Hed just won the French Open mixed doubles with Mary Carillo, reached the Wimbledon semis, and dazzled during the summer of 77. He goes into the event ranked No. However, winning a Grand Slam in 2014, 2015, and 2016 put him in the top 25. Perhaps most notably, tennis was heavily divided up until the Open Era, which began in 1968. New posts Search forums. 10. Additionally, he holds the record for more wins at 1,274 than any other player in the Open Era. Furthermore, and appeared in the finals of nearly every one of these events except the Wembly Pro in 1963 and won all three events in 1967 a professional Grand Slam. Shed only lose one more match the entire year to Navratilova, going an astounding 75-2 for the year. Newsflash: The Bryans became the best doubles team in history. Coming off his NCAA titles, McDonald was awarded a wildcard into the 2016 US Open. Now let's look at how many weeks each player has been rated the No. 1, and has a more diverse record for Grand Slam events, while Nadals success heavily skews toward clay. 58 and now is Stanfords popular coach. Join the conversation with other members of the community. Roger Federer. 2. But in 72, Trinity enticed USC to come to San Antonio for a dual match, dubbed the Super Bowl of Tennis. Andre Agassi. Of course, the point isnt to diminish the value of any players success at the tournament. Novak Djokovic has won 19 singles Grand Slams and was ranked world number 1 in 2011. 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. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the essential meaning of best as: By definition, the word best is subjective. Furthermore, she helped the United States win eight Fed Cup titles, including six consecutive from 1977-1982. 41. The following year the pair fell just short of repeating their doubles title falling to Middle Tennessee State duo Marco Born and Andreas Siljestrm. 75.9%. Despite that, he managed to win 72 of his 198 titles in the Open Era past the age of 30. Joe is the best Tennis Pro I've ever had. 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. For example, some will believe its more impressive for a player to dominate across various surfaces and add that to the argument for why one player is better than another. She turned pro in 1959 and first competed in the US Open at the age of 15, and although her opponent eliminated her in the first round, she showed great promise. To come to our conclusions and rank the best female tennis players of all time, we performed an in-depth analysis of the games most accomplished female athletes. Serena didnt return to compete again on the professional tour until 1997 when she was 16, and although it was slow going to start the year, she defeated two top 10 players in November. Dad Racket was created exclusively as a one-stop resource to answer all your tennis questions. Nakashima turned pro ranked No. Three collegians with St. Louis connections made their mark on college tennis Chuck McKinley, Arthur Ashe and a feisty fellow named Jimmy Connors. This incredible player started his professional career young and won six of his first major singles at 17. 9. He was part of the winning team in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1992, and 1992. Hailed as the player who changed the way professionals approached their diet, Ivan Lendl had a fruitful decade at the top which saw him collect at least one major per year between 1981 - 1991, winning 8 grand slams in total. Here are the ten best tennis players of all time. 8, and the considerable Brian Gottfried, ,who rose to No. Although its easy to get wrapped up in the accomplishments of current players, most will likely be impressed by what they learn and gain a deeper appreciation for the sport as a whole and the players that helped shape it. He held a 15-4 singles record and a perfect 26-0 doubles record. UCLAs Arthur Ashe and Charlie Pasarell were the most impactful roomies in tennis history. 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. Trinity, 1962-1965 Chuck McKinley, Cliff Buchholz, Frank Froehling. Vernon Gholston, the powerhouse defensive end, easily claims the title. Stanford, 1998 Bob and Mike Bryan, Ryan Wolters, Paul Goldstein, Alex Kim, At Wimbledon we asked Bradley Klahn, Whats the best college team of all time? He blurted out, Its got to be the Stanford team with the Bryans and Paul Goldstein that only lost three points all year. 1; 2; First Prev 2 of 2 Go to page. However, she didnt officially turn pro until 1975, when she was runner up at the Australian Open and French Open. In 1980, he became world No. Jason Jung spent four years playing for the University of Michigan where he finished ranked fourth in career doubles wins and third for most doubles wins by a freshman. 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. 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. Right off the bat, he was seeing success and making deep runs into some of the worlds biggest tournaments, including the French Open and Wimbledon. Serena is not just force when playing individually. Not having the same amount of success at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open probably contributes to him not getting some of the recognition he rightly deserves. Greatest college players of all time. 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. I created a custom vibration dampener thats compatible with all racquets and string patterns. But something happened in the last 20 years. Never again would such a tiny school achieve so much. 1 in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings. The number 1 in our best table tennis players list is a Chinese player, Ma Long. 