Clay courts are a common sight in the world of tennis, providing a unique playing experience that is both strategic and challenging. Clay surfaces have been used for centuries, favored by players due to their slower speed which allows for more control over shots.
The different types of clay court materials vary depending on the tournament or venue but all provide an equal challenge as they require tactical play with controlled power strokes while also offering advantages such as less impact on joints than hard courts.
Whether you’re looking to watch some grand slam matches at the French Open or just hitting up your local club court, clay courts offer plenty of exciting possibilities and challenges.
1. Serena Williams
Career
- Richard Williams (1994–2022)
- Oracene Price (1994–2003)
- Patrick Mouratoglou (2012–2022)
- Eric Hechtman (2022)[2]
- Rennae Stubbs (2022)
Serena Williams is the most successful tennis player of all time, with 27 Grand Slam titles including 18 singles majors. Serena was born in Saginaw, Michigan and turned pro in 1995.
She retired from professional tennis after winning her 22nd major at the US Open in September 2022. Serena has been coached by Richard Williams (1994-2022), Oracene Price (1994-2003) and Patrick Mouratoglou (2012-2022).
Rennae Stubbs will coach her for the next two years. Her prize money totals $94 million. Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all time and has held many accolades, including being the No. 1 ranked player in the world for 14 years.
She has won 23 tournaments throughout her career, with eight doubles titles to her credit as well. Serena also competed at two Olympic Games - winning a gold medal in 2012 - and reached the final of four Grand Slams (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open).
Outside of tennis, she founded her own fashion line which became a huge success worldwide; furthermore she is an advocate for women's rights and charitable work.
Also Played For: united states tennis, tennis
2. Steffi Graf
Career
- 16th in all-time rankings
Steffi Graf was a dominant player in the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning 16 Grand Slam titles. She retired from professional tennis in 1999 after suffering a series of injuries.
Graf is now an ambassador for UNICEF and has worked to raise awareness about child poverty around the world. In 2004, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Steffi Graf is one of the greatest tennis players in history and holds many records.
She has won 107 singles titles, including three at the Grand Slam tournaments—the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. Her career record is 900-115 (88.7%), making her third all-time on the list of leading winners in professional tennis behind Billie Jean King and Margaret Court.
Steffi also achieved great success in doubles competitions, winning 11 titles together with different partners throughout her illustrious career from 1987 to 1996. Notably she was part of five consecutive Olympic gold medal teams between 1988 and 1992.
Also Played For: tennis clay court, women's tennis
3. Margaret Court
Career
- Australian Open: W (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973)
- French Open: W (1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1973)
- Wimbledon: W (1963, 1965, 1970)
- US Open: W (1962, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1973)
- Australian Open: W (1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973)
- French Open: W (1964, 1965, 1966, 1973)
- Wimbledon: W (1964, 1969)
- US Open: W (1963, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1975)
Margaret Court was born in Albury, Australia on 16 July 1942. She turned pro in 1960 and won her first major title at the Australian Open that year. She went on to win 92 titles during her career, including six Wimbledon Championships and five French Opens.
Her highest ranking came in 1962 when she became world number one for the first time. Margaret retired from professional tennis in 1977 but continued to play exhibition matches until 1980. In 1979 she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame as a member of the "Women's Pro Era".
Margaret currently resides in Perth, Australia with her husband Greg Norman and their two children Michael and Alicia Jr. Margaret Court was a world-famous tennis player.
Who won seven Wimbledon championships, three US Open titles and two Australian Opens. She also won numerous doubles championships with her partner Chris Evert.
Margaret Court is most famous for winning the women's singles title at the 1966 Aussie Open, which made her the first woman to win a Grand Slam in singles competition.
In 1975 she became the first female athlete ever to be honoured with an Order of Australia medal (the highest civilian honour).
Margaret Court retired from professional tennis in 1979 but continued to play on tour until 1984; since then she has devoted herself mainly to charity work and writing autobiographies.
4. Monica Seles
Career
- Australian Open: W (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996)
- French Open: W (1990, 1991, 1992)
- Wimbledon: F (1992)
- US Open: W (1991, 1992)
- Australian Open: SF (1991, 2001)
- French Open: 3R (1990)
- Wimbledon: QF (1999)
- US Open: QF (1999)
- "Fed Cup: United States
- W (1996, 1999, 2000)"
- "Hopman Cup: Yugoslavia
- W (1991)
- United States
- F (2001, 2002)"
Monica Seles was born on December 2, 1973 in Novi Sad, SR Serbia. She turned pro in 1989 and retired from professional tennis in 2008. Seles won 53 singles titles during her career and reached No.
1 on the WTA tour once. Her most successful period came between 1992-1994 when she won five consecutive grand slam singles tournaments including three Australian Open titles and one Wimbledon championship.
After losing to Steffi Graf at the US Open final in 1994, Seles withdrew from competitive tennis for a year due to injuries sustained during that match which ruled her out of competing at other major championships until 1997.
when she finally regained her world number one ranking with two Grand Slam victories at the French Open and Australian Open respectively.
Monica Seles also appeared as a contestant on season 17 of Dancing With The Stars but unfortunately lost in week 5 (her partnering partner was Maksim Chmerkovskiy).
In 2009, Seles became an International Tennis Hall of Fame member after being voted into induction by fellow professionals who recognised her standing within the sport.
Monica Seles was a world-renowned professional tennis player who was known for her powerful groundstrokes and superb court coverage.
Seles achieved many notable successes during her career, including six Grand Slam singles titles and two Olympic gold medals in doubles play.
After retiring from professional tennis in 1992, Seles went on to have a successful coaching career before passing away at the age of 35 from cancer.
Monica Seles will always be remembered as one of the greatest players ever to grace the sport, and her accomplishments will continue to inspire future generations of athletes.
5. Maria Sharapova
Career
- 4th all-time in earnings[3]
Maria Sharapova is a Russian professional tennis player who has won 36 titles in her career. She topped the world rankings for 22 consecutive weeks from 2005 to 2006, and again from 2008 to 2009.
In 2011 she became the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1988 to win two Grand Slam singles titles in a calendar year, winning at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Sharapova announced her retirement from professional tennis on 26 February 2020 after failing to defend her title at the Australian Open that year.
Maria Sharapova has been one of the most successful tennis players in history. She has won 29 singles titles and five doubles titles, making her one of the all-time greats.
Sharapova is known for her powerful shots and accurate serves. Her playstyle often revolves around quick groundstrokes and precise volleys.
In 2004, she became the first player to win both the Australian Open and US Open in the same year since Rod Laver accomplished this feat back in 1962.
