However, we removed a lot of nuances when we broke the two out and therefore decided to rank men separately from women. Create a free account and explore my latest videos below, Before we dive into many of the nuances of ranking the best players of all time, lets get clear on what exactly we mean by best.. 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. A three-time All-American and one of . Perez-Somarriba Named ITA National Player of the Year. The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey. USC, 2011-2013. College Tennis is for Losers - Dave Mullins - Tennis Recruiting Its up to any individual to determine how they perceive these factors when ranking the greatest players of all time. He won the 1995 French Open, but he dominated in plenty of tournaments on clay courts as well. 1 singles slot his junior season, Norrie also claimed TCUs season singles winning percentage record. He has proven his talent for over 20 years and is still competing at the very highest level. 30 College Tennis Coaches Reveal Top Character Traits of Successful At age 25, Norrie is entering his prime, and has reached a career-high ranking of 41 in the world. 1. He was a strong all-around player who could dominate in doubles as well. Ken Rosewall. Andre Agassi turned pro in 1986 at the age of 16 and, in two short years, rocketed to a ranking of world No. During her career, Seles won 53 titles and ended with a winning record of 595-122. In 72, four of the eight quarterfinalists Stockton, Gottfried, McKinley and Paul Gerken were Trinitonians. Both Sandy Mayer, who weeks later reached the Wimbledon semis and would rise to No. Meinerz is a more recent addition to the NFL, having signed for the Denver Broncos in 2021.The guard is 6 foot 3 inches tall and 320 lbs. In some cases, this may be true, but as weve discovered, it becomes somewhat nuanced and isnt always cut and dry. 163 which is a career record. 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. 15 Best Colleges for Tennis Scholarships in 2021 - Online Schools Center Hottest Female Athletes. Everyone else, I believe, would benefit greatly from . Once told he was too clumsy to be a Davis Cup ball boy, Stan went on to win seven Davis Cups. Another perhaps less visible or challenging factor to consider, especially when looking back at players in history, is a deep understanding of the adversity or difficulties a player had to overcome during their career. 1 ranking, which she held for 117 weeks throughout her career. The greatest male tennis player of the last 50 years - the Guardian For 12 years the collegiate championships had been Prime Time for LA either USC or UCLA won. Norrie finished his collegiate career ranked No. When I was a young kid and teenager, he was incredible at learning how I learn and making me the . Born on October 18, 1956, in Czechoslovakia, Martina Navratilova also competed as a US citizen after receiving her citizenship in 1981. Hopefully, the combination helps explain why we ranked players as we did while providing a jumping-off point for future debate. I won't repeat it but answer the implicit question- it doesn't matter. Born in Belleville, IL, in 1952, Jimmy Connors is an American tennis player who turned pro in 1972 at the age of 20. In 2003, Federer claimed his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, one of 20 and a record he shares with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. 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. In addition to her results in singles, Chris Evert also achieved success in doubles with three Grand Slam titles. May she call herself the best player on the team. Visit the following rankings sites to find out. Greatest college players of all time | Page 2 | Talk Tennis Thats why some people will put him third. Greatest Tennis Players of All Time. 9 - John McEnroe. Borgs career was relatively short, especially compared to many other tennis players on our list. 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. -The ITA lists the top teams and players in the country at all levels of college tennis. Depending on a players ranking, that extra cash can be crucial. The 10 Best American Female Tennis Players of All-Time I created a custom vibration dampener thats compatible with all racquets and string patterns. 1 ranking for longer than any other player in history at 345 weeks and currently has 85 titles to his name. 10. Steffi is right-handed with a one-handed backhand and our pick for the greatest female tennis player ever. Home Bracket Singles Bracket Doubles Bracket. He is a three-time Olympic gold medalist (2016, 2020, 2020), three-time . USC, 1967-1968 1. The now 39 year old, also holds the record for the most weeks as number one (310). Born on March 7, 1960, in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, Ivan Lendl had an impressive career that began in 1978 when he turned pro. Not only did Mackenzie McDonald etch his name in the UCLA record books he left his mark on the NCAAs as well. The winner of three Wimbledon championships, he finished his career with six Grand Slams overall. Read Also: Top 15 Best College Tennis Teams Ever 2022 Ranking. Do we believe player A holding the number one ranking for 20 more weeks is more valuable than player Bs five additional titles? In total, she holds the most overall Grand Slam titles of any player at 64. 