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. Please try logging back in or call customer support at 1-800-990-8782 for assistance. Beyond his success in singles, its also worth noting his accomplishments in doubles, where he had 78 titles, an 87.7% win record, and ranked No. However, this list is based more on how players fared against the competition, as well as their overall play. Shes also the second oldest woman behind Serena Williams to have held this position. Tennis Channel/USTA College Tennis Top 25. Unfortunately, that would be the only two career Grand Slams for him. Ivan Lendl. Career titles: 42. Djokovic is younger than the players #2 and #3 players on the list, and the most likely to add Grand Slams to his rsum. A great doubles player on top of singles, hes one of the most well-rounded players of his era. However, in 1924, the Olympics dropped tennis due to disagreements between the International Olympic Committee and International Lawn Tennis Federation. These unique accomplishments certainly add weight to a players bid for consideration as one of the best players. UCLA, 1965-1966 Charlie Pasarell, Arthur Ashe, Ian Crookenden. She played her final singles match in 1983 at the Australian Open. If youre looking through the mens singles draw for the 2020 US Open, you might come across some former collegiate mens players 14 to be exact. WTA Tour-WTA Homepage-See which former college tennis student-athletes are in the women's professional . 2023 by Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). It was the most selfless team Ive hadIt was probably the best team in recent history. The top four players would alternate playing No. The argument is that no single player controls the outcome of a given doubles match, let alone a teams performance throughout an entire tournament. Since then, Court racked up more Grand Slam titles than any player in history male or female. On the other hand, others dont believe that while a players performance in doubles is interesting, it shouldnt have a bearing on a players consideration for the greatest of all time. He was most recently in the Australian Open quarterfinals. 1 in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings a first for the program. For 12 years the collegiate championships had been Prime Time for LA either USC or UCLA won. 11 - Boris Becker. What's new. By the time he was 21 years old, he already had a U.S. Open and Wimbledon title to his name. Its worth noting she also competed during a period where many players didnt compete as often in the Australian Open. Longevity is another factor to consider. USC, 1962-1964 Dennis Ralston, Rafael Osuna, Bill Bond, Tom Edlefsen, Ramsey Earnhart, Chuck Rombeau. Before the Bryans, the Woodies, and Mac and Fleming, there was Stan Smith and Stanford transfer Bob Lutz. Not only did Mackenzie McDonald etch his name in the UCLA record books he left his mark on the NCAAs as well. 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) Chris Evert was born in 1954; she is an American professional tennis player. He won it in 1974 and reached the finals in 1975, so he certainly missed out on some golden opportunities. Serena Williams. He currently sits ranked No. Without a doubt, Kings most successful years were from 1966 to 1975. 3. He has proven his talent for over 20 years and is still competing at the very highest level. Federer: 11. 6. It wasnt until 2004 that hed win his first singles ATP title. Many will argue that of the top players, head-to-head performance should carry significant weight. UCLA, 1970-1971 Jimmy Connors, Jeff Borowiak, Haroon Rahim. So let's get started! In 2012 he won the silver in London, and in 2008 he won the Gold in Beijing. 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. This article lists the tennis players who have won the most tour-level professional tournament titles since the Open Era began in 1968. Like Rod Laver, Ken Rosewell came along when the Open Era was just beginning. Gould gave him space, and still says Mac was one of the most supportive team players hes ever had. For example, if player A competes later in their career against player B, whos younger, and most of their matches happen toward the end of player As career, player B arguably has a significant advantage. Stanford, 1978 John McEnroe, Matt Mitchell, Bill Maze, Peter Rennert, Lloyd Bourne. Bob won the singles championship yet he was only their No. Winning Ugly by Brad Gilbert, Steve Jamison. During that match he didnt drop a set. Below youll find our selection, along with some data points that highlight why these female tennis players deserve to make our list. Since leaving Fort Worth, Norrie has reached as high as No. However, in 2005, he earned his first Grand Slam singles title, winning the French Open to wrap up a dominant clay-court season and becoming one of only two male players to win the French Open on his first attempt. The result earned her a total of 129 titles, 67 that were during the Open Era. Its challenging enough to reach reasonable conclusions on the best players without mixing the ATP and WTA tour. 220. 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. "When I was coming up, the years between 18 and 22, there were a lot of girls who were breaking into the Top 100, Top 50, and Top 10, so I knew those were kind of the peak years. Leaving his mark on the college tennis landscape in 2010, Bradley Klahn etched his name in Stanford mens tennis history when he captured the 2010 NCAA Singles Championship. He broke the top 100 following a run to the Lyon semifinals in 2018. In 1971, Goolagong managed to reach the world No. Trinitys No. "Playing college tennis, no, but going to university after tennis, yes, that was always the plan," Dabrowski said. In addition to the NCAA national championships his senior year, Kwiatkowski helped Virginia to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. They were so good that when, in an Arizona windstorm, they lost their one doubles point of the year, the usually benign Gould let er rip. However, she was denied the opportunity by the WTA due to age restrictions. For starters here are our top ten mens teams. 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. After qualifying at ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati, Wolf reached a career high ranking of 143. Throughout their careers, the two played 34 times, and Sampras won 20 of those matches. 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. 