Despite her impressive record, Sharapova has had a number of controversial moments over the years which have tarnished her image somewhat;most notably when she was found guilty of doping offences earlier this year.
However, despite these setbacks, Maria Sharapova remains an incredibly talented player who will be looking to add even more prestigious titles to her collection in future seasons.
6. Simona Halep
Career
- 3rd in all-time rankings[2]
Halep is a Romanian professional tennis player who has won 24 singles titles. Halep reached her career-high ranking of No. 1 in October 2017, but has since dropped down the rankings.
Halep is known for her powerful right-handed serve and two-handed backhand shot. She was born on September 27, 1991 in Constanța, Romania to parents from Dobrogea region of Romania.
Halep started playing tennis at the age of 4 with her father coaching her alongside family friends she met through club competitions around town .
In 2006 she turned pro and began training with coach Gheorghe Birchall in London before moving to Spain later that year to work with Fernando Verdasco's personal trainer Manuel Ortega Sanchez.
Her biggest win as a professional came at the 2016 French Open where she defeated Serena Williams in straight sets to claim the title; this victory made Halep only the third woman (after Steffi Graf and Monica Seles) ever to reach three Grand Slam finals without losing any matches along the way Halep is a Romanian professional tennis player.
Halep has won five singles titles and three doubles titles on the WTA tour. She made her debut in 1998, and reached her career-high ranking of No. 1 in April 2017.
Halep was part of Romania's Fed Cup team that reached the final for the first time in its history in 2016, losing to Sweden.
Halep has been coached by Darren Cahill since she joined his coaching staff at the end of 2018. SimonaHalep plays with an unorthodox backhand which opponents find difficult to hit due to its speed and spin angles.
However, this style often produces spectacular winners when executed correctly her favorite shot is a crosscourt forehand winner off one foot called "the Bullet".
7. Helen Wills
Career
- 1919: Entered first tournament, ranked 7th in California
- 1922: Reached U.S. Championships final, won first Grand Slam in doubles
- 1923: Won first U.S. Championships title at age 17
- 1924: Won Olympic and U.S. Championships titles
- Ranked nationally and in California, considered a top player in the world
Helen Wills was born in Centerville, California on October 6, 1905. She was a professional tennis player who achieved great success in the 1920s and 1930s.
Helen Wills won the French Open three times (1928, 1929, 1930) and Wimbledon twice (1927, 1928). In 1931 she became only the second woman to win both the US Open and Wimbledon titles at the same time.
After retiring from professional play in 1938 Helen Wills served as an international referee for many years before passing away aged 92 in 1998. Helen Wills was an American tennis player who competed in the 1920s and 1930s.
She became one of the leading female players of her era, winning several Grand Slam doubles titles with partner Bill Tilden. In 1924 she won a singles title at the French Open and teamed up with Tilden to win Wimbledon three years later.
After retiring from professional play, Wills served as US national team coach for many years before passing away in 1988 at age 84.
8. Petra Kvitová
Career
- W (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018)
- Record 30–11
Petra Kvitová is a Czech professional tennis player who has been ranked world No. 7 by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) since August 2016.
She has won three Grand Slam singles titles, including two at the Australian Open and one at Wimbledon, as well as five other major tournaments, most notably the 2017 US Open which made her only woman in history to win all four of the Grand Slams twice.
Petra also holds nine WTA Tour doubles titles together with her current partner Barbora Strýcová and they are unbeaten in 2018 thus far. Outside of tennis, she studied business administration at Charles University in Prague before turning professional in 2006 and making.
Her debut on ITF Women's Circuit events later that year - whereupon she was signed up by David Kotyza as her coach until he departed midway through their third season together for personal reasons after compiling a record of 73–27 (.711).
In October 2009 she became engaged to football player Tomáš Rosický who currently plays for Chelsea FC but they called off their engagement just over one year later on 15 December 2010 citing "irreconcilable differences".
On 5 June 2012 Kvitová married businessman Vlastimil Koubek; however this too ended shortly afterward on 10 January 2013 when it was announced that they had filed for divorce amicably six days earlier due to "irreconcilable differences" once again despite having no children from the marriage.
Her then-boyfriend Michal Mertiňan served papers on 9 January 2013 accusing Petra of adultery although there is no evidence supporting these claims beyond mere speculation given that neither party ever.
Went public about any extramarital affairs during or following their time together except for occasional mentions here or there online.
Without going into further depth so it can be difficult to ascertain whether anything actually happened between them outside of what either side chose freely to share publicly even if suspicions may linger among some onlookers nevertheless etc.
So much drama lol. Petra Kvitová is a professional tennis player from the Czech Republic who has won several singles and doubles titles on the tour. She first came to prominence as a junior, winning two Grand Slam singles tournaments and reaching three other finals.
As an adult, she has racked up thirteen singles titles but only one doubles title with Barbora Strycova. In October 2011, she became No 2 in the world rankings, which remains her highest ranking to date.
Her best performance at a Grand Slam tournament was runner-up finish at the Australian Open in 2019; she also reached the fourth round of Wimbledon that year and US Open in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
9. Karolína Plíšková
Career
- 14th in all-time rankings
Karolína Plíšková is a professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. She has won several singles titles, including two at the French Open and one at Wimbledon.
In doubles, she has also been successful, winning five titles together with her partner Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová. Additionally, she has competed in many other tournaments around the world, reaching some prestigious finals along the way.
At 30 years old, Karolína Pliskova remains relatively young for a professional tennis player and looks to continue competing at the highest level for as long as possible. Karolína Plíšková is a professional Czech tennis player who has won 16 career titles, including two Grand Slam singles championships.
She reached her highest ranking of No. 1 on 17 July 2017 and currently ranks 31st in the world. Karolína Plíšková also boasts a successful doubles record, having won 5 titles together with partner Agnieszka Radwanska.
10. Sloane Stephens
Career
- 2017: US OpenHard
Sloane Stephens is a professional tennis player who has won seven singles titles. Stephens was born in Plantation, Florida and turned pro in 2009. Her best Grand Slam results include two semifinal appearances at the Australian Open and one final appearance at the French Open.
Stephens currently occupies the 37th spot on the WTA Rankings, which she reached in July 2018. Sloane Stephens is married to ATP player Nick Kyrgios and they have a daughter together named Olympia Rose Apollonio-Kyrgios.
Stephens is a two-time Wimbledon champion. Stephens has also won the US Open twice, in 2017 and 2018.
Stephens has an impressive career record of 44 wins in 62 matches played. She reached her highest ranking of No. 94 on 24 October 2011, but currently stands at No.
