For more than two decades, the world of men’s tennis has been dominated by three names; Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. 2024 marks the first calendar year since 2002 that one of the ‘Big Three’ hasn’t won a Grand Slam title. However, before the talented trio above established their dominance, there were a number of talented stars with huge personalities who thrilled fans both on and off the court.
It’s never easy to rank competitors who played in different eras to each other, namely due to changes in fitness levels and the quality of courts and equipment available to modern players. Despite that challenge, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 greatest male players ever to grace the court.
These rankings are based on many factors, but the ability to win regularly at Grand Slams is a must. Additional credit has also been given to individuals who played in highly competitive eras.
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Top 10 male tennis players of all time |
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|---|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Name |
Nationality |
Grand Slams |
|
1. |
Novak Djokovic |
Serbian |
24 |
|
2. |
Roger Federer |
Swiss |
20 |
|
3. |
Rafael Nadal |
Spanish |
22 |
|
4. |
Pete Sampras |
American |
14 |
|
5. |
Rod Laver |
Australian |
11 |
|
6. |
Bjorn Borg |
Swedish |
11 |
|
7. |
John McEnroe |
American |
7 |
|
8. |
Ivan Lendl |
Czech |
8 |
|
9. |
Jimmy Connors |
American |
8 |
|
10. |
Andre Agassi |
American |
8 |
Just making it inside the top 10 list is United States tennis icon Andre Agassi. Having a career spanning two decades is no easy feat, with Agassi dominating throughout the late 80s and into the 90s, before calling an end to his playing time in 2006. During that time, he would win 61 career titles, including eight Grand Slams. Perhaps his most memorable victory was his one and only Wimbledon title in 1992, beating two former champions along the way who may just pop up later in this list. Agassi also has the honour of being an Olympic gold medalist, having won the title at the 1996 games, held in Atlanta.
We go back a bit further for our next entry, with a man that lit up the 1970s era of male tennis. Jimmy Connors was an American icon during the 1970s, with his accolades on the court up there with the very best players in history. He holds the record for the most ATP Tour titles, as well as collecting eight Grand Slams throughout his 24-year playing career. Again, he is another player to just miss out on collecting all the Grand Slam titles, with the French Open missing from his trophy cabinet. Connors also sits joint top on the list of US Open titles won in the Open era, with five.
We move on next to a tennis Hall of Fame member who has an incredible list of titles to his name, won throughout an illustrious career throughout the 1980s. Ivan Lendl, born in what was then known as Czechoslovakia, is considered to be the most dominant male player of the 1980s, which is saying something considering the competition at the time. Known for his monster serve, Lendl would go on to win 144 career titles, with eight Grand Slams along the way. Wimbledon was the only major title that eluded him and is perhaps why he doesn’t make it any higher up on this list.
Another legend of the incredibly competitive 1980s era, John McEnroe, comes in at seven on our list, with his style and entertainment factor making it impossible not to include him. Arguably the most thrilling player to watch on his day, McEnroe was a fiery character, to say the least. He won seven Grand Slams during his career, with all of them coming at Wimbledon and the US Open, where he was part of some of the most memorable matches in the history of those respective tournaments. Just go back and watch his Wimbledon final against Bjorn Borg from 1980 to see some truly incredible drama.
Australian-born Rod Laver is the first name to break the top five, with his achievements throughout the 1960s and 70s putting him up there as one of the most decorated male players in the history of the game. Laver boasts 200 career titles, including 11 Grand Slams across all four major tournaments. He sits at the top of the list when it comes to career titles won and has the unique experience of winning Grand Slams in both the amateur and Open eras. It is hard to compare players going back this far, but many would argue that if Laver was to have played in a more modern time, we would’ve seen similar levels of victory and domination.
Another American makes the list next, with serial winner Pete Sampras coming in at fourth spot. Sampras was widely considered the greatest player of all time when he retired in 2002, having won almost everything on offer during his 15-year professional career. The one thing holding him back was his inability to win on clay courts, with his 14 Grand Slams missing that all important French Open title. Despite that, Sampras is still remembered as an incredible athlete that ignited the excitement for tennis in the 1990s. His battles against Andre Agassi will never be forgotten by tennis fans.
We are sure that many would have predicted the top three in this list, with the order of them being the only thing in question. Spaniard and king of clay Rafael Nadal comes in at third place on our list. A true magician and a player that helped bring so many new eyes to the game with his enigmatic play style and character. Nadal has 22 Grand Slam victories to his name, with a quite ridiculous 14 of those coming at the French Open. He sits well clear at the top of the list of winners at Roland Garros, with that number likely to never be beaten. Add to that an Olympic gold medal, and you have an unbelievable career, not to mention being part of the “Big Three.”
The gentlemen of tennis comes in at second place, narrowly missing out on topping this prestigious list. Roger Federer could easily be named at number one and fans would have very few complaints. The way he made tennis look so easy and calm was a pleasure to watch. The Swiss icon has won 20 career Grand Slams, with eight of those coming at Wimbledon, putting him top of the list for most wins at SW19. He always brought his A game when it came to the grassy courts of Wimbledon, and was the figurehead of the “Big Three” alongside Rafael Nadal and the man who tops our list. We will certainly not see a player of this ilk ever again.
Was there really ever any doubt that this man would be topping our list of greatest male tennis players of all time? With his Olympic gold medal completing his set with victory at the 2024 Paris Games, Novak Djokovic is by far and away the most complete player the game has ever seen. He now has 24 career Grand Slams and counting, with Federer’s Wimbledon record still being hunted down. The Serb is a perfect example of the modern player, a complete athlete and machine that has put in thousands of hours of dedication into perfecting his craft. Still going strong at 37 years old, and despite his early exit fromthe US Open, we are very likely to see a few more Grand Slams added to his collection before he calls time on his career.