1. Each is worth considering when ranking players. The US Open will be his first tour-level event since resumption of the ATP Tour. Over the span of his collegiate career, Anderson was named an ITA Singles All-American three times and an ITA Doubles All-American twice. Even though he never won Wimbledon, he did win the Australian Open when it was on the grass. The US Open will be Jungs first tour-level event since the resumption of the ATP Tour. For example, suppose Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic never showed up in tennis. 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. 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. Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Affiliate Disclaimer. When evaluating the best tennis players ever, some people believe its necessary to consider a players ability to compete in doubles because its an essential discipline that the sport has to offer. The NCAA tennis championships began in 1883 on the courts of a Hartford insane asylum. During that year, she also managed to help Belgium win the Fed Cup. J.J. Wolf was a force to be reckoned with for the Buckeyes. Connors won the singles in 71. The men's tennis team has won 12 Big Ten Championships and has made eight All-Americans, 23 NCAA singles appearances, and 11 NCAA doubles appearances. Lutz won the NCAA singles in 67, but lost the 68 final to Smith. These character traits, when combined, will produce exceptional, top-tier results, as evidenced by the accomplishments of the coaches and their tennis programs. Stanford, 1973-1974 He became the first African-American to win a Grand Slam title on the mens side, and his activism off of the court makes him a legend. He used his size and athleticism to get to the net, and that helped him win six Grand Slams. Jan 9, 2013 . In addition to his Grand Slam success, Federer has claimed 103 ATP titles, the most ever behind Jimmy Connors in the Open Era. Connors also holds eight Grand Slam titles, with one at the Australian Open, two at Wimbledon, and record-tying five at the US Open. Now decades after his passing, he still remains one of the biggest faces for the fight against AIDS. Heres the beauty of college tennis a supremely individual sport becomes a wonderful team endeavor. She is the only player in history to win nine titles at Wimbledon. Hes another guy who had an outstanding doubles career, but his singles alone made him a Hall of Famer. 1. 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. *Please note that not all the stats included above are relevant for consideration as the best player ever. 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. However, with such great emphasis placed on Grand Slams when considering the greatest players of all time, its worthy of reference and consideration. Keep reading for a list of the 10 best American female tennis players of all time. 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. He was twice a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 1960 and 1961, reaching as high as World No. In-depth Resources Do we believe player A holding the number one ranking for 20 more weeks is more valuable than player Bs five additional titles? USC was led by Steve Johnson, who won 72 straight matches, was ranked No. 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. Tennis Strategy by Grant Grinnell. John Whitlinger, Jim Delaney and Chico Hagey (who a few weeks earlier had been Stanfords No. 1. It wasnt that the professionals werent as talented, far from it. Given enough time, another player will come along that does what many now believe to be impossible. 1 ranking for the first time in 1968. At the end of his collegiate career, Koepfer held the singles season winning percentage record and was second in career singles wins and career overall wins. Read our weekly recap of the 5 most interesting things we dig up in tennis. Brandon Nakashima | University of Virginia. Her Grand Slam titles include 11 at the Australian Open, five at the French Open, three at Wimbledon, and five at the US Open totaling 24. Visit the following rankings sites to find out. 10. Grass. Federer owns 15 more titles, over 100 extra weeks as world No. Shed claim four additional titles at the Australian Open and another her final at Wimbledon again in 1980. 5/21/2021. However, dig a little deeper, and its surprisingly nuanced, brimming with subjectivity and emotion. Outside of singles, Serena has had a successful career in doubles, primarily competing with her sister. Steffi is right-handed with a one-handed backhand and our pick for the greatest female tennis player ever. Menu. By mistake, the kid was sent a tennis racket. Ten years ago . 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. Read Also: Top 15 Best College Tennis Teams Ever 2022 Ranking. Amazingly, at UCLA, Jimbo often played No. 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 . Wolf started his career with OSU as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and ended it as the Big Ten Player of the Year. Similarly, all of his Wimbledon titles were consecutive from 1976 -1980. 7) all stepped up at USCs new tennis center to take Stanfords first title, in what would become a dynastic run of 17 championships. Seles claimed her final Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 1996 and was a successful player until 2003, although her official retirement didnt come until 2008. As the game started to evolve, Stephen Edberg still heavily relied on the serve and volley. -The ITA lists the top teams and players in the country at all levels of college tennis. Steve Johnson | University of Southern California. Smith, the Leaning Tower of Pasadena, went on to win Wimbledon and the US Open and become No. 21 in the world. She also won a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Syndey, Australia. During his career, John McEnroe was also highly successful at the Davis Cup, where he helped revive the United States. 