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. 1. However, only 62 of these occurred in the Open Era, so she doesnt have the achievement during this period. Despite that, she did compete in a professional tournament that year but didnt perform well. 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. As a professional, Isner has continued his excellence. The US Open will be Jungs first tour-level event since the resumption of the ATP Tour. Shed claim four additional titles at the Australian Open and another her final at Wimbledon again in 1980. John McEnroe was perhaps the sweetest recruiting plum in college history. However, there are players who make winning Grand Slams a habit and win numerous titles at prestigious events. However, out of all the finals he reached, he only won eight Grand Slams. 3 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Its up to any individual to determine how they perceive these factors when ranking the greatest players of all time. Mental toughness, confidence, and a positive attitude were also mentioned several times in the responses. Furthermore, Federer has notched 1,251 match wins with a winning rate of 81.98%. 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. Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield. View the full college tennis rankings below and favorite to save your list of top mens tennis colleges. 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. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 1 singles slot his junior season, Norrie also claimed TCUs season singles winning percentage record. Venus turned pro at the early age of 14 in 1994 when she played her first WTA tournament. Instead, these tournaments only allowed amateurs to play, and these players didnt receive prize money. Dick Butkus. The team had no dominant singles player. 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. Caroline Wozniacki. Rod Lavers career is unique because of his success and crossover from amateur to professional and subsequent success during the Open Era. Track & Field (O) - Men . He has proven his talent for over 20 years and is still competing at the very highest level. In the Olympics, Roger Federer has a silver and gold medal. In 1986, she won her first tournament defeating Chris Evert, one of the most dominant players at the 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. Swiss player Roger Federer, the greatest player of all time is easily justifiable. Longevity is another factor to consider. She followed up those results with an excellent 2007, where she won the French Open for the third consecutive year and the US Open. Goulds takeaway: You never say never, but there is no way a team will ever do what this team did. Total prize money: $ 20,630,941. Georgia tennis and John Isner go hand in hand. However, should we value player Bs three additional Grand Slam titles over player As 125 extra titles in total? Peter Smiths Trojans won four straight NCAA team titles. Serena was ready to play at the professional level when she was 14 in 1995. Theres only a handful of players who have done that, and Mats Wilander is one of them. Stefi Graf retired from professional tennis in 1999 and earned her spot in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. 21 in the world. 9. Wed love to hear from you in the comments below. The Australian reached #1 at a very young age, and his overall career success started younger than most players in general. 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. Ralston was the best American player of the early 60s and led the US to 63 Davis Cup glory. List of male doubles tennis players. -These polls use voters to determine the best 25 men's and women's teams in Division I. Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Rankings. He is one of three men to end each of the last 10 years ranked in the top 20 and with 30+ wins. Federer turned pro in 1998, and it didnt take long before his career began to pick up steam. Some might think this pick is a bit controversial, but its hard to argue with the statistics. Thread starter Clemson_tennis; Start date May 28, 2012; Prev. Unfortunately, he had a relatively short prime, as injuries cut his career short compared to the others. Jeremy on May 15, 2020: She narrowly missed that feat before the Open Era in 1965, only losing in the French Open finals. Shed only lose one more match the entire year to Navratilova, going an astounding 75-2 for the year. John McEnroe Tennis Academy at SPORTIME Randall's Island. When she was 9, she moved with her family (including fellow tennis great and sister Venus) to Florida. Honorable mention also to UGAs 1985 team whose #1 and #2 played the singles final. No.1 in 1991. He became the first mens player to sweep the NCAA individual titles in 15 years. The left-hander could spin the ball anywhere, and had put-away volleys that were unseen at the time. 15. Roger Federer. He only won five Grand Slams, but thats because he was playing right during the start of the Open Era. 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. He currently sits at No. . These days, the Olympics hold quite a bit of significance related to a players overall success and perception. 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. Top ten ranked male tennis players (1912-1972) His first biggest win of his career came in 2012 as he defeated Jurgen Melzer in five sets. Born on July 31, 1951, Evonne Goolagong is an Australian tennis player whose results in the 1970s at the start of the Open Era have earned her recognition as one of the best to play the sport. Everyone else, I believe, would benefit greatly from . In addition to his Grand Slam count, he has a convincing lead in our rankings over Jimmy Connors because he had a head-to-head record of 22-13 over Connors, which gives him a clear edge. 4. Andre Agassi. Hes another guy who had an outstanding doubles career, but his singles alone made him a Hall of Famer. 