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. The Bruin was named an ITA All-American in singles and doubles. To that end, here are a few additional women that didnt make the top ten, but we felt worth mentioning. In 2002, he turned professional at the age of 15, and he quickly began posting results. Andre Agassi is one of the best tennis players of all time, capturing the hearts of fans with his flamboyance, fierce competitiveness, and pure. However, throughout his career, Sampras got the best of him. In 1974, Chris Evert claimed her first Grand Slam victories at the Fench Open and Wimbledon, which sparked a 13-year string where she won at least one Grand Slam event for a total of 18, which no other player has accomplished since. Between 2004-2008 he was number one for a . And college tennis has changed so drastically that it's insane to try to come up with an all-time collegiate top 10. 7. He was twice a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 1960 and 1961, reaching as high as World No. 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. He finished his collegiate career ranked No. 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. Without a doubt, Kings most successful years were from 1966 to 1975. Wolf turned professional a little over a year ago in July of 2019. He liked to play from the baseline and go for big shots, even when most of tennis was still serving and volleying. 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. 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. 6. As reigning NCAA Singles champion, he made a tour-level debut at the 2010 US Open as a wildcard. 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. A bit of a late bloomer, Wimbledon has been his only weak Grand Slam of his career. Connors also holds eight Grand Slam titles, with one at the Australian Open, two at Wimbledon, and record-tying five at the US Open. In-depth Resources 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. Ivan Lendl. In his final season, he was named the Big 12 Player of the Year another first for the program. Overall, his list of accomplishments is beyond impressive, and for years, it looked as if no one would ever come close to matching his success on the court. Born November 22, 1943, in America, Billie Jean King has had a tremendous impact on the sport during and after her retirement. She holds the fifth-most career titles of any woman in the Open Era at 73 and has a record 855-152 in matches for a win rate of 84.9%. A Wimbledon finalist while at USC, he was ranked as high as No. . He broke the top 100 following a run to the Lyon semifinals in 2018. I am a former college tennis player that competed on a highly successful, top-10 Division I team at the University of Minnesota. A great doubles player on top of singles, hes one of the most well-rounded players of his era. Mac and Bill Maze were the best doubles team in the country. 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 for the first time, which he retained for 109 weeks throughout his career. 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. *Please note that not all the stats included above are relevant for consideration as the best player ever. In 1977, Borg reached the world No. Chris Evert was once known for 1,309 appearances, a record number. You have entered an incorrect email address! The greatest tennis player of all time is Roger Federer. 3. 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 was first ranked No. She also made it to 11 other Grand Slam finals, where her opponent defeated her. Photo Credit: @Wimbledon. However, this list is based more on how players fared against the competition, as well as their overall play. (Skip to the end of the article to view our top 10 list if you have want to save time). USC was led by Steve Johnson, who won 72 straight matches, was ranked No. 6 in Lance Tingay's amateur rankings. He is certainly the best player ever on clay court, as his 14 French Open titles are likely never to be touched. Koepfer also became the first Tulane player to be ranked No. He finished with 11 Grand Slams, and was the first to dominate the French Open and Wimbledon in the Open Era. Before there was the King of Clay in Rafael Nadal, Thomas Muster held the distinction in the 1990s. Lastly, if a player is consistently engaging in competitive matches and sometimes beating players in the top 300 (in tournament play, not practice) in the ATP or WTA rankings, then they may be ready physically, mentally and technically to play professional tennis on a full time basis. She was also highly accomplished in doubles with 16 womens and 11 mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. List of the best men's tennis players from 2000s, listed by popularity with photos of the players when available. Impressively, Evert was also the runner-up at 16 Grand Slams. 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. In 2006, Henin was everywhere, making it to the finals of every Grand Slam tournament but only coming up with a win at the French Open. 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. By mistake, the kid was sent a tennis racket. Cressy will make his tour-level singles debut at the 2020 US Open. The last comment and 13 other comment(s) need to be approved. 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. George Toleys 62-64 USC teams werent exactly that. The left-hander could spin the ball anywhere, and had put-away volleys that were unseen at the time. Depending on a players ranking, that extra cash can be crucial. 