6. College Tennis News - The Best Female Tennis Players of All Time There was USCs 58 squad, led by Perus Modesto Junior College transfer Alex Olmedo, who won the NCAA singles and doubles and led the US to the Davis Cup title. Evert is the only female tennis player to have won seven titles at the French Open. Passion - 6. My name is Gavin and I've played tennis for more than 30 years and love to share my knowledge about the sport. There are tennis fans who sometimes forget just how dominant Jim Courier was during his prime. Also explosive were the results: They were NCAA champions. 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. 7. With that in mind, its common that fans heavily debate the topic of the best male and female tennis players of all time, and our list of the best players will likely differ from others, which is part of the fun. 1 in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings. Definitely. When it came to team competition, King helped lead the United States to 11 victories, four of which she was the captain. 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%. Some rules are different, i.e., on-court coaching is allowed on the WTA tour outside of the Grand Slam events. 15 Best College Players Of All Time | 2022 Ranking - Kiiky 10 - Jimmy Connors. 220. "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. Steve Johnson | University of Southern California. 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. Below youll find our selection, along with some data points that highlight why these female tennis players deserve to make our list. Born in Serbia on May 22, 1987, Novak Djokovic is currently my pick for the best mens tennis player of all time. Stanford, 1973-1974 Sandy Mayer, Pat DuPre, Jim Delaney, John Whitlinger. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Photo Credit: @Wimbledon. One thing is for sure, these types of lists will continue to change as new players emerge. Stefi Graf retired from professional tennis in 1999 and earned her spot in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. Fourteen Former Mens Collegiate Players in US Open Singles Draw. Hoping to get recruited for mens tennis? Although he competed at the French Open and Wimbledon in 1977, McEnroe officially turned pro in 1978. 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. Roger Federer. He became the first mens player to sweep the NCAA individual titles in 15 years. 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. Stefen Edenberg (born 19 January 1966) is a former Swedish world number 1 tennis player in singles and . Explaining the U.S. Tennis Slump - The Atlantic 1 in the Oracle ITA Singles Rankings a first for the program. Total prize money: $ 20,630,941. Its just humanly impossible., 9. However, only 62 of these occurred in the Open Era, so she doesnt have the achievement during this period. By the time he was 21 years old, he already had a U.S. Open and Wimbledon title to his name. Stockton edged Gottfried to win the singles championship. I am a former college tennis player that competed on a highly successful, top-10 Division I team at the University of Minnesota. Trinity, 1972 Dick Stockton, Brian Gottfried, Bob McKinley. She played her final singles match in 1983 at the Australian Open. In 2004, Henin won the Australian Open, but an infection kept her off the court for much of the year. Rodrigues Finishes as NCAA Singles Runner-Up. Who is the greatest male tennis player of all time? Help us better understand the makeup of our tennis community. Before there was the King of Clay in Rafael Nadal, Thomas Muster held the distinction in the 1990s. The Top 10 Greatest Women's Tennis Players of All Time 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. Quinn Meinerz. 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. She is the only player in history to win nine titles at Wimbledon. Forty of his 44 career tournament wins all came on dirt. Men's Tennis Rankings - Tennis - ESPN He has six Grand Slam titles in the Open Era, with an additional six before. Johnson reached No. Outside of singles, Serena has had a successful career in doubles, primarily competing with her sister. Some, such as prize money and whether they were left or right-handed, are there for fun. Matches featured in this video: Daniel Cuk. Women's Tennis. During that match he didnt drop a set. Looking back on the history of Grand Slam events, the Australian Open is a bit of an outlier. The second-best Rafael in tennis history was ranked No. However, Evert posted a handful of impressive results as early as 1970 while competing as a junior, including a win over world No. 1 Roger Federer Roger Federer (born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss former professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. Without a doubt, Kings most successful years were from 1966 to 1975. The greatest tennis player of all time is Roger Federer. 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. Tennis. Throughout the years, there have been many great tennis players who have made a name for themselves. I have actually included 11 players here with two greats tied for the 10th position. 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. The result earned her a total of 129 titles, 67 that were during the Open Era. Despite that success, he found the majority of his dominance on hard courts. -These polls use voters to determine the best 25 men's and women's teams in Division I. Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Rankings-Rankings Homepage-The ITA lists the top teams and players in the country at all levels of college tennis. 