338 as of September 2022. Sloane Stephens is known for her powerful serve and agility on court, which have helped her to become one of the most successful doubles players around.
Stephens was born on 4 November 1990 in Kenton, Ohio and first started playing tennis at the age of four with her sister Daniella. As well as competing professionally in singles tournaments, she regularly competes alongside Meryl Davis in mixed doubles events too.
11. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Career
- 20th in all-time rankings (female)
Sánchez Vicario is one of the most successful female tennis players in history, with 29 career titles. She first achieved success on the international stage in 1985, when she reached a ranking of No.
1 in the world. Sánchez Vicario has been especially dominant at Grand Slam tournaments, winning 72% of her matches overall there. After retiring from professional tennis in 2002, she turned to coaching and management roles within the sport.
In 2007, Sánchez Vicario was inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame as an honorary member; she will be formally enshrined later that year following her induction speech at the ceremony held in Newport Beach, California. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario is a Spanish professional tennis player.
She has won 69 singles titles and eleven doubles titles, including five Grand Slam championships in women's doubles with her then-partner Luis Lobo.
In 1992, she became the first woman to win both the French Open men's singles title and the Wimbledon women's doubles championship, as well as becoming world No 1 for two weeks during that year.
After splitting from Lobo in 1998, she began playing with Martina Hingis and together they won three more Grand Slam titles: at the US Open (1999), Australian Open (2000) and Roland Garros (2001).
At age 33, she reached her final grand slam stage appearance at Wimbledon 2010 where lost to Venus Williams in the semifinals; this was also her last match on hard courts.
Also Played For: spain tennis, spanish tennis
12. Novak Djokovic
Career
- Australian Open: W (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023)
- French Open: W (2016, 2021)
- Wimbledon: W (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
- US Open: W (2011, 2015, 2018)
- Tour Finals: W (2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022)
- Olympic Games: 2008
- Australian Open: 1R (2006, 2007)
- French Open: 1R (2006)
- Wimbledon: 2R (2006)
- US Open: 1R (2006)
- Olympic Games: 2R (2016)
- Olympic Games: SF – 4th (2020)
- Davis Cup: W (2010)
- Hopman Cup: F (2008, 2013)
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who has won four Grand Slam singles titles, including two at Wimbledon. He was born in 1987 and turned pro in 2003.
Djokovic boasts an 83% career win percentage which places him third on the all-time list of singles champions behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
In 2011, he became the first player since Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slam men's singles titles simultaneously - meaning he had also won the US Open that year as well 2 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events (Indian Wells and Miami).
Djokovic announced his retirement from competitive tennis in September 2018 but returned to competition partway through 2019 season with mixed results thus far Djokovic is a five-time Grand Slam singles champion and two-time doubles champion.
Djokovic has won 62 out of his 77 career singles matches, an impressive 44.6 percent win rate. The Serbian superstar has had some amazing partnerships with players like Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer, who have helped him win multiple Grand Slam titles together.
Djokovic was ranked number one for 302 weeks in the history of the ATP World Tour rankings (from August 2003 to October 2009).
He announced his retirement from professional tennis in November 2018 after capturing his 18th major title at Wimbledon that same year; however, he made a return to competition in 2019 following hip surgery and now resides on the second court at Flushing Meadows Racquet Club.
Also Played For: men's tennis
13. Rafael Nadal
Career
- Australian Open: W (2009, 2022)
- French Open: W (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
- Wimbledon: W (2008, 2010)
- US Open: W (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)
- Tour Finals: F (2010, 2013)
- Olympic Games: 2008
- Australian Open: 3R (2004, 2005)
- Wimbledon: 2R (2005)
- US Open: SF (2004)
- Olympic Games: -2016
- Davis Cup: W (2004, 2009, 2011, 2019)
Rafael Nadal is a ten-time Grand Slam champion and one of the greatest tennis players in history. He was born on June 3, 1986, in Manacor, Mallorca, Spain.
Nadal began playing professional tennis at the age of 16 and quickly became one of the world's top players. In 2008 he reached No. 1 in the rankings for the first time and held that position until 2013 when he lost to Novak Djokovic.
Since then, he has won four more Wimbledon titles (2014–2017), two US Open Championships (2012; 2017), as well as three French Open Championships (2011; 2012; 2016). Overall his record stands at 1067 wins with 219 losses - 83%.
Rafael Nadal is married to Maria Francisca Perera de Muguruza and they have two children together: sons Rafał Jr., who currently plays basketball for Real Madrid Baloncesto, and David,and daughter Stefanie.
He enjoys philanthropy through his foundation “CaixabankServet” which supports education projects such as scholarships for disadvantaged students across Spain.
14. Roger Federer
Federer is one of the most successful tennis players of all time and has won numerous accolades, including 17 Grand Slam titles. Federer was born in Basel, Switzerland and started playing tennis at a young age.
In 1998, he turned professional and quickly made a name for himself on the ATP tour. Federer has long been considered one of the greatest athletes in history and holds many records, including being the only player to win seven Wimbledon championships (2006-2016).
Federers retirement from professional tennis was announced in February 2022 after 20 years as a top performer on the ATP circuit. He currently coaches younger players alongside longtime coach Peter Carter but hasn't ruled out returning to competitive play in the future.
Roger Federer is a tennis legend and one of the greatest athletes in history. He has won numerous championships, including 10 Wimbledon titles and six US Open titles. Roger Federer was born in Switzerland on 18 January 1981.
Roger Federer made his professional debut at the age of 17, and went on to win many major tournaments throughout his career, including two Australian Opens and three French Opens.
Roger Federer retired from competitive play after the 2017 ATP World Tour Finals tournament, but he remains a popular figure within the sport -
he recently participated in exhibition matches against Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer has been married to Mirka Vavrinec since 2009; they have two children together.
15. Rod Laver
Career
- Australian Open: W (1960, 1962, 1969)
- French Open: W (1962, 1969)
- Wimbledon: W (1961, 1962, 1968, 1969)
- US Open: W (1962, 1969)
- Tour Finals: RR – 2nd (1970)
- WCT Finals: F (1971, 1972)
- US Pro: W (1964, 1966, 1967)
- Wembley Pro: W (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967)
- French Pro: W (1967)
- Australian Open: W (1959, 1960, 1961, 1969)
- French Open: W (1961)
- Wimbledon: W (1971)
- US Open: F (1960, 1970, 1973)
- Australian Open: F (1959)
- French Open: W (1961)
- Wimbledon: W (1959, 1960)
- Davis Cup: W (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1973)
Rod Laver is one of the most successful tennis players in history, with 1689 singles wins and 538 career titles. He first achieved prominence as a professional in 1963, but it was his performance at the 1969 US Open that saw him crowned champion for the second time.
