Her breakout year was in 1997, when she made it deep into a few tournaments, including the finals of the US Open, where she lost to Martina Hingis. Writer Frank Deford suggested Toleys fellow coaches might well consider scheduling a separate tournament of their own at that asylum in Hartford., 2. Isner left Athens holding the school records for career singles, career doubles, and career combined wins. 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. Top 100 College Football Players Of All Time Quiz - By forrestsancomb. Born November 22, 1943, in America, Billie Jean King has had a tremendous impact on the sport during and after her retirement. For more information on the NCSA Power Rankings, visit our press kit or email us. Koepfer also became the first Tulane player to be ranked No. . 10 - Jimmy Connors. Then again, insanity has never stopped us before. Hottest Female Athletes. Combine that with his dominance as world No. Hes shown that he can play on other services as well, picking up a Grand Slam at the other three a total of eight times. As a senior he got it right he beat Fred Stolle to win Wimbledon without dropping a set. In 1984, he had a stellar year with his only finals appearance at the French Open and titles at Wimbledon and the US Open. However, there are players who make winning Grand Slams a habit and win numerous titles at prestigious events. Now, hes on tour and will play in the US Open this week. Furthermore, not all titles are equal. Of course, we had to make the cutoff somewhere, so here are a few additional men worth noting. Visit the following rankings sites to find out. Thread starter Clemson_tennis; Start date May 28, 2012; Prev. John McEnroe Tennis Academy at SPORTIME Randall's Island. 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. She holds three Gold medals in doubles with her sister Venus and earned a singles gold at the 2012 London Olympics. Potential student-athletes must meet minimum standards or benchmarks for acceptance into their particular school, with GPA, SAT scores, ACT scores taken into account. Hopefully, the combination helps explain why we ranked players as we did while providing a jumping-off point for future debate. 1 the most ever. Hes very close, and having 20 Grand Slams to his name will keep his name in the discussion for quite a while. ranking, but despite her success, she only held that post for two weeks throughout her career. He holds the joint-record for the most grand slams in history and has consistently dominated the court since he turned pro in 1998. Despite the wound healing relatively quickly, the attack took its toll on Seles, who didnt return to the tour until 1995, resulting in her missing ten Grand Slam events during that time. Ten years ago . Connors also holds eight Grand Slam titles, with one at the Australian Open, two at Wimbledon, and record-tying five at the US Open. 120. Do we believe player A holding the number one ranking for 20 more weeks is more valuable than player Bs five additional titles? When I was a young kid and teenager, he was incredible at learning how I learn and making me the . He closed out his career with USC on a 72 match win streak. During the summer, Venus also claimed her first and only singles gold medal at the Olympics in Sydney. Book. A Wimbledon finalist while at USC, he was ranked as high as No. Djokovic turned pro in 2003. 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. Agassi was well known for his rivalry against all-time great Pete Sampras. 37 in the world. Its relatively easy to identify who deserves to be near the top of the list for the best male tennis players of all time. 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. He was named the ITA National Player of the Year and an ITA Singles All-American for the second consecutive year. 7. However, he never managed to win the French Open, where his best result was a semi-final appearance in 1996. Andre Agassi. He has 98 career titles and 20 Grand Slam Singles Title including 8 Wimbledon, 6 Australian Open, 5 US Open, and . However, we removed a lot of nuances when we broke the two out and therefore decided to rank men separately from women. 17 in singles and No. 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. Although he competed at the French Open and Wimbledon in 1977, McEnroe officially turned pro in 1978. Furthermore, Federer has six year-end championship titles to his name, while Nadal has none. 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. However, this list is based more on how players fared against the competition, as well as their overall play. Stefen Edberg. Wolf turned professional a little over a year ago in July of 2019. She followed up those results with an excellent 2007, where she won the French Open for the third consecutive year and the US Open. He was named the ACC Freshman of the Year becoming only the 6th Cavalier to earn the honor in the programs history. Ivan Lendl. She also appeared in five finals, where her opponent defeated her. 18 Basilashvili. Throughout her career, she won 43 titles and had a career record of 525-115 for a winning rate of 82%. Together with her sister, Venus, they have won 14 Grand Slam Doubles titles, and have been dominating the tennis . Career titles: 42. Please try logging back in or call customer support at 1-800-990-8782 for assistance. He started playing professional tennis in 1998 and was dominating the sport after defeating Andre Agassi at the US Open in 2005. McDonald was named an ITA All-American in singles for three straight years. He won it in 1974 and reached the finals in 1975, so he certainly missed out on some golden opportunities. In addition to her gold medal in the 1988 Olympics, she earned a bronze in doubles that year. After Margaret Court, who is the greatest female tennis player of all time with 64 Grand Slam titles (24 in singles, 19 in doubles and 21 in mixed doubles), the second greatest female tennis player of all time is Martina Navratilova, who has 59 Grand Slam titles (18 in singles, 31 in doubles, and 10 in mixed doubles). . 