There is always a debate about the best tennis players of all time due to personal preferences. It’s quite a challenge to choose from the best of the best unless we define it in advance.
How We Define the BEST
We use the following factors to elect five male and female tennis players.
- Undefeated Record: the more you break, the more your chances of the title GOAT you pose.
- Domination: you are great if you win a lot, but you are the greatest if you win a lot in a row. Consistency is key. In other words, you must create your era.
- Clutch Factor: The ability to get the result when it counts. To be the greatest, you have to beat the greatest. You need to win no matter how you do it.
Top 5 Male Tennis Players of All Time
5. Rod Laver
Profile
- Birth of the Date: August 9, 1938
- Birthplace: Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
- Turned Pro: 1963
- Retired: 1979
- Height: 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
- Plays: Left-handed (one-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: 1981
Laver is the only player in the Open Era to have won the Calendar Grand Slam and has done it twice in history. Laver completed the Calendar Grand Slam both as an amateur in 1962 and a professional in 1969. Plus, he won the Pro Slam in 1967.
Laver also has the most singles titles (198) in tennis history. This included his all-time men’s record of 10 or more titles per year for seven consecutive years.
No player has ever dominated the field across generations and categories like Laver. He claimed all feats on different court surfaces: grass, clay, hard, carpet, and wood.
Career Stats & Records
- The only player who won the Grand Slam Twice (1962, 1969)
- Won the Pro Slam (1967)
- 11 Grand Slam singles titles
- 8 Pro Slam titles
- Most career titles in history (a total of 198)
- 10 or more titles per year in 7 consecutive years
- 100% Match winning percentage in 1 season
- All Tournaments W-L: 179-36 | Win Rate: 83.3%
4. Pete Sampras
Profile
- Birth of the Date: August 12, 1971
- Birthplace: Washington, D.C., U.S.
- Turned Pro: 1988
- Retired: 2002
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
- Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: 2007
With a short career of 14 years, Pete Sampras won an average of one Grand Slam singles title per year. In an era of many tennis talents, winning even one Grand Slam was no easy feat for the young American.
From 1993 to 2000, it seemed like nothing could stop Sampras from shining bright. He’s got 12 Grand Slam titles in eight consecutive years.
Sampras dominated men’s tennis in the 90s with his serve-and-volley. In his career’s final years, he adapted to a slower-paced baseline game and took down baseline specialists like Andre Agassi.
Career Stats & Records
- 14 Grand Slam singles titles
- Year-end No.1 for 6 consecutive years
- World No.1 for 286 weeks
- All Tournaments W-L: 203-38 | Win Rate: 84.2%
3. Roger Federer
Profile
- Birth of the Date: August 8, 1981
- Birthplace: Basel, Switzerland
- Turned Pro: 1998
- Retired: N/A
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
- Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: N/A
What is the first thing that comes to mind when somebody says Tennis?
To most people and even non-tennis people across the world, it is “Roger Federer.” That defines his greatness and his legacy. Federer leads most players who have played in the open era.
Federer dominated the tennis game in the open era along with Rafael and Novak as the Big 3. He won his first major title at Wimbledon in 2003, and Between 2003 and 2009, he made 21 out of 28 major singles finals. Then he completed the Career Grand Slam at the 2009 French Open after three consecutive runner-up finishes to Nadal.
Federer is a versatile all-court player, known for his speed, fluid style of play, and exceptional shot making. He’s also known for the great variety with his forehand, performing with topspin or pace in opening up the court and going into the forecourt for aggressive volleys.
His style of play is effortless, which keeps him injury free in the long run. And one rare fact is that he never retired in any of his matches.
Career Stats & Records
- Career Grand Slam
- 20 Grand Slam singles titles
- Never retired from a match.
- Most Wimbledon men’s singles titles (a total of 8)
- 65 consecutive grass court match victories
- 56 consecutive hard court match victories
- Most Year-end No.1 rankings (a total of 5)
- World No.1 for 310 weeks (237 consecutive weeks)
- Most wins at the prestigious ATP World Tour Finals (a total of 59)
- Won 65 matches in a row on grass
- All Tournaments W-L: 369-60 | Win Rate: 86%
2. Rafael Nadal
Profile
- Birth of the Date: June 3, 1986
- Birthplace: Mallorca, Spain
- Turned Pro: 2001
- Retired: N/A
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
- Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: N/A
Nadal has the most Grand Slam singles titles in tennis history til today. Also, he holds the most French Open titles – a total of 14. Besides, his 81 consecutive wins on clay are the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era. Known as King of the Clay.
Nadal was the youngest man to achieve the Career Grand Slam when he was 24. And also did it twice, a shared record with Roy Emerson, Novak Djokovic, and Rod Laver.
Nadal became the world No. 1 for the first time by defeating Federer in 2008 Wimbledon, one of the greatest tennis matches. Up til now, Nadal is the only player to beat Federer in four finals at the same major.
Nadal’s success in the game is not limited to clay courts. Throughout his career, he has won 514 matches on hard courts. He is the only player with 470+ match wins on both hard and clay courts.