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. Somewhat surprisingly, tennis didnt make it back into the Olympics until 1988, 64 years later. First, he only played the Australian open twice throughout his entire career. Perhaps this is a bit low for some, but its very hard to compare eras that are so far apart. 7 in the world, and the injured Pat Dupre, who reached the 79 Wimbledon semis, were out. During the 2019 US Open, he reached the fourth round after upsetting No. Newsflash: The Bryans became the best doubles team in history. Thats why some people will put him third. Jeremy on May 15, 2020: Ashe won the singles, and then the doubles with Ian Crookenden. The King of Clay is thought of by some as the greatest tennis player of all time. He didnt have as long of a prime and some of the others on this list, but he could beat anyone in a single match. For starters, many players compete in doubles for the extra prize money. 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. 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. It doesnt make accomplishments from years past less impressive, relevant, or important, but its a factor that we should weigh when making comparisons. During her career, Seles won 53 titles and ended with a winning record of 595-122. 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. 1 in the singles and doubles Oracle ITA Rankings. Definitely. 1 ranking for the first time in 1968. Its relatively easy to identify who deserves to be near the top of the list for the best male tennis players of all time. Born on June 17, 1980, in California, Venus Williams is an American tennis player whos achieved considerable success in her long career on the WTA tour. 1 ranking in February 2004 and has held that ranking for a total of 310 weeks 237 of which were consecutive weeks where he was virtually unbeatable. Heading into the US Open, Isner is ranked No. In addition to his Grand Slam success, Federer has claimed 103 ATP titles, the most ever behind Jimmy Connors in 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. 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. Throughout her career, she held that ranking for a total of 332 weeks, second only to Stefi Graf. Keep reading for a list of the 10 best American female tennis players of all time. Finally, how convincing of a defeat over a player throughout their head-to-head meetups might be worth considering. Quinn Meinerz. In his final season with the Bruins, Maxime Cressy alongside Keegan Smith brought home the 14th NCAA Doubles title in UCLA history. 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. Serena Williams career continues, but injuries have hampered her success and the frequency that she competes. 11 - Boris Becker. Despite that, she did compete in a professional tournament that year but didnt perform well. 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. Answer (1 of 21): A lot of people have answered some technical aspects. He holds the joint-record for the most grand slams in history and has consistently dominated the court since he turned pro in 1998. Some of the most famous players under his tutelage include Ken McGregor . He won 8 Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal, spent 101 weeks as the world number one, and received over $31 million in . In 65, even without Pasarell, the Bruins broke USCs three-year stranglehold on the championships. The game has changed so much throughout the years, making it virtually impossible to make direct comparisons. Although identifying the challenges doesnt remove subjectivity, it allows us to keep those factors in mind and ensures we weigh them accordingly when establishing a ranking. This is where he could get a good look at every single return, and dictate points even as the returner. 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) Chris Evert was born in 1954; she is an American professional tennis player. In the so-called open era of tennis, which began in 1968, players from 20 different nations won a Grand Slam title. Never again would such a tiny school achieve so much. Shes also the second oldest woman behind Serena Williams to have held this position. 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. 9 - John McEnroe. USC, 1967-1968 In 1896, the inaugural Olympics took place, and tennis was an official sport. Born on March 7, 1960, in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, Ivan Lendl had an impressive career that began in 1978 when he turned pro. The Australian reached #1 at a very young age, and his overall career success started younger than most players in general. The greatest male tennis player of all time is Roger Federer. 7. She holds three Gold medals in doubles with her sister Venus and earned a singles gold at the 2012 London Olympics. Frazier Tommy #4. 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. 120. Stanfords young 95 team included Jeff Salzenstein, Scott Humphries and Paul Goldstein, who like Steve Johnson, played on four championship teams. The Serbian greatest tennis player Novak Djokovic is ranked 2nd in the list of greatest tennis players of all time. Birthplace: Chennai, India. Tennis. Shed only lose one more match the entire year to Navratilova, going an astounding 75-2 for the year. Federer: 11. He won the 1995 French Open, but he dominated in plenty of tournaments on clay courts as well. Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield. Ramanathan Krishnan. Rod Lavers career is unique because of his success and crossover from amateur to professional and subsequent success during the Open Era. 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 . Arguably the best tennis player of all time, Roger Federer has done it all. UCLAs Arthur Ashe and Charlie Pasarell were the most impactful roomies in tennis history. 1. He claimed three Grand Slams and five ATP Masters titles with significant wins against his two biggest rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the essential meaning of best as: By definition, the word best is subjective. For of the French Open titles were back to back from 1978 1981. Tennis Strategy by Grant Grinnell. Furthermore, the surface can play a huge role in a players success against another. Combine that with his dominance as world No. Connors won the singles in 71. Required fields are marked *. Heading into the 2020 US Open, McDonald is ranked No. 1 for 270 total weeks through his career. ***Title totals include pre and post Open Era where relevant. Ralston and Osuna struggled to win the NCAA doubles in five sets. Born on September 26, 1981, Serena Williams is an American tennis player who plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand and is one of the most prominent players of all time. Its up to any individual to determine how they perceive these factors when ranking the greatest players of all time. 9. 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. However, he was also banned or chose to skip out on the French Open from 1974 1978 due to his World Team Tennis association. Much like Lendl, he sometimes gets overlooked for just how many finals he made without winning the title. Trinity, 1962-1965 Chuck McKinley, Cliff Buchholz, Frank Froehling. He retired at the early age of 26 in 1984 and likely could have achieved significantly more if willing to continue competing. She played her final singles match in 1983 at the Australian Open. The team had no dominant singles player. 2. McEnroe earned himself 7 Grand Slam titles four at the US Open and three at Wimbledon. However, she remained competitive through her later years, even becoming the oldest player on the WTA tour to win a title at 39. However, out of all the finals he reached, he only won eight Grand Slams. In addition to her first Grand Slam title, she also claimed the worlds No. He has won 15 ATP Tour titles. From 2000 to 2009, tennis had some of the greatest men's tennis players of all time.These are some of the most talented 2000s tennis players to ever live, so if you're a fan of tennis and are aspiring to play tennis professionally then these people should be your idols. 2. Moreover, 9 of Novak Djokovics and 6 of Roger Federers Grand Slam titles came on this surface. Throughout her career, King ended up with a 695-155 record for a win rate of 81.76%. On the surface, ranking the best male and female tennis players of all time might appear like an easy task. I created a custom vibration dampener thats compatible with all racquets and string patterns. He was named the ITA Player of the Year in his final two seasons. He started his professional career in 2003 and soon after becoming professional, Djokovic started a journey of success that continues. Together with her sister, Venus, they have won 14 Grand Slam Doubles titles, and have been dominating the tennis . 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). Born in Belleville, IL, in 1952, Jimmy Connors is an American tennis player who turned pro in 1972 at the age of 20. 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. 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. 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. Given enough time, another player will come along that does what many now believe to be impossible. Ma Long. Here are D1baseball.com's picks for the best college baseball players of the 64-Team/Super Regional Era. Many will argue that of the top players, head-to-head performance should carry significant weight. Mental toughness, confidence, and a positive attitude were also mentioned several times in the responses. Born on June 14, 2969, Steffi Graf is a German tennis player. 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. Just making it into the top 25 is Lleyton Hewitt. Perhaps most notably, tennis was heavily divided up until the Open Era, which began in 1968. Pistol Pete never had clay-court success, which is what will ultimately keep him out of the top spot. The greatest tennis player of all time has to be none other than Roger Federer. He only won five Grand Slams, but thats because he was playing right during the start of the Open Era. USC, 2011-2013. Hottest Female Golf Players. 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. -Search for former college tennis stars on the men's professional tour. In 2003, Henin claimed her first Grand Slam title at the French Open, making her the first Belgian ever to win a Grand Slam. Indeed, the Buckeyes are just as attractive to aspiring college . Then again, insanity has never stopped us before. Moreover, the Dutch is in place #59 of the best college tennis players of the moment, her highest ranking ever. Led by Dick Stockton, who became world No. Throughout her career, she won 43 titles and had a career record of 525-115 for a winning rate of 82%. However, he impressed once again, winning another calendar-year Grand Slam in 1969. 