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. However, she remained competitive through her later years, even becoming the oldest player on the WTA tour to win a title at 39. 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. 57 after reaching the third round in Barcelona in 2019. The greatest tennis player of all time is Roger Federer. 9 - John McEnroe. Sampras would claim five total US Open titles, two Australian Open titles, and seven Wimbledon titles for a total of 13 Grand Slam victories. She played a limited schedule for the following two years but accumulated a few solid wins, including her first top 20 victory in 1995. Here are D1baseball.com's picks for the best college baseball players of the 64-Team/Super Regional Era. The 2020 US Open will be Kwiatkowskis first tour-level event since the resumption of the ATP Tour. Hes another guy who had an outstanding doubles career, but his singles alone made him a Hall of Famer. Fourteen Former Mens Collegiate Players in US Open Singles Draw. 5 player Peter Rennert would reach No. Swiss player Roger Federer, the greatest player of all time is easily justifiable. Home > Opinion > 10+ Best Tennis Players of All Time, Improve your game alongside our community of tennis players. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. 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. 1 ranking for 67 consecutive weeks, which is quite an achievement. Stanford, 1998 Not surprisingly, the 78 team had some feisty moments. Rodrigues Finishes as NCAA Singles Runner-Up. USC, 1967-1968 I have actually included 11 players here with two greats tied for the 10th position. However, at this stage in his career, Djokovic is particularly unique in that he continues to dominate and remain healthy, which means hes only going to extend his results and further cement his position as the greatest player ever to live. However, adversity comes in all shapes and sizes. Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield. The official rankings page for college tennis including teams, singles and doubles. This question a few years ago was Federer and Federer only, but now he has company. Caroline Wozniacki. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. That is until the big three came along. Herschel Walker #2. Tennis Strategy by Grant Grinnell. However, with such great emphasis placed on Grand Slams when considering the greatest players of all time, its worthy of reference and consideration. Although it would be a few years before her next Grand Slam title in 2002, Serena has claimed 23 throughout her ongoing career. For 12 years the collegiate championships had been Prime Time for LA either USC or UCLA won. In his final season with the Bruins, Maxime Cressy alongside Keegan Smith brought home the 14th NCAA Doubles title in UCLA history. 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. 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. Despite his success, he had a unique relationship with the slams. Born on June 14, 2969, Steffi Graf is a German tennis player. Three collegians with St. Louis connections made their mark on college tennis Chuck McKinley, Arthur Ashe and a feisty fellow named Jimmy Connors. These character traits, when combined, will produce exceptional, top-tier results, as evidenced by the accomplishments of the coaches and their tennis programs. In the so-called open era of tennis, which began in 1968, players from 20 different nations won a Grand Slam title. 3 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Each is worth considering when ranking players. 1 for the first time, and she was able to maintain that position for a total of 221 weeks throughout her career. Furthermore, Federer has notched 1,251 match wins with a winning rate of 81.98%. She was also highly accomplished in doubles with 16 womens and 11 mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. When it comes to the Olympics, Serena is also highly accomplished. Its a crucial factor because the sport is constantly changing and evolving. 1. 41. Stanford, 1978 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. Johnson reached No. However, as those achievements narrow, its natural for individuals to introduce their opinion on various factors that should carry more weight making it more challenging for consensus. Its perfectly fine to say that Roger Federer is the best tennis player of all time. 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. On the ATP Tour, Tennys has achieved a career-high of No. Nadal: 8. 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. Although she was young, she delivered solid performances and made deep runs at several tournaments. Until the 1980s, very few top players attended the tournament due to Australias remote location, low prize money and prestige, and schedule, which fell around the holidays. In team competition, Serena helped the United States to a win in 1999 at the Fed Cup. Finally, how convincing of a defeat over a player throughout their head-to-head meetups might be worth considering. Without a doubt, shes one of the greatest female tennis players ever. Before this year, professional tennis players who played tennis for money werent allowed to compete in many of the biggest tennis tournaments, including the Grand Slam events. 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. During her career, Seles won 53 titles and ended with a winning record of 595-122. First, the age and timing of head-to-head matchups can significantly influence the eventual record between two players. Henin saw success immediately on the WTA tour, winning her first tour event as a wildcard at the Belgian Open in Antwerp. His performances in 2015 and 2021 were equally impressive on many levels, both years earning three Grand Slam titles. The Australian reached #1 at a very young age, and his overall career success started younger than most players in general. Throughout her career, she held that ranking for a total of 332 weeks, second only to Stefi Graf. 5 ranking. Graf became the worlds No. Below youll find our selection, along with some data points that highlight why these female tennis players deserve to make our list. He finished with 14 Grand Slams and 64 career titles, and he was nearly impossible to beat on grass courts and very fast hard courts. Goolagong was also proficient in doubles with six Grand Slam victories and helped her country win three Fed Cup titles in 1971, 1973, and 1974. Johnson has finished the past six seasons ranked in the Top 100. 