6 in Lance Tingay's amateur rankings. Here are D1baseball.com's picks for the best college baseball players of the 64-Team/Super Regional Era. She holds 14 Grand Slam titles in doubles and two in mixed doubles. As reigning NCAA Singles champion, he made a tour-level debut at the 2010 US Open as a wildcard. Not surprisingly, the 78 team had some feisty moments. Borgs career was relatively short, especially compared to many other tennis players on our list. He came back from two sets down to beat him 36, 26, 64, 75, 75. There are tennis fans who sometimes forget just how dominant Jim Courier was during his prime. They promptly lost, but the team went 24-0 and won the national championship, and Mac won the singles. 1 for the first time, which became one of the most dominant seasons of any player in history. Although theres certainly nothing wrong with the exercise, weve decided to maintain two separate lists. In 65, even without Pasarell, the Bruins broke USCs three-year stranglehold on the championships. 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. 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. Photo Credit: @Wimbledon. When there are significant gaps in achievements from one player to the next, its easier for people to agree on which player is the best. Just like last year, Daevenia can again call herself the best Dutch college tennis player this year. 1 through 4 and gladly made sacrifices for a team that went 28-0 and scored 26 shutouts. The Top Ten. Quinn Meinerz. Furthermore, the surface can play a huge role in a players success against another. Despite that, she did compete in a professional tournament that year but didnt perform well. Trinity turned tenniss California dream into a nightmare. Koepfer broke into the Top 100 after his US Open run he was one of six former collegiate players who finished inside the Top 100 in 2019. Serenas first title came in early 1999, and later that year, she also claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open. 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. The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey. The Australian finished his career with five Grand Slams, but is often overlooked by some of the greater players from his country. He would then win another Wimbledon title in 2016. Toley said he could put together a third team that would win this thing 50 percent of the time. In one match they beat UCLA, with Arthur Ashe and Charlie Pasarell, 9-0. 10. He made history winning his second Grand Slam title in 2013, as he broke the long cold streak for British tennis players at Wimbledon. 1 and 2 in singles and doubles, and won back-to-back singles titles in 11 and 12. Another area where its challenging to compare players is how heavily to weigh individual stats. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT, University of California - Los Angeles - UCLA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, 2002-2023 NCSA College Recruiting All Rights Reserved. One might argue these experiences give extra weight to their already impressive accomplishments. Also explosive were the results: They were NCAA champions. . In 1968, the Open Era began, which allowed professional players to compete in Grand Slam events. John McEnroe Tennis Academy at SPORTIME Randall's Island. Toward the end of 2003, Henin managed to find her way to the world No. **Stats for active players are current as of November 2021. However, Evert posted a handful of impressive results as early as 1970 while competing as a junior, including a win over world No. 5. In the heart of the Depression, a hard-working Paris, Texas boy earned a bicycle from the Saturday Evening Post. Men and women dont compete against each other in singles. Evert is the only female tennis player to have won seven titles at the French Open. Stefi Graf retired from professional tennis in 1999 and earned her spot in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. But they faced off in a dicey semi against each other in the NCAA championships and then had to play doubles together. In 1993, Sampras reached the world No. Moreover, the Dutch is in place #59 of the best college tennis players of the moment, her highest ranking ever. Novak Djokovic has held the No. 1 ranking for the first time, a position she held briefly throughout her career for a total of eleven weeks. For starters, many players compete in doubles for the extra prize money. 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. 5. 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. Stanford, 1973-1974 Sandy Mayer, Pat DuPre, Jim Delaney, John Whitlinger. 6. In 1986, she won her first tournament defeating Chris Evert, one of the most dominant players at the time. A three-time All-American and one of . In 1998, she won her first WTA tournament, which she followed up with a few additional titles that year. A few years later, in 1978, Navratilova won her first singles Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, defeating Chris Evert. She has won 23 Grand Slam Titles, 73 career titles, and is by far the best player active today. List of the best men's tennis players from 2000s, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. Arguably the best tennis player of all time, Roger Federer has done it all. 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. 1 ranking, which she held for 117 weeks throughout her career. 4. He will be seeking his first tour-level win at the Open. Jimmy Connors reached the world No. World number 1 ranked male tennis players. In some cases, this may be true, but as weve discovered, it becomes somewhat nuanced and isnt always cut and dry. The winner of three Wimbledon championships, he finished his career with six Grand Slams overall. HONORABLE MENTIONS: Over the years there have been many fantastic teams. During his junior, and final, season in Columbus, Wolf posted a singles record of 35-2 which included an undefeated 11-0 record in conference play. In total, she holds the most overall Grand Slam titles of any player at 64. After going 21-1 at the No. Djokovic also leads in Masters titles, and has the greatest finals win percentage. He only won five Grand Slams, but thats because he was playing right during the start of the Open Era. To that end, here are a few additional women that didnt make the top ten, but we felt worth mentioning. 1 ranking in 1974, his strongest year on tour, and held the top spot for a total of 268 weeks.