Laver's success continued into the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, with several more championships to his name - including three Grand Slam victories (at Wimbledon, Australian Open and U.S. Open).
In 1981 he became an International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee alongside legends such as Bill Tilden and Don Budge.
Rod Laver is the most successful male tennis player of all time, with 28 career titles. He was a dominant doubles player, winning two Grand Slams with partner Ken Rosewall. Rod Laver also had a very successful professional career, reaching No. 11 on the ATP rankings in 1971 and 1972.
16. Jimmy Connors
Career
- Andy Roddick (2006–2008), Maria Sharapova (2013), Eugenie Bouchard (2015)
Connors is one of the most successful tennis players of all time and holds a record for most singles titles. Connors first rose to prominence on the professional tour in 1972, winning his first major title that year at the US Open.
He went on to win 109 titles during his career, including 11 majors (the most of any player).
Connors reached No. 1 in 1974 and held this ranking for seven months before losing it to World No. 2 Ilie Năstase. After retiring from playing professionally in 1996, Connors became an ESPN commentator and later served as coach of former world number one Pancho Segura.
In 1998, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame Connors was a dominant player in the late 1970s and early 1980s, winning 16 Grand Slam singles titles.
Connors had an impressive record against top players of his era, defeating them 68% of the time. After retiring from professional tennis in 1990, Connors coached several top players including Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras.
17. Ivan Lendl
Career
- Andy Murray (2011 – 2014, 2016 – 2017, 2022-), Alexander Zverev (2018 – 2019)
Ivan Lendl is one of the most successful tennis players in history, with 18 ATP singles titles and 94 career wins. He was born in Czechoslovakia in 1960, but moved to the United States when he was just a child.
Ivan started playing professionally in 1978 and quickly became one of the best players on the circuit. He won his first major title at Wimbledon in 1984 and went on to win six more Major Championships over the next thirteen years – including two consecutive US Open Championships (1986-87).
In 1992, after years of dominating professional tennis, Ivan retired from competition due to injuries sustained during a match against Boris Becker.
Since then, Ivan has been involved in several business ventures – most notably owning an ice cream company called “Ivan’s Ice Cream” which he founded with his wife Christine.
In 2001, he was inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class alongside Federer, Sampras, Agassi and Martina Navratilova.
Currently aged 62 years old, Ivan is still actively involved within both professional sport and business circles – having served as President for former World No 1 Rafael Nadal's foundation since its inception back in 2013.
18. Björn Borg
Career
- Australian Open: 3R (1974)
- French Open: W (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)
- Wimbledon: W (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
- US Open: F (1976, 1978, 1980, 1981)
- Tour Finals: W (1979, 1980)
- WCT Finals: W (1976)
- Australian Open: 3R (1973)
- French Open: SF (1974, 1975)
- Wimbledon: 3R (1976)
- US Open: 3R (1975)
- Davis Cup: W (1975)
Björn Borg is one of the most successful tennis players in history, with a career record of 654–140 (82.4%). He first became famous in 1973 when he came back from retirement to win the Open Era title.
After losing two finals in 1982 and 1983, Björn Borg won eight more titles over his career. In 1987, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and retired from professional play later that year.
He has since been involved in coaching and broadcasting, working as a commentator for both Swedish television and Wimbledon broadcasts throughout the years In 1972, Borg became the youngest player (17 years and 283 days) to win a Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
In 1975, he won his fourth Wimbledon singles championship and third US Open singles championship.
Borg was one of tennis' greatest all-rounders, winning 82 career titles including 47 doubles championships. He retired from professional tennis in 1981 but made occasional appearances until 1993 before fully retiring in 1996.
In 2006, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and in 2007 received an Honorary Doctorate from Lund University in Sweden where he had attended school as a child.
Björn Borg is also known for his work with charities such as Unicef which helped save millions of children's lives worldwide through programs like "Save The Children".
19. Andy Murray
Career
- Australian Open: F (2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
- French Open: F (2016)
- Wimbledon: W (2013, 2016)
- US Open: W (2012)
- Tour Finals: W (2016)
- Olympic Games: (2012, 2016)
- Australian Open: 1R (2006)
- French Open: 2R (2006)
- Wimbledon: 2R (2019)
- US Open: 2R (2008)
- Olympic Games: QF (2021)
- Wimbledon: 3R (2019)
- Olympic Games: -2012
- Davis Cup: W (2015)
- Hopman Cup: F (2010)
Murray is a multiple Grand Slam champion, having won the Australian Open in 2013 and 2016 as well as Wimbledon in 2012 and 2015. He also claimed the US Open title in 2014 after defeating Roger Federer in the final.
Murray has also been successful on tour with 47 career titles including 33 ATP Masters 1000 events (the most of any player) which makes him one of tennis' all-time greats.
In February 2018, Murray announced his retirement from professional tennis effective at the end of 2020 due to ongoing injuries sustained during his playing career; however he will continue to train and compete on an amateur basis thereafter.
Andy Murray was born in 1987 in Glasgow, Scotland, where he began playing competitively aged four for Britannia Boys Club alongside future world No1 Andy Roddick.
[14][15] His mother Judy played table tennis while his father Kenny competed internationally at shot putt and discus throw.
The Murrays lived briefly when Andrew was three years old before moving back to Scotland, but spent much time travelling around Europe with their coach Ivan Lendl who saw potential in young Murray's game.
Whilst working with Stefan Edberg, another notable Scottish player at that time. When it came time for high school, Andy decided against attending boarding school like many top players do so instead he attended Royal Aberdeen College.
Where he became captain of both its men's 1A hockey team- winning two national championships -and its rugby first XV.
However given that Andy had already begun training full-time for professional tournaments by then it wasn't until 2005 that we really got to see what this prodigious youngster could do when competing professionally.
Making waves from day one as a qualifier into main draw matches at prestigious events such as Madrid Masters (where he lost only 8 games), Rome Masters,(winning two sets against.
Marat Safin en route), Canada Cup (reaching semifinals) & French Open Juniors losing only 2 sets over 4 rounds robins partnering eventual runner up Mikhail Youzhny.
20. Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev is a Russian professional tennis player who has achieved success on the ATP Tour and in Grand Slam main draw matches. He currently holds the No.
1 ranking, which he attained in February of this year. Daniil Medvedev was born on February 11th 1996 in Moscow, Russia and began playing tennis at an early age.