1. 1 for the first time, a position he held for a total of 170 weeks throughout his career. Archie Griffin #3. 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) Chris Evert was born in 1954; she is an American professional tennis player. Menu. Born: April 29, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada; Net worth: $145 Million Serena Williams career continues, but injuries have hampered her success and the frequency that she competes. Just a couple of decades ago, many labeled Pete Sampras as the greatest tennis player of all time. These days, the Olympics hold quite a bit of significance related to a players overall success and perception. 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%. USC, 2011-2013. The Ohio State University. During the 2019 US Open, he reached the fourth round after upsetting No. In total, Nadal has claimed an unprecedented 13 French Open titles. 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. 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. George Toleys 62-64 USC teams werent exactly that. For starters here are our top ten men's teams. 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. 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. While still at USC, he managed to win three doubles Grand Slams and reach two other Slam finals. Before retiring in 2020, this talented, beautiful Danish tennis player became the first Scandinavian woman to win big prize money and hold her No. Tennis Channel/USTA College Tennis Top 25. 1 and 2 in singles and doubles, and won back-to-back singles titles in 11 and 12. I created a custom vibration dampener thats compatible with all racquets and string patterns. Ma Long. Margaret Court retired in 1977 and earned a spot in the International Tennis Hall of fame in 1979. That statistic would show how consistently the . Outside of singles, Navratilova has one of the most impressive doubles careers in history. Trinity, 1972 Dick Stockton, Brian Gottfried, Bob McKinley. 1 in the world, but was only No. References. However, despite significant success over the next few years, King didnt win her first Grand Slam title until 1966 at Wimbledon. The team they beat Earnhart and Bond were also Trojans. 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. Andre Agassi turned pro in 1986 at the age of 16 and, in two short years, rocketed to a ranking of world No. Jimmy Connors. In the fall of his senior season, Isner won the ITA All-American Doubles Championships and the ITA National Indoor Doubles Championships. In 1962, Margaret Court achieved a career-high ranking of world No. The left-hander could spin the ball anywhere, and had put-away volleys that were unseen at the time. They almost won the 72 NCAAs. USC, 1962-1964 Cressys senior season was outstanding. Bjrn Borg resides in Monte Carlo, Monaco, but was born in Sweden on June 6, 1956. 1. He has proven his talent for over 20 years and is still competing at the very highest level. Theres no doubt that Gustavo Kuerten deserves mention on this list, but he is a specialist for the most part. Grass. 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. In 65, even without Pasarell, the Bruins broke USCs three-year stranglehold on the championships. Many will argue that of the top players, head-to-head performance should carry significant weight. In-depth Resources List of the best men's tennis players from 2000s, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. 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. Thai-Son Kwiatkowski | University of Virginia. After qualifying at ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati, Wolf reached a career high ranking of 143. 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. Laver had the distinction of the greatest tennis player of all time at one point, but the way tennis changed from a playing and business perspective hurt him. Everyone else, I believe, would benefit greatly from . 1 for 270 total weeks through his career. Another area where its challenging to compare players is how heavily to weigh individual stats. 4. 4. Despite his record against Nadal, I give Federer the edge in my list of the all-time best tennis players for a few reasons. Vernon Gholston - 6'3, 260 lbs. Like Evert, Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including three at the Australian Open, two at the French Open, nine at Wimbledon, and four at the US Open. In 2011, he was selected as a member of the USTA Summer Collegiate Team along with his teammate Rhyne Williams. $15 million. The Outsider by Jimmy Connors. What's new. ITA. In addition to her results in singles, Chris Evert also achieved success in doubles with three Grand Slam titles. With that in mind, let's take a sneak peak at the top 25 South American players of all time! He was twice a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 1960 and 1961, reaching as high as World No. Roger Federer. Each of the 14 left a legacy at their school and in the greater scope of college tennis. He is currently ranked No. Ralston was the best American player of the early 60s and led the US to 63 Davis Cup glory. For all those reasons, this is a justifiable choice. Furthermore, she contested 14 Grand Slam finals, where she was the runner-up. In 2002, Venus ascended to the world No. After advancing to the 2018 Wimbledon finals, Anderson reached a career-high No. Connors won the singles in 71. 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