3 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Born: April 29, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada; Net worth: $145 Million The left-hander could spin the ball anywhere, and had put-away volleys that were unseen at the time. To be clear, we dont perceive one tour as better or worse than the other. 3. 1 and a winning 30-28 record over Nadal and a 27-23 record over Federer, and I consider him to be the greatest male tennis player of all time. Agassi was well known for his rivalry against all-time great Pete Sampras. In 1974, Navratilova played on tour and won her first title at the age of 17. Ranked 128 in singles, Bradley has achieved so much success while on tour. He held a 15-4 singles record and a perfect 26-0 doubles record. Ma Long. For 18 of 19 years Trinity University, with just 1,800 students, was ranked in the top four. George Toleys 62-64 USC teams werent exactly that. In 1998, she won her first WTA tournament, which she followed up with a few additional titles that year. His highest career ranking is No. Caroline Wozniacki. Pistol Pete never had clay-court success, which is what will ultimately keep him out of the top spot. Its just a matter of what is weighed most importantly in tennis. He finished his collegiate career ranked No. Goulds takeaway: You never say never, but there is no way a team will ever do what this team did. 1 ranking for the first time in 1968. Indeed, the Buckeyes are just as attractive to aspiring college . The number 1 in our best table tennis players list is a Chinese player, Ma Long. That same year she also claimed the US Open title. Furthermore, not all titles are equal. He goes into the event ranked No. In 1956, Laver started to pursue a career in tennis as an amateur and quickly established himself as a junior before winning his first Grand Slam singles title in 1960 at the Australian Championships, now the Australian Open. 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. She also had an impressive career record of 704-165, winning 81% of her matches. However, against Djokovic, he trails slightly by 28-30. During his long 24 year career, the most of any male player in our top ten list, he had many accomplishments, but one of his most significant is his 109 titles, the most in the Open Era. Born on December 21, 1954, Chris Evert is an American tennis player who competed from 1972 1989. 9. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Its worth noting she also competed during a period where many players didnt compete as often in the Australian Open. The Best Tennis Players Of All Time - The Tennis Trend Top ten ranked male tennis players (1912-1972) 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. Some players have significantly longer careers than others. Just making it into the top 25 is Lleyton Hewitt. In honor of the US Open kicking off today, we are highlighting their legendary collegiate careers that prepared them for this moment. You have entered an incorrect email address! The Top Ten. In 1993, Sampras reached the world No. The Best Tennis Players of All Time (Top 10 Male + Female) 5 player Peter Rennert would reach No. For example, as black athletes, Serena and Venus Williams overcame unprecedented challenges growing up to break into tennis. The year after, John McEnroe earned his first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 1979, which he defended for the following two years in 1980 and 1981. Despite that, she did compete in a professional tournament that year but didnt perform well. 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. Best Men's Tennis Players of All Time - Ranker Its perfectly fine to say that Roger Federer is the best tennis player of all time. USC, 1962-1964 - Dennis Ralston, Rafael Osuna, Bill Bond, Tom Edlefsen, Ramsey Earnhart, Chuck Rombeau. The Australian finished his career with five Grand Slams, but is often overlooked by some of the greater players from his country. Although theres certainly nothing wrong with the exercise, weve decided to maintain two separate lists. Although singles tennis is the more popular discipline, playing doubles still carries significant weight and requires a unique skill set that many fans believe distinguishes one player from the next. 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. 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. List of ATP number 1 ranked doubles tennis players. 1 and 2 in singles and doubles, and won back-to-back singles titles in 11 and 12. Throughout her career, she held that ranking for a total of 332 weeks, second only to Stefi Graf. 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. In 73, Stanford was on the cusp of greatness. 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. 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. 75.9%. Margaret Court retired in 1977 and earned a spot in the International Tennis Hall of fame in 1979. The longevity of Jimmy Connors career has boosted him a bit, but its hard to put him any higher than this. Unfortunately, that would be the only two career Grand Slams for him. No problemo. Then again, insanity has never stopped us before. 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. 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. 1 in the world in 1983, and he held that post for a total of 270 weeks throughout his career. $15 million. Brandon Nakashima | University of Virginia. Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. Even though he never won Wimbledon, he did win the Australian Open when it was on the grass. 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. He finished his career with four Grand Slams, but he might most be remembered for his 16 ATP tour championships in one season in 1977. Losing 11 drops him a bit, but he was still a complete player nobody wanted to face in his prime. A lot of guys are more than happy to jump in to this question especially in the aftermath of US Open 2018 final fiasco (and Serena's claims on sexism) on. Nadal: 8. He was also a great doubles player, holding the #1 ranking in the world in singles and doubles at one point in his career. 10 Best Tennis Players of All Time: 2023 Edition - Wolfgang Sport Throughout her career, King ended up with a 695-155 record for a win rate of 81.76%. Team Player - 5. For starters here are our top ten men's teams. During the summer, Venus also claimed her first and only singles gold medal at the Olympics in Sydney. 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. This week we have been analysing the best male players of the past 50 years. In total, she would win 12 Grand Slam titles, including one at the Australian Open, one at the French Open, six at Wimbledon, and four at the US Open. "Playing college tennis, no, but going to university after tennis, yes, that was always the plan," Dabrowski said. If most of a players head-to-head matches against Rafa fall on clay, he will likely have a losing record overall against him. 9. He was named the ACC Freshman of the Year becoming only the 6th Cavalier to earn the honor in the programs history. Jan 9, 2013 . In 1984, he had a stellar year with his only finals appearance at the French Open and titles at Wimbledon and the US Open. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Another factor that often arises when selecting the best players of all time is the depth of field or how many elite players were competing during any highly successful players time on tour. Regardless of your stance, the weight of specific stats or accomplishments will undoubtedly influence the ranking of players. 10. However, he never managed to win the French Open, where his best result was a semi-final appearance in 1996. However, he wouldnt play his first ATP tour event until 2004, and hed claim his first ATP title in 2006. He took home a total of three French Open titles, and became an icon in Brazil for his consistent play. As a senior, Isner led the Bulldogs to a perfect 32-0 record and the programs fifth NCAA Team Championship. Where does your favorite college tennis teams and players rank across the country and the world? Connors' career spanned an incredible 24 years and saw him win 147 career titles including 8 Grand Slam titles. Not surprisingly, Stanfords Dick Gould, who was said to reload rather than recruit, managed to get him to drop by the Farm for one historic season. 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. However, dig a little deeper, and its surprisingly nuanced, brimming with subjectivity and emotion. After qualifying at ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati, Wolf reached a career high ranking of 143. You could even take it a step further and evaluate the perceived level of competition present at the tournaments where a player won or how convincingly they defeated their opponents during matches. Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield. 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. **Stats for active players are current as of November 2021. Moving on to the list comes the 15 best tennis players of all time with three bonus ones. Despite the challenge, here is my list of the 10 greatest male tennis players of the Open Era1968 to present. Tennis Channel/USTA College Tennis Top 25. Go. 41 after winning the Auckland title. Evert won two titles at Wimbledon, seven at the French Open, three at Wimbledon, and six at the US Open. Vernon Gholston - 6'3, 260 lbs. 1 for the first time, which became one of the most dominant seasons of any player in history. Connors won the singles in 71. For example, suppose Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic never showed up in tennis. Greatest College Basketball Players of All Time: 25 Best Ever 1, which she held for 325 weeks, only surpassed by Martina Navratilova and Stefi Graf. . Heading into the 2020 US Open, he ranks No. Cameron Norrie | Texas Christian University. Your Safe Play Approval Expires in $(daysToExpire) days! Frazier Tommy #4. Throughout her career, she won 43 titles and had a career record of 525-115 for a winning rate of 82%. He has 98 career titles and 20 Grand Slam Singles Title including 8 Wimbledon, 6 Australian Open, 5 US Open, and . She also won a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Syndey, Australia. 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. Billie Jean King. 25 Greatest Tennis Players of All Time - Dad Racket Outside of singles, Navratilova has one of the most impressive doubles careers in history. Although many people would agree on the data, qualities, or attributes that make one player better than others, theres ultimately personal opinion injected. 1. On the surface, ranking the best male and female tennis players of all time might appear like an easy task. By the time he was 21 years old, he already had a U.S. Open and Wimbledon title to his name.