His family has a long history of involvement in tennis; his father Sergey played professionally and coached Daniil from a young age.
After progressing through junior tournaments, including winning two ITF titles, Daniil made his ATP debut in 2014 at the Dubai Open aged 18 years old where he reached the quarterfinals with wins over Nikoloz Basilashvili and Ernests Gulbis .
In 2016/2017 season he won 3 singles titles (including 2 Masters 1000s) reaching career-high rankings of world no 4 and no 2 respectively as well as qualifying for all 4 Grand Slams for the first time ever (Australian Open , French Open , Wimbledon & US Open ).
The 2018/2019 season saw him win another 3 singles titles (including one Masters 1000), reach new career-high rankings of world number 5 & world number 1 again as well as qualify for both AustralianOpen & Roland Garros .
As part of Russia’s Davis Cup team, Medvedev has also played extensively throughout Europe resulting in 7 rubbers won against 20 losses (+8). This includes victories over players such as Marin Cilic , David Goffin , Jozef Kovalík etc.
21. Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev is a German tennis player who has had success on the ATP Tour, Grand Slams and in Davis Cup. At 25 years old, Alexander Zverev is already one of the sport's top earners with US$32 million in career earnings.
He first made an impact at a young age when he reached No. 2 in the world rankings, and since then he has only continued to improve his game.
His style of play revolves around strong groundstrokes and superb two-handed backhand shots which have won him many fans worldwide.
With 19 career titles to his name, including three majors (Wimbledon 2018; Australian Open 2019; US Open 2020), Alexander Zverev is well on track to becoming one of tennis' all-time greats.
Alexander Zverev was born on October 10, 1997 in Munich, Germany. He started playing tennis at the age of four and quickly became a top player in his region.
In 2016, he won his first Grand Slam title when he beat Roger Federer in the Australian Open final. In 2019, Zverev made history by becoming the first man to win all four major titles - Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open - in one calendar year.
He is currently ranked No. 13 in the world and has two career doubles championships to his name with partner Max Mirnyi (the 2017 French Open and 2018 Olympic Games).
Outside of competition, Alexander likes spending time with friends and family or going out for a night on the town.
22. Diego Schwartzman
Career
- Australian Open: 4R (2018, 2020)
- French Open: SF (2020)
- Wimbledon: 3R (2019, 2021)
- US Open: QF (2017, 2019)
- Tour Finals: RR (2020)
- Olympic Games: 3R (2021)
- Australian Open: 2R (2015)
- French Open: SF (2019)
- Wimbledon: 2R (2016)
- US Open: 2R (2015, 2016)
- Davis Cup: SF (2015)
Diego Schwartzman is a professional tennis player from Argentina. He has had a successful career, winning four titles in singles and ranking eighth on the ATP Tour in 2020.
Diego Schwartzman was born on 16 August 1992 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At 1.70 metres tall, he plays right-handed with a two-handed backhand.
Diego Schwartzman turned pro in 2010 and quickly established himself as one of the best players in the world, reaching No 8 on the ATP Tour Rankings by October 2020.
His main tournaments are at Grand Slams where he has reached the semifinals twice (2018 Wimbledon and 2019 US Open) and semifinal once (2017 Australian Open).
Diego Schwartzman's impressive record includes 55 wins from 237 matches played across all surfaces (ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches), including 4 title successes – 3 at Masters 1000 level events (Miami [2013], Vienna [2015], Rome [2018]) and 1 at an ATP 500 event (Gstaad).
In Davis Cup competition, Diego Schwartzman has been part of three victorious teams: 2nd round match against USA 2016; Quarterfinal match against France 2018; Final match against Spain 2019.
23. Gustavo Kuerten
Career
- Australian Open: 3R (2004)
- French Open: W (1997, 2000, 2001)
- Wimbledon: QF (1999)
- US Open: QF (1999, 2001)
- Tour Finals: W (2000)
- Olympic Games: QF (2000)
- Australian Open: QF (1999)
- French Open: QF (1998)
- Wimbledon: 1R (1999, 2000)
- US Open: 1R (1997, 2003, 2004, 2007)
- Davis Cup: SF (2000)
Kuerten is a Brazilian professional tennis player who has won 20 titles in his career. Kuerten turned pro in 1995 and reached No. 1 on the ATP Tour rankings in 2000.
Kuerten's record includes 64% win rate at Grand Slams, including 4 Wimbledon singles titles and 3 US Open doubles championships with Lleyton Hewitt. In January 2008, Kuerten announced his retirement from professional tennis after losing to Roger Federer in the semifinals of the Australian Open that year.
His final match came against David Nalbandian at Indian Wells Masters tournament on 25 May 2008 which he lost 2–6, 6–4, 7–6(7/5).
Gustavo Kuerten is a Brazilian professional tennis player. He has won eight singles titles, including three major championships—the Australian Open in 2004, the French Open in 1997 and 2000, and Wimbledon in 1999.
Kuerten also reached the US Open finals twice (1999 and 2001), as well as winning two ATP World Tour Finals (2000 and 2003). In doubles he was a four-time Grand Slam champion with Daniel Nestor, Fernando González, Łukasz Kubot and Max Mirnyi.
Winning both the Australian Open (1998) and French Open (1999) editions with them respectively. Kuerten retired from professional tennis at the end of 2013 after losing his final match to Roger Federer on clay courts at Roland Garros.
He remains one of only five men ever to have beaten Federer multiple times on claycourt during their career runs together.
24. Mats Wilander
Career
- Australian Open: W (1983, 1984, 1988)
- French Open: W (1982, 1985, 1988)
- Wimbledon: QF (1987, 1988, 1989)
- US Open: W (1988)
- Tour Finals: F (1987)
- WCT Finals: QF (1985, 1987, 1989)
- Australian Open: F (1984)
- French Open: SF (1985)
- Wimbledon: W (1986)
- US Open: F (1986)
- Tour Finals: F (1985)
- Davis Cup: W (1984, 1985, 1987)
Mats Wilander was a decorated Swedish tennis player who enjoyed considerable success on the ATP Tour. He reached No. 1 in 1988 and won three Australian Open titles.
After retiring from professional play, Wilander served as a coach for several top-level players before becoming an ambassador for the sport of tennis.
In 2002, he became a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame Mats Wilander was a Swedish professional tennis player who reached the No.
3 ranking in 1985. He won seven career titles, including three Grand Slam doubles championships with Stefan Edberg.