Nadal ranked world No.1 for 209 weeks and the year-end No. 1 five times (2008, 2010, 2013, 2017, and 2019). Also, he’s the only man to have ranked world No. 1 in three decades (the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s).
Career Stats & Records
- Double Career Grand Slam
- Career Golden Slam
- 22 Grand Slam singles titles
- Most Frech Open singles titles (a total of 14)
- Most wins on a clay court in the Open Era (81 consecutive wins)
- The first man to win on 3 different surfaces in the calendar year (A Surface Slam)
- World No.1 for 209 weeks
- Year-end No.1 for 5 times
- All Tournaments W-L: 310-41 | Win Rate: 88.3%
1. Novak Djokovic
Profile
- Birth of the Date: May 22, 1987
- Birthplace: Belgrade, Serbia
- Turned Pro: 2003
- Retired: N/A
- Height: 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
- Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: N/A
Djokovic has 21 Grand Slam singles titles and is a record seven-time year-end world No.1. He’s been world No. 1 for 373 weeks which is impossible to surpass. He’s one of eight male players to achieve the Career Grand Slam and one of four to achieve the Double Career Grand Slam.
Djokovic’s peak career was in the 2011 season. He won 10 titles on 3 different surfaces and won 8 titles on grass, including 7 Wimbledon titles.
Moreover, he’s won 18 titles on clay, including 2 French Open and 11 Masters titles. He’s second only to Rafael Nadal’s record of 26.
Djokovic is the only player to defeat Federer and Nadal in all four Grand Slams. For the record, he’s defeated Federer in 3 Wimbledon finals and is the only player to beat Nadal in 4 Grand Slam finals.
Career Stats & Records
- Non-calendar Year Grand Slam
- Double Career Grand Slam
- Double Career Masters
- Won a Major title on all different surfaces in a calendar year (Surface Slam)
- Most Master titles (a total of 38)
- Most Men’s Grand Slam singles finals (a total of 32)
- Most Australia Open singles titles (a total of 9)
- 30 Consecutive Grand Slam match wins
- Most big titles (Grand Slam, All Tour Finals, Masters, Olympics)
- 12 Hard court Grand Slam titles
- Most weeks at World No.1 (a total of 373 weeks)
- Most Year-end No.1s (a total of 7 times)
- All Tournaments W-L: 334-47 | Win Rate: 87.7%
Top 5 Female Tennis Players of All Time
5. Chris Evert
Profile
- Birth of the Date: December 21, 1954
- Birthplace: Fort Lauderdale, FL, U.S.
- Turned Pro: 1972
- Retired: 1989
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
- Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: 1995
Evert was the first tennis player to win 1,000 singles matches. Besides, she compiled the second most career match wins (1,309), behind Martina Navratilova(1,442). Ever won 18 Grand Slam singles titles in her tennis career. And completed the Career Grand Slam at Australia Open in 1982.
Evert’s strengths were her speed, detailed footwork, court coverage, consistency, and mental fortitude. Despite having success on all surfaces, her favorite surface was clay. Evert’s seven French Open singles titles stood for 27 years until Rafael Nadal broke it in 2013. Yet, she still holds the record for female players.
Evert was one of the first women who used a double-handed backhand on the WTA tour. A double-handed backhand will result in less reach than a one-handed backhand. But, it provided some power and consistency and would later become the standard for female tennis players.
Career Stats & Records
- Career Grand Slam
- World No.1 for 260 weeks
- Year-end No.1 for 7 times
- 7 French Open singles titles
- 125 Consecutive clay-court match victories (1974-1979)
- 31 Consecutive wins in U.S. Open (1975-79)
- 3 Titles without losing a set in U.S. Open (1976-78)
- 100% (13–0) match winning percentage in 1 season (1976)
- Highest clay court winning percentage (94.55%) in WTA
- The first female to reach one million dollars in career prize money
- All Tournaments W-L: 299-37 | Win Rate: 88.9%
4. Martina Navratilova
Profile
- Birth of the Date: October 18, 1956
- Birthplace: Prague, Czechoslovakia
- Turned Pro: 1974
- Retired: 2006
- Height: 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
- Plays: Left-handed (one-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: 2000
Navratilova dominated women’s tennis both in the 1970s and 1980s. She won 18 women’s singles, 31 women’s doubles, and 10 mixed doubles titles. Of 59 major titles, it’s the most in the Open Era.
Navratilova’s been the world No. 1 in singles for 332 weeks (second only to Steffi Graf) and 237 weeks in doubles. She was the only player in history to have held the top rankings in both disciplines for more than 200 weeks.
She reached the Wimbledon singles final 12 times, including for 9 consecutive years from 1982 through 1990.
Navratilova has accomplished a Career Boxed Set, referring to a Career Grand Slam in singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.