3. 7. Serenas first title came in early 1999, and later that year, she also claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open. In 2011, he was selected as a member of the USTA Summer Collegiate Team along with his teammate Rhyne Williams. 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. For example, suppose Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic never showed up in tennis. As a professional, Isner has continued his excellence. View the full college tennis rankings below and favorite to save your list of top mens tennis colleges. I hope you enjoy the resources. In the 1970s, Lavers dominance in Grand Slam events diminished due to his commitments with the National Tennis League and World Champion Tennis tours, where he remained dominant. 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. Just like last year, Daevenia can again call herself the best Dutch college tennis player this year. He used his size and athleticism to get to the net, and that helped him win six Grand Slams. Read our weekly recap of the 5 most interesting things we dig up in tennis. Barry Sanders #5. Connors' career spanned an incredible 24 years and saw him win 147 career titles including 8 Grand Slam titles. Perhaps at another point, well consider the group as a whole. Plus John Isners Georgia Bulldogs, Kevin Andersons Illini and recent Virginia Cavalier teams all earned A+s. By the time he was 21 years old, he already had a U.S. Open and Wimbledon title to his name. 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. 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. He finished his collegiate career ranked No. In 1968, the Open Era began, which allowed professional players to compete in Grand Slam events. He started playing professional tennis in 1998 and was dominating the sport after defeating Andre Agassi at the US Open in 2005. 1 for the first time, and she was able to maintain that position for a total of 221 weeks throughout her career. The Australian finished his career with five Grand Slams, but is often overlooked by some of the greater players from his country. 1 in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings. Ramanathan Krishnan (born 11 April 1937) is a retired tennis player from India who was among the world's leading players in the 1950s and 1960s. 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. He won it in 1974 and reached the finals in 1975, so he certainly missed out on some golden opportunities. 4. 1 ranking, which she held for 117 weeks throughout her career. Most can only . He took home a total of three French Open titles, and became an icon in Brazil for his consistent play. 8, and the considerable Brian Gottfried, ,who rose to No. He was a strong all-around player who could dominate in doubles as well. Born on October 18, 1956, in Czechoslovakia, Martina Navratilova also competed as a US citizen after receiving her citizenship in 1981. Awards: 3x National College Player of the Year, 3x ACC Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year, 3x . 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 in doubles. 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. Of course, we had to make the cutoff somewhere, so here are a few additional men worth noting. He . Hottest Female Soccer Players. Compared to last year, her UTR has even improved considerably, well done Daevenia! WTA Tour-WTA Homepage-See which former college tennis student-athletes are in the women's professional . Potential student-athletes must meet minimum standards or benchmarks for acceptance into their particular school, with GPA, SAT scores, ACT scores taken into account. Girons national championship made him the 11th Bruin to win the NCAA Singles title. 1 and 2 in singles and doubles, and won back-to-back singles titles in 11 and 12. He might not be the most complete player of his era, but he was a matchup nightmare for all the greats when he squared off against them. 101 after qualifying at Cincinnati. My name is Gavin and I've played tennis for more than 30 years and love to share my knowledge about the sport. Skip to primary navigation; . The Ohio State Buckeyes men's and women's varsity teams are among the best in the NCAA, too. Like Rod Laver, Ken Rosewell came along when the Open Era was just beginning. Theres only a handful of players who have done that, and Mats Wilander is one of them. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Menu. Heres the beauty of college tennis a supremely individual sport becomes a wonderful team endeavor. USC, 1962-1964 Dennis Ralston, Rafael Osuna, Bill Bond, Tom Edlefsen, Ramsey Earnhart, Chuck Rombeau. Top Tennis Players Ever. Born: April 29, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada; Net worth: $145 Million The NCAA tennis championships began in 1883 on the courts of a Hartford insane asylum. -Discover the USTA's ratings in all divisions. His dominance at an older age shows just what he was possible of if he came along a little bit later. Borg won 11 Grand Slam titles, six at the French Open and five at Wimbledon. 1 for the first time, which became one of the most dominant seasons of any player in history. New posts New profile . In 72, four of the eight quarterfinalists Stockton, Gottfried, McKinley and Paul Gerken were Trinitonians. Before retiring in 2020, this talented, beautiful Danish tennis player became the first Scandinavian woman to win big prize money and hold her No.