Wilander also played on Team Sweden at Davis Cup and achieved a singles record of 54 wins against just 14 losses in that competition. After retiring from competitive tennis, he became a coach and helped develop several young players into household names including Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
25. Guillermo Vilas
Career
- Australian Open: W (1978, 1979)
- French Open: W (1977)
- Wimbledon: QF (1975, 1976)
- US Open: W (1977)
- Tour Finals: W (1974)
- WCT Finals: F (1976)
- Australian Open: 2R (1977Jan)
- French Open: SF (1975)
- Wimbledon: 3R (1976)
- US Open: QF (1975)
Vilas is one of the most successful Argentine tennis players of all time, with a career record of 951 wins and 297 losses. Vilas first became known as a top player in professional tour around 1969 when he won his first title.
In 1991, Vilas was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame for his achievements on the ATP Tour. After reaching No 2 in 1975, Vilas retired from competition two years later at age 34 due to injury.
As an amateur player during the early 1970s, Vilas reached nine finals including four Grand Slam tournaments (French Open 1971; Wimbledon 1972; US Open 1973; Australian Open 1974).
He also represented Argentina at three Davis Cup ties and five Fed Cup matches over this period winning two rubbers (1973 and 1976) while losing one rubber (1975).
His 62 titles make him tenth on the list of highest-ranked male Argentine tennis players ever compiled by ATP rankings.
26. Thomas Muster
Career
- Australian Open: SF (1989, 1997)
- French Open: W (1995)
- Wimbledon: 1R (1987, 1992, 1993, 1994)
- US Open: QF (1993, 1994, 1996)
- Tour Finals: RR (1990, 1995, 1996, 1997)
- Olympic Games: 2R (1984, demonstration event)
- Australian Open: 1R (1989, 1990)
- US Open: 2R (1986)
- Davis Cup: SF (1990)
Thomas Muster, who was born in 1967, turned pro in 1985 and retired in 1999. He has a career record of 17-6 including three ATP Masters Series titles (Monte Carlo, Hamburg, Vienna).
In 2010 Muster made a comeback to the tour and won his first singles title since 1999 at Roma. As of September 2011 he is ranked 377th on the ATP Singles Rankings list with earnings of US$12,266,977 according to official sources.
Thomas Muster also played doubles on the professional circuit with partner Marcelo Ríos from 1990 through 1997 before teaming up again with Ríos for one last season in 1998. They achieved a career-high ranking of World No 9 together during this time period.
After retiring as a player Muster became an assistant coach under Ronnie Leitgeb at Austrian tennis club Wiener Neustadt until 2004 when he took over as head coach himself leading them to two further top ten rankings within Austria.
Since 2008 he has been working as Director Sports & Entertainment Affairs for Tennis Club Gmunden where he oversees all aspects of their sporting program both competitively and noncompetitively while also maintaining ties with his former players and coaching staff from back when he was still playing professionally.
27. Jim Courier
Career
- Australian Open: W (1992, 1993)
- French Open: W (1991, 1992)
- Wimbledon: F (1993)
- US Open: F (1991)
- Tour Finals: F (1991, 1992)
- Grand Slam Cup: QF (1996)
- Olympic Games: 3R (1992)
- Australian Open: 1R (1990)
- French Open: 2R (1989)
- Wimbledon: 3R (1989, 1991)
- US Open: 1R (1989, 1990)
- Davis Cup: W (1992, 1995)
Jim Courier was born on August 17th, 1970 in Sanford, Florida. He turned professional in 1988 and retired in 2000 after winning 14 ATP singles titles including five Grand Slams (Australian Open 1995, French Open 1999, Wimbledon 1999, US Open 2001 and 2002).
In 2005 he became a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. His career record is506-237 (68%).
Jim Courier has played with some of the best players in history such as Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer who all say that he was one of their toughest opponents both on court and off it.
Jim Courier is one of the most successful tennis players ever. He has won six career singles titles and six doubles titles, which ranks him as the 21st-most successful player in history.
Jim Courier was born on October 9, 1964, in Louisiana. He started playing tennis at a young age and quickly became skilled at the sport.
In 1991, Courier reached his first Grand Slam singles final when he competed in the Australian Open against Ivan Lendl. However, he lost to Lendl in three straight sets.
After his unsuccessful attempt to win a Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, Courier turned his attention to winning other tournaments around the world including Wimbledon and US Open.
Where he eventually prevailed both times with victories over Michael Stich and Andre Agassi respectively (both men are now retired).
During his illustrious career, Jim Courier also represented Australia multiple times at Olympic games (1992 & 1996) where he finished 3rd overall behind Boris Becker & Stefan Edberg respectively.
Impressive feat considering that only two Australians had ever qualified for an Olympics before him.
Jim Courier announced his retirement from professional tennis following victory over Sergiy Stakhovsky during quarterfinals of 2017 Rogers Cup - ending one of greatest careers by any male player EVER.
28. Manuel Orantes
Career
- Australian Open: QF (1968)
- French Open: F (1974)
- Wimbledon: SF (1972)
- US Open: W (1975)
- Tour Finals: W (1976)
- Olympic Games: F (1968, demonstration)
- Australian Open: SF (1968)
- French Open: F (1978)
- Wimbledon: QF (1972)
- US Open: 3R (1975)
- Davis Cup: F (1967Ch, 1970)
Manuel Orantes is a Spanish left-handed tennis player who has enjoyed much success in the pre Open Era and Open Era. He has won 36 titles, including three grand slam singles titles at Wimbledon, French Open, and Australian Open.
Manuel Orantes was born on February 6th, 1949 in Granada, Spain. At the age of 12 he started playing tennis seriously and soon became one of Spain's top players.
In 1968, Manuel Orantes turned professional and quickly established himself as one of the best left-handed players in the world with wins over such legends as Arthur Ashe and Rod Laver.
After winning two more major singles championships (Wimbledon 1972 & USOpen 1975), Orantes retired from competitive play in 1983 due to injuries sustained during tournaments.
After years away from the game playing exhibition matches for charity events (he had by then lost his No 2 ranking), ManuelOrantes made a return to competition at an ATP event in Barcelona where he reached round 4 before retiring again due to injury once again.
In 2012 - after being elected into International Tennis Hall of Fame - ManuelOrantes was invited back onto tour to play several exhibitions but this time played only one tournament which resulted in another retirement.
29. Sergi Bruguera
Career
- Australian Open: 4R (1993)
- French Open: W (1993, 1994)
- Wimbledon: 4R (1994)
- US Open: 4R (1994, 1997)
- Tour Finals: SF (1994)
- Grand Slam Cup: QF (1993, 1994)
- Olympic Games: F (1996)
- French Open: 3R (1990)
- US Open: QF (1990)
Sergi Bruguera is a Spanish tennis player who has had success in both singles and doubles. He turned pro in 1988 and won his first title that same year at the Copa Del Rey.