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. The NCAA tennis championships began in 1883 on the courts of a Hartford insane asylum. 2. Fourteen Former Mens Collegiate Players in US Open Singles Draw. Coming off his NCAA titles, McDonald was awarded a wildcard into the 2016 US Open. No problemo. Furthermore, not all titles are equal. 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. Hes another casualty of the Roger Federer era, constantly going up against him and other greats during any deep runs in tournaments. The following year was one of her most impressive, winning all four Grand Slam events and a gold medal in singles at the Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. <br><br>After completing my Master's degree at Minnesota, I . She holds seven titles at the Australian Open, three at the French Open, seven at Wimbledon, and six at the US Open. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The longevity of Jimmy Connors career has boosted him a bit, but its hard to put him any higher than this. Connors' career spanned an incredible 24 years and saw him win 147 career titles including 8 Grand Slam titles. Men and women dont compete against each other in singles. She played her final singles match in 1983 at the Australian Open. 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. 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. To that end, here are a few additional women that didnt make the top ten, but we felt worth mentioning. Jimmy Connors reached the world No. During that match he didnt drop a set. Cressy will make his tour-level singles debut at the 2020 US Open. 7. Never again would such a tiny school achieve so much. Born on July 16, 1942, in Australia, Margaret Court is a right-handed tennis player who played with a one-handed backhand and holds some of the most significant records in womens tennis. He started playing professional tennis in 1998 and was dominating the sport after defeating Andre Agassi at the US Open in 2005. Many would say that this is the year Novak Djokovic finally took over as the greatest tennis player of all time. Mac and Bill Maze were the best doubles team in the country. Interestingly, McEnroes only collegiate loss came in a match at Trinity against his former U.S. Open doubles partner, Larry Gottfried. 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. Then again, insanity has never stopped us before. In 1896, the inaugural Olympics took place, and tennis was an official sport. -The ITA lists the top teams and players in the country at all levels of college tennis. 8 Grand Slam Singles Titles: 4 Australian, 2 French, 2 US Open. In addition to her results in singles, Chris Evert also achieved success in doubles with three Grand Slam titles. He liked to play from the baseline and go for big shots, even when most of tennis was still serving and volleying. 10 - Jimmy Connors. Hes very close, and having 20 Grand Slams to his name will keep his name in the discussion for quite a while. Perhaps this is a bit low for some, but its very hard to compare eras that are so far apart. That year, Laver claimed the Wimbledon title. The US Open will be his first tour-level event since resumption of the ATP Tour. His highest career ranking is No. Impressively, Evert was also the runner-up at 16 Grand Slams. Home Bracket Singles Bracket Doubles Bracket. 3. Kwiatkowski capped off a legendary collegiate career by winning the NCAA Singles Championships his senior year the fourth singles title in program history. Furthermore, she contested 14 Grand Slam finals, where she was the runner-up. Below youll find our selection, along with some data points that highlight why these female tennis players deserve to make our list. 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. 1 Stefi Graf. Since then, Court racked up more Grand Slam titles than any player in history male or female. 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. Henin saw success immediately on the WTA tour, winning her first tour event as a wildcard at the Belgian Open in Antwerp. ITA Mens All-American Singles Championship, US Open Singles Draw Features Six Former Women Collegiate Athletes, Coach Masterclass The ITA & Coach Governance, College Tennis In the Community: Teams Give Back In The Month of February, The Power of Community Davidson Kozlowski [Coaches Podcast], Division I Mens Collegiate Tennis Rankings sponsored by Tennis-Point February 28. 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. Pasarell did the same in 66. Grass. World number 1 ranked male tennis players. List of ATP number 1 ranked doubles tennis players. Potential student-athletes must meet minimum standards or benchmarks for acceptance into their particular school, with GPA, SAT scores, ACT scores taken into account. 6. 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. 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. Despite his success, he had a unique relationship with the slams. The Bruin was named an ITA All-American in singles and doubles. The greatest Australian mens tennis player ever now has an arena named after him in Melbourne. In their 34 meetings, his record was 14-20. 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. Although people attempt to remove personality from consideration when narrowing their list of the best tennis players, its often a factor, especially when considering narrowly matched players like the Big 3. 