Career Stats & Records
- Career Grand Slam
- Career Boxed Set
- World No.1 for 332 weeks
- 41 Combined doubles titles (same-sex & mixed)
- 7+ Doubles titles at all four Majors
- 6 Consecutive Grand Slams won (1983-84)
- 6 Titles won without losing a set (1983-90)
- Winner of Grand Slam titles (singles/doubles/mixed) in four decades (1974-06)
- All Tournaments W-L: 306-49 | Win Rate: 86.2%
3. Margaret Court
Profile
- Birth of the Date: July 16, 1942
- Birthplace: Albury, Australia
- Turned Pro: 1960
- Retired: 1977
- Height: 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
- Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: 1979
Court’s career spanned both amateur and professional eras. Her 24 major singles titles, 19 women’s doubles, and 21 mixed doubles titles, a total of 63 major titles are the most in tennis history.
Court completed a Career Grand Slam at 21 with her victory at Wimbledon in 1963. Court also set the record for most singles titles in a single Grand Slam event, with 11 Australian Open wins.
Court is the only player to have won the Grand Slam in both singles and mixed doubles. She won the Grand Slam in singles in 1970, the mixed doubles in 1963 with fellow Australian Ken Fletcher, and the mixed doubles Grand Slam in 1965 with three different partners (Fletcher, John Newcombe, and Fred Stolle).
Career Stats & Records
- Grand Slam – singles
- Grand Slam – mixed doubles
- Non-calendar Year Grand Slam
- Grand Slam Boxed Set
- Career Grand Slam for at least 3 times
- Triple Crown (winning 3 types of matches at one event)
- The most Grand Slam singles titles in history (a total of 24)
- Best Grand Slam match win percentage (90.6%) in the Open Era
- 11 Australia Open singles titles
- All Tournaments W-L: 207-23 | Win Rate: 90%
2. Steffi Graff
Profile
- Birth of the Date: June 14, 1969
- Birthplace: Mannheim, Germany
- Turned Pro: 1982
- Retired: 1999
- Height: 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
- Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: 2004
Graff is the only tennis player who claimed the Golden Grand Slam. She won a Calendar-year Grand Slam and Olympic Gold in the same year.
Graf also remains the only tennis player to have won the Grand Slam on three surfaces and at least four times.
Graff also ranked world No.1 for 377 weeks, a record of the most weeks for male or female. She was the Year-end No.1 for 8 times in 1987-90 and 1993-96. Throughout her major tournaments, she won 278 matches out of 310, leaving an almost 89.7% winning percentage on the record.
Graf had the best footwork. She hit the ball on the rise, lifting herself off the ground to pound her forehand drive. She was vastly fit due to a structured training schedule that made her strong and quick.
Career Stats & Records
- Golden Slam
- Grand Slam
- 100% Match winning percentage in 1 season (1988,1995,1996)
- 4+ titles in all four Majors (1987-95)
- 2+ Consecutive titles in all four Majors (1987-89)
- 3+ Grand Slam titles
- Defeated the top 3 seeded players in the same tournament
- The one and only tennis player won Grand Slam titles at least 4 times
- Won 3 majors singles titles in a calendar year five times
- World No.1 for 337 weeks
- All Tournaments W-L: 278-32 | Win Rate: 89.7%
1. Serena Williams
Profile
- Birth of the Date: September 26, 1981
- Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
- Turned Pro: 1995
- Retired: 2022
- Height: 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
- Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
- Hall of Fame: N/A
Williams ranked world No. 1 in singles by WTA for 319 weeks and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. She has 23 Grand Slam singles titles, which is the most by any player in the Open Era. And completed the Non-calendar Year Grand Slam and Career Grand Slam. She defeated Sharapova in the 2012 London Olympics, won the gold medal, and became the first tennis player in both singles and doubles.
Williams was the world’s highest-paid woman athlete in 2016, earning $29 million. In 2017, she was the only woman on Forbes’ list of the 100 highest-paid athletes, with $27 million in prize money and endorsements.
Williams’ greatest asset is her serve. She served the ball with its fast pace and accurate placement, allowing her to have tons of aces. At the 2013 Australian Open, she served a 128.6 mph (207 km/h) ace in her third-round match against Ayumi Morita. It became the third fastest serve in WTA history.
Williams is also known for her forceful groundstrokes. She hits the balls in an open stance both on her forehand and backhand. It resulted in more powerful groundstrokes at the best chance.
Career Stats & Records
- Non-calendar Year Grand Slam
- Career Grand Slam
- Career Golden Slam
- Surface Slam (Won a title on every surface in a calendar year)
- World No.1 for 319 weeks
- Year-end No.1 for 5 times
- Most women’s singles titles in the Australia Open (a total of 7)
- 6+ Titles at three different Grand Slams (Australian Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open)
- 69+ Wins at all four Grand Slams (1998-21)
- Highest-earning woman athlete of all time
- Most Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era
- All Tournaments W-L: 367-56 | Win Rate: 86.8%
What’s Next
The list is not the final, and it will change as each tennis season ends. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. If you want to explore more G.O.A.Ts in the tennis game, definitely check out our articles such as Top American Tennis Players and Top 10 Female Tennis Players.