He reached No. 3 in the world rankings in 1994, but retired from professional play two years later due to injuries. In 2002 he came out of retirement to compete in several ATP tournaments before retiring again for good four years later after falling ill with an illness related to diabetes mellitus Type II.
Sergi Bruguera was born on January 16th 1971, so he will be 53 this year. Between 1992-2002, Sergi played 14 Grand Slam Singles events winning 4 titles (Australian Open 1993 Wimbledon 1994).
Bruguera is a Spanish professional tennis player who has played on the ATP World Tour since 1994. He reached his highest singles ranking of 49 in May 1991 and doubles ranking of No.
50 in October 1990. His career highlights include reaching the semifinals at both the French Open and US Open, as well as winning bronze medals at both the Olympic Games and Mediterranean Games tournaments in 1996 respectively.
In addition to singles and doubles competitions, Bruguera has also competed in mixed doubles events with partner Martina Navratilova where they have won two titles together – one at Wimbledon (1991) and another at the US Open (1994).
Sergi currently resides in Barcelona, Spain where he coaches junior players alongside former world No 1 Ana Ivanovic.
30. Robin Söderling
Career
- Australian Open: 4R (2011)
- French Open: F (2009, 2010)
- Wimbledon: QF (2010)
- US Open: QF (2009, 2010)
- Tour Finals: SF (2009)
- Olympic Games: 1R (2004, 2008)
- Wimbledon: 2R (2005)
- US Open: 2R (2004, 2005)
- Davis Cup: SF (2007)
Robin Söderling is a Swedish professional tennis player. He has been ranked No. 4 in the world by ATP rankings. He turned pro in 2001 and has since won 10 singles titles, including two at the Australian Open (2008 and 2010).
His career-high ranking was #4 achieved on 15 November 2010. In 2009 he reached his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, but lost to Roger Federer in straight sets; this was also Söderling's only other appearance in a Grand Slam final before retiring from competitive play later that year due to injury.
He announced his retirement from professional tennis on 23 December 2015 after playing his last match just over one year prior during July of that year at Monte Carlo; citing issues with ongoing back pain as the main reason for ending his 17-year career. Robin Söderling is a professional tennis player.
He has won one Grand Slam singles title, the 2011 Australian Open. In doubles, he has won two Wimbledon titles with Max Mirnyi and one US Open title with Andy Murray. His career-high ranking was 109 in 2009. The 31-year-old Swede also competes in team events such as Davis Cup and the Olympics.
31. Carlos Moyá
Career
- Milos Raonic (2016), Rafael Nadal (2016-)
Moyá was born in Palma, Mallorca, Spain on 27 August 1976. Moyá turned professional in 1995 and reached his highest ranking at No.
1 in March 1999. Moyá has 20 career titles including five Grand Slam singles tournaments (Australian Open 1997, French Open 1998, Wimbledon 2004, US Open 1998 and 2007).
Moyá retired from professional tennis after losing to Fernando Verdasco in the final of the 2010 Madrid Masters by 6–7(5), 2–6.
Moyá was a tennis player who had success in doubles and team competitions. Moyá played at the 2004 Olympic Games where he reached the quarterfinals with partner Fernando González.
Moyá also has Davis Cup experience, playing for Spain in 2004 and 2007. After several years of retirement, Moyá came out of it to play doubles again with former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero on the ATP Tour in 2016.
His best performance so far is reaching the semifinals of an ATP tournament partnering Ferrero.
32. Juan Carlos Ferrero
Career
- Australian Open: SF (2004)
- French Open: W (2003)
- Wimbledon: QF (2007, 2009)
- US Open: F (2003)
- Tour Finals: F (2002)
- Olympic Games: QF (2000)
- Australian Open: 1R (2004, 2005)
- Wimbledon: 1R (2002, 2003)
- US Open: 1R (2006)
- Davis Cup: W (2000, 2004, 2009)
Juan Carlos Ferrero is a Spanish professional tennis player who has amassed a record of 479–262 in his career. He achieved his highest ranking of No. 1 on 8 September 2003 and retired from the sport in 2012 after winning 16 singles titles during his career.
His most successful years came between 2002 and 2004, when he won six tournaments including two Grand Slams (the Australian Open and Wimbledon).
Since then, Juan Carlos Ferrero's results have declined but he still enjoys some success on tour, reaching the semifinals of both the US Open and French Open this year respectively.
Juan Carlos Ferrero is a professional tennis player from Spain. He has been playing professionally since 2001 and has won several singles titles, including.
The Australian Open in 2004 and 2005, as well as Wimbledon in 2002 and 2003. Ferrero also reached the quarterfinals of the US Open in 2003, before losing to Roger Federer.
In doubles competition, he has won two Grand Slam titles with partner Nicolás Almagro: at the Australian Open in 2006 and 2007, and at Wimbledon in 2009. Juan Carlos Ferreau retired from professional tennis after his victory over Tommy Robredo at the 2013 French Open Championships.
33. David Ferrer
Career
- Australian Open: SF (2011, 2013)
- French Open: F (2013)
- Wimbledon: QF (2012, 2013)
- US Open: SF (2007, 2012)
- Tour Finals: F (2007)
- Olympic Games: 3R (2012)
- Australian Open: 3R (2005)
- French Open: 2R (2009)
- Wimbledon: 1R (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2018)
- US Open: 2R (2004, 2006)
- Olympic Games: SF – 4th (2012)
- Davis Cup: W (2008, 2009, 2011)
- Hopman Cup: RR (2019)
David Ferrer is a Spanish professional tennis player who has been competing since 2000. Ferrer has won 27 singles titles throughout his career, including 8th all-time earnings leader in ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw matches.
He retired from the sport in 2019 after playing at the US Open that year where he was defeated by Roger Federer in the semifinal stage.
David Ferrer was born on April 2nd, 1982, in Valencia, Spain to parents of Basque descent who had moved to Spain from France when he was very young.
After starting out playing football professionally with local club Xàbia CF as a youngster before turning to tennis full time at 17 years old, Ferrer found success quickly upon entering pro circuit -
reaching a career high ranking of number 5 in 2003 and becoming one of Spain's most popular sportsmen during his time on tour.