21. Ralston and Osuna struggled to win the NCAA doubles in five sets. A Wimbledon finalist while at USC, he was ranked as high as No. Andre Agassi is the only other player to accomplish this feat. Please try logging back in or call customer support at 1-800-990-8782 for assistance. He made his ATP Tour debut reaching the quarterfinals at 2020 Delray Beach. 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. 1 in doubles. A three-time All-American and one of . However, he also amassed the single best winning record for a single season going 62-7 for an absurd win percent of 89.9%. Sin, Sorrow and the Fall of Roger Federer at Wimbledon, Life is Beautiful The Buzz From Down Under, Amanda Anisimova and the Random Cruelty of Sport, Novak Djokovic The Return of the Prodigal Son, Forget the Yips Sabalenka Rips On Laver Aryna, Knowing Novak: Behind the Curtain of the Complex, Controversial Mountain GOAT, The Not-So-Happy Slam: Pro-Putin Ferocity in Melbourne, How Ben Shelton Is Taking Tennis by Storm, Down Under Downers Iga and Coco Crash Out, Bring It On Young Americans Soar in Melbourne, Murray Hailed, Novak Heckled At The Not Always Happy Slam, Mackie McDonald Knocks Out Hobbled Rafa Nadal. He is currently ranked No. 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. 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. He is a three-time Olympic gold medalist (2016, 2020, 2020), three-time . Australian Rod Laver was born on August 3, 1938, and players and fans widely regard him as one of the greatest players of all time. His success started in the 1980s with numerous titles and his first Grand Slam victory over John McEnroe at the French Open, a year McEnroe was virtually untouchable. Regardless, shes well deserving of the title as one of the best female tennis players of all time. Now decades after his passing, he still remains one of the biggest faces for the fight against AIDS. A lot has changed in the sport, but its hard to argue that he doesnt deserve at least a little bit of consideration near the top. 1 ranking for the first time, a position he held for a total of 101 weeks during his career. Not a lot of people talk about him currently, but he was as tough a player as any in his prime. 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 for the first time, and she was able to maintain that position for a total of 221 weeks throughout her career. Throughout her career, King ended up with a 695-155 record for a win rate of 81.76%. Born on August 12, 1971, Pete Sampras is an American tennis player who was considered by many to be the best tennis player of all time at his retirement. However, she didnt officially turn pro until 1975, when she was runner up at the Australian Open and French Open. 10. The Ohio State Buckeyes men's and women's varsity teams are among the best in the NCAA, too. 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. 1 ranking, and she earned this spot for a total of 260 weeks throughout her career. In the three years that followed, Seles was dominant, winning six of the eight Grand Slam events in 1991 and 1992. Unfortunately, that would be the only two career Grand Slams for him. Birthplace: Chennai, India. Before finishing his career as a Buckeye, Wolf won the schools first ITA Mens All-American Singles Championship and was named an ITA All-American in singles. Pasarell from the heat and streets of Puerto Rico, Ashe from the segregated courts of Richmond, Virginia. Not surprisingly, they not only faced formidable foes but racism as well. The team won two titles, in 70 (sans Jimbo) and in 71. The USA tops the list with 52 victories, more than twice as many as the next best country - Sweden.. 1. Read Also: Top 15 Best College Tennis Teams Ever 2022 Ranking. Herschel Walker #2. We won 25 matches 7-0 and the other three matches were 6-1., That team was a dream to coach, added Gould. 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. Losing 11 drops him a bit, but he was still a complete player nobody wanted to face in his prime. 10. First, he only played the Australian open twice throughout his entire career. Career titles: 42. Grand Slam events are best of five for men and best of three for women and are usually regarded as highly significant when ranking players. Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Affiliate Disclaimer. She holds an astounding 177 career titles, including 31 Grand Slam victories. Born on March 7, 1960, in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, Ivan Lendl had an impressive career that began in 1978 when he turned pro. In March 1991, Seles replaced Stefi Graf as world No. And he won the singles at the 63 US Nationals at Forest Hills. Born in Belleville, IL, in 1952, Jimmy Connors is an American tennis player who turned pro in 1972 at the age of 20. If we dont dig deeper to understand the quality of titles, we may undervalue a players achievements because a win at a 1000 level is significantly more impressive than a 250. Djokovic turned pro in 2003. Photo Credit: @Wimbledon. In addition to the NCAA national championships his senior year, Kwiatkowski helped Virginia to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. 1 Margaret Court in a small clay court tournament held in Charlotte, NC. First, the age and timing of head-to-head matchups can significantly influence the eventual record between two players. 