ATP title. Billie Jean King is an icon in the tennis world, dominating her field for almost a decade as she won an astonishing 129 titles which included 12 Grand Slams. Top Men's Tennis Programs. He reached the finals of Wimbledon after a marathon semifinals match against John Isner that lasted six hours and 36 minutes the second longest match in Grand Slam history. When I was a young kid and teenager, he was incredible at learning how I learn and making me the . He made his ATP Tour debut reaching the quarterfinals at 2020 Delray Beach. Girons national championship made him the 11th Bruin to win the NCAA Singles title. 1 in the singles and doubles Oracle ITA Rankings. Caroline Wozniacki. M Men W Women. The big reason why thats the case is that Rafael Nadal won them all during his prime. Of course, the point isnt to diminish the value of any players success at the tournament. USC, 1962-1964 Throughout his entire career, Djokovic has had 85 career titles. When she was 9, she moved with her family (including fellow tennis great and sister Venus) to Florida. She has won 23 Grand Slam Titles, 73 career titles, and is by far the best player active today. Titles can be any combination of singles and doubles, so the combined total is the default sorting of the lists.The current top-level events are on the ATP Tour for men and the WTA Tour for women. UCLA, 1971 8 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 4 Australian, 2 French, 2 US Open. Opening Round Complete at the 2023 ITA Division III Womens Indoor 2023 Division III Womens National Team Indoor Championship: Dates, Locations, Streaming, College Tennis In the Community: Teams Give Back In The Month Anthony Montero Named ITA Director of Officiating and General Counsel, Berry College Head Mens and Womens Tennis Coach, John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) at SPORTIME Immediate Tennis Professional/Coach Openings. Stanford, 1973-1974 He had some mild success on other surfaces, but clay courts are where he made his name. 1 womens tennis player in August of 1987, not long after her first Grand Slam title and final appearances in Wimbledon and the US Open. **Stats for active players are current as of November 2021. 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. College Tennis Talk . During his long 24 year career, the most of any male player in our top ten list, he had many accomplishments, but one of his most significant is his 109 titles, the most in the Open Era. His two Grand Slam titles in singles only tell part of the story, as he was able to pick up five more in some form of doubles. In addition to his deep runs in the individual NCAA Championships, Anderson led the Illini to the finals of the team competition in 2007. For most coaches, the recruiting process begins with academics. She also won the Australian Open to start 1993 before a deranged fan stabbed her in April. Vote for the best, vote down any players you don't think deserve a spot up top and of course, feel free to rerank this list however you want. 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. Losing 11 drops him a bit, but he was still a complete player nobody wanted to face in his prime. As a result, its common for competitive singles players to pull back on doubles as they achieve more success because the money isnt as crucial, and there is a desire to conserve energy, protect their health, and improve their longevity. 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). However, as far as Grand Slam titles go, his record-tying 20 include one at the Australian Open, two at Wimbledon, and four at the US Open. Johnson reached No. Read Also: Top 15 Best College Tennis Teams Ever 2022 Ranking. The US Open will be his first tour-level event since resumption of the ATP Tour. For starters here are our top ten men's teams. 18 Basilashvili. McDonald was named an ITA All-American in singles for three straight years. Shes also the second oldest woman behind Serena Williams to have held this position. The team won two titles, in 70 (sans Jimbo) and in 71. Greatest college players of all time. He is one of the few players to achieve the career Golden Slam, meaning that he won all four Grand Slams and Olympic gold. For 12 years the collegiate championships had been Prime Time for LA either USC or UCLA won. Seles started her tennis career early at the age of 14 in 1988, but she officially turned pro the following year, where she won her first title and reached the semi-finals of the French Open, her first Grand Slam tournament. Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Affiliate Disclaimer. In addition to her results in singles, Chris Evert also achieved success in doubles with three Grand Slam titles. He made history winning his second Grand Slam title in 2013, as he broke the long cold streak for British tennis players at Wimbledon. Shop official NCAA team and championship gear . Clarence Mabry would go on to coach a tiny Texas school across the street from the San Antonio Zoo into a fearsome predatory force with a nasty bite. Rod Lavers career is unique because of his success and crossover from amateur to professional and subsequent success during the Open Era. 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. 41 after winning the Auckland title. 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. Throughout her career, she won 43 titles and had a career record of 525-115 for a winning rate of 82%. I won't repeat it but answer the implicit question- it doesn't matter. Regardless of your stance, the weight of specific stats or accomplishments will undoubtedly influence the ranking of players. Compilation of the top singles points from matches featured on this channel during the 2020 college tennis season. 41. Graf earned 22 Grand Slam titles throughout her career, including four at the Australian Open, six at the French Open, seven at Wimbledon, and five at the US Open. Although she was young, she delivered solid performances and made deep runs at several tournaments. 1 and helped the US win the 63 Davis Cup. Proponents of college note that the game has become much more physical in recent years due to advances in racket technology, and, as a result, the average age of the top 100 players is around 27 . Henin saw success immediately on the WTA tour, winning her first tour event as a wildcard at the Belgian Open in Antwerp. In his final season with the Bruins, Maxime Cressy alongside Keegan Smith brought home the 14th NCAA Doubles title in UCLA history. Trinitys 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. Home > Opinion > 10+ Best Tennis Players of All Time, Improve your game alongside our community of tennis players. Book. He came back from two sets down to beat him 36, 26, 64, 75, 75. 21 in the world. 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? Career titles: 42. A great doubles player on top of singles, hes one of the most well-rounded players of his era. Combine that with his dominance as world No. During his career, John McEnroe was also highly successful at the Davis Cup, where he helped revive the United States. However, dig a little deeper, and its surprisingly nuanced, brimming with subjectivity and emotion. Join the conversation with other members of the community. To be clear, we dont perceive one tour as better or worse than the other. Nakashima turned pro ranked No. A few years later, in 1978, Navratilova won her first singles Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, defeating Chris Evert. Serenas first title came in early 1999, and later that year, she also claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open. -These polls use voters to determine the best 25 men's and women's teams in Division I. Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Rankings-Rankings Homepage-The ITA lists the top teams and players in the country at all levels of college tennis. The result earned her a total of 129 titles, 67 that were during the Open Era.