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. As of now, he shares his record Grand Slam titles with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Regardless, working through the data and thinking through the logic behind how one might rank players is a fun exercise. USC, 2011-2013. In 2008, Nadal became the worlds No. George Toleys 62-64 USC teams werent exactly that. Overall, Lendl earned 94 titles and is currently the third most in the Open Era behind Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer. 1. Hes only reached the quarterfinals twice, and has never been beyond that. Stefen Edenberg (born 19 January 1966) is a former Swedish world number 1 tennis player in singles and . Ivan Lendl. He was an American tennis player who won a total of 77 career titles in his playing years. 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. Pasarell was a superb player, a powerful political force, and, as the desert prince who created the Indian Wells tournament, a game changer. 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. During that year, she also managed to help Belgium win the Fed Cup. Just making it into the top 25 is Lleyton Hewitt. Three collegians with St. Louis connections made their mark on college tennis Chuck McKinley, Arthur Ashe and a feisty fellow named Jimmy Connors. 1, and she held that position for 178 weeks throughout her career. Video History Championship Info. During the tennis boom, nobody was bigger, and he had rivalries with Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, and Ivan Lendl at some point. 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. He finished his collegiate career ranked No. Their loaded roster also included 77 collegiate champ Matt Mitchell. 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. However, throughout his career, Sampras got the best of him. USC, 2009-2013 Steve Johnson, Yannick Hanfman, Robert Quiroz, Robert Farah. Book. Stefanos Tsitsipas Tennis Racket What Does He Use? In addition to her first Grand Slam title, she also claimed the worlds No. 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. During those years, he claimed eight titles at three of the biggest professional tournaments, the US Pro, French Pro, and Wembley Pro. 20 in the world, and Pakistani Haroon Rahim. Smith, the Leaning Tower of Pasadena, went on to win Wimbledon and the US Open and become No. 7. Combine that with his dominance as world No. In team competition, Serena helped the United States to a win in 1999 at the Fed Cup. 1 ranking for longer than any other player in history at 345 weeks and currently has 85 titles to his name. Over the span of his collegiate career, Anderson was named an ITA Singles All-American three times and an ITA Doubles All-American twice. He is certainly the best player ever on clay court, as his 14 French Open titles are likely never to be touched. In college at Ohio State, Gholston bench pressed a team-high 455 pounds and squatted 405 pounds for twenty reps. John Whitlinger, Jim Delaney and Chico Hagey (who a few weeks earlier had been Stanfords No. Just like last year, Daevenia can again call herself the best Dutch college tennis player this year. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In honor of the US Open kicking off today, we are highlighting their legendary collegiate careers that prepared them for this moment. 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. When he first burst on the scene in the 1970s, that playing style was very much ahead of his time. In-depth Resources But in 73 they didnt just lose one top player, they lost their top two. For of the French Open titles were back to back from 1978 1981. 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. John McEnroe. 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. Bjrn Borg resides in Monte Carlo, Monaco, but was born in Sweden on June 6, 1956. 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. The now 39 year old, also holds the record for the most weeks as number one (310). USC, 1962-1964 Dennis Ralston, Rafael Osuna, Bill Bond, Tom Edlefsen, Ramsey Earnhart, Chuck Rombeau. He had some mild success on other surfaces, but clay courts are where he made his name. The team they beat Earnhart and Bond were also Trojans. For most coaches, the recruiting process begins with academics. The Americans have fallen off the map. 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. And as fabulous as USCs singles lineup was, their doubles teams with Bill Bond, Tom Edlefson and Ramsey Earnhart were even stronger. 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. Navratilova is the record holder for the most titles in the Open Era with 167 and ended her career with a 1,442-219 record for an impressive win rate of 86.8%. In this article, well share our selection of the greatest players of all time, but well also discuss the challenges when ranking and why theyre important to keep in mind. Serena Williams career continues, but injuries have hampered her success and the frequency that she competes. 1 ranking, which she held for 117 weeks throughout her career. He held a 15-4 singles record and a perfect 26-0 doubles record. When considering the best tennis players of all time, its tempting to rank male and female tennis players right alongside each other. King returned the following year and made it to the third round. He won 8 Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal, spent 101 weeks as the world number one, and received over $31 million in . 1. Ashe won the singles, and then the doubles with Ian Crookenden. Henin would claim seven Grand Slam titles, one at the Australian Open, four at the French Open, and two at the US Open. 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. He would then win another Wimbledon title in 2016. 1 ranking for 67 consecutive weeks, which is quite an achievement.