34. Ilie Năstase
Career
- Australian Open: 1R (1981)
- French Open: W (1973)
- Wimbledon: F (1972, 1976)
- US Open: W (1972)
- Tour Finals: W (1971, 1972, 1973, 1975)
- WCT Finals: QF (1974, 1977, 1978)
- French Open: W (1970)
- Wimbledon: W (1973)
- US Open: W (1975)
- Wimbledon: W (1970, 1972)
- US Open: F (1972)
- Davis Cup: F (1969Ch, 1971Ch, 1972)
Ilie Năstase was born in Bucharest, Romania on July 19th 1946. He turned pro in 1969 and retired from professional play in 1985. Ilie Năstase is a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, winning the Australian Open in 1981 and the French Open in 1982.
The Romanian legend also won 64 ATP singles titles during his career, placing him 9th all-time for men's singles titles behind only Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Pete Sampras, Björn Borg and Bill Tilden.
Ilie Năstase has been ranked No 1 by ATP magazine 18 times (in total), including three different periods of ranking supremacy – from 1973 to 1975 (#1 rank), 1978 to 1980 (#2) and 1981 to 1983 (#1).
In 2003 he became one of just four male players ever admitted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame Ilie Năstase was a Romanian professional tennis player.
He is best known for his accomplishments in singles and doubles competition, including four Grand Slam titles (in the men's category) and eleven World Championships medals, including nine consecutive championships from 1974 to 1980.
In 1970 he became the first man ever to win both the men's Singles title at Wimbledon and the Men's Doubles title at the French Open – an achievement that has yet to be repeated.
Known as "The Maestro", Ilie Năstase also excelled on clay courts with eight ATP Masters 1000 titles on his palmares - among other distinctions such as being voted by Tennis Magazine into their Hall of Fame in 2005 – testament to his overall brilliance across all surfaces of play.
Aged 58 when he decided to retire from professional tennis in 1992 after winning three more tournaments, notably defeating Andre Agassi en route to becoming world No 2 again; but leaving behind an unrivalled legacy that will long be remembered by all who followed him.
35. José Luis Clerc
Career
- Australian Open: 2R (1980)
- French Open: SF (1981, 1982)
- Wimbledon: 4R (1979)
- US Open: 4R (1979, 1981)
- Tour Finals: QF (1982)
- WCT Finals: QF (1982)
- French Open: SF (1981)
- Wimbledon: 2R (1977, 1979, 1981)
José Luis Clerc was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on August 16th, 1958. He turned pro in 1977 and retired from full-time playing in 1986 after winning 25 titles over his career.
José Luis Clerc is best known for his success on the ATP Tour, where he has amassed a record of 378 wins and 152 losses (71%). In 1995 he played his last professional match at the age of 44 years old.
José Luis Clerc was born on 10 January 1966 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the age of just 16 years old, José Luis Clerc became part of a tennis dynasty when he won his first professional title alongside his father Rafael at the Argentine Open.
In 1984, after amassing several doubles titles and reaching No. 2 in the world rankings, José Luis Clerc made history by becoming the first Latin American player to win a Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon with partner Guillermo Vilas.
After another successful year in 1985 (where he reached both Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows seeded number one).
José Luis ClERC enjoyed even more success in 1986 as he claimed two US Open singles titles and also triumphed with Vilas at the World Championships for Argentina’s first-ever men’s team gold medal.
Alongside Stefan Edberg, who he teamed up with again during 1988-1989, José LuisClcer retired from professional tennis following their victory together at Atlanta’s Masters tournament – an event that would be known as ‘The Match of The Century’ due to its high-intensity nature.
Since retiring from competitive play, JoséLuisClerc has gone on to have a very successful career as a commentator and TV presenter.
Most notably hosting La Noche en Primera Vía (First Night Live) for Televisa between 2006-2007 which saw him interview some of today's biggest celebrities including Penélope Cruz , Shakira and Usher.
36. Gastón Gaudio
Career
- Australian Open: 3R (2002, 2005, 2006)
- French Open: W (2004)
- Wimbledon: 2R (2002, 2006)
- US Open: 3R (2002, 2006)
- Tour Finals: SF (2005)
- Olympic Games: 1R (2000)
- Australian Open: 3R (2004)
- French Open: 3R (2004)
- US Open: 1R (2003, 2004)
Gaudio is a former world No. 5 who retired in 2011. Gaudio has won eight ATP singles titles and reached the final of four other tournaments, including two Masters 1000 events at Monte Carlo and Madrid.
He was also runner-up at three other majors: the Australian Open (2007), Wimbledon (2004) and US Open (2002). Gaudio played right-handed but used one hand to backhand due to a serious wrist injury he suffered in 1999 when he was just 16 years old.
After spending several years playing on the Futures circuit, Gaudio made his debut on tour in 1996 and quickly rose through the rankings, reaching No 5 by 2005 Gastón Gaudio is a former professional tennis player from Argentina.
He has won three Grand Slam singles titles, all with partner Nicolás Almagro. In doubles, he has also won three Grand Slam titles with Almagro, as well as the 2004 Olympic gold medal in men's doubles together with Fernando González.
On 14 June 2004, Gastón became the first Argentine male player since Guillermo Vilas in 1978 to reach No. 1 on the ATP Rankings chart and remained there for two weeks before being displaced by Roger Federer later that year.
After his retirement from professional tennis in 2006, Gastón started working as a commentator for TV broadcasts of various tournaments around the world including Wimbledon and US Open.
37. Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Career
- Australian Open: W (1999)
- French Open: W (1996)
- Wimbledon: QF (1995)
- US Open: SF (1999, 2001)
- Tour Finals: F (1997)
- Grand Slam Cup: SF (1995, 1996)
- Olympic Games: W (2000)
- Australian Open: QF (1995, 1999)
- French Open: W (1996, 1997, 2002)
- Wimbledon: SF (1994, 1995)
- US Open: W (1997)
- Davis Cup: W (2002)
Yevgeny Kafelnikov is a Russian professional tennis player who has won 26 career titles. Yevgeny Kafelnikov turned pro in 1992 and retired in 2010. In 1999, he became the world's number one singles player for the first time.
His win-loss record (609–306; 66%) makes him one of the most successful players in history at Grand Slam tournaments, despite only winning three majors during his career - Wimbledon twice and the US Open once each.
Outside of Grand Slams, Kafelnikov enjoyed much more success including two French Open appearances where he reached the semifinals respectively as well as four ATP Masters 1000 titles on clay throughout his career.
With victories over some big names such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic among others Kafelnikov is a Russian professional tennis player who has been competing since the late 1990s.
Kafelnikov has won 27 singles titles, including eight Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open (1999), French Open (1996), Wimbledon (1995, 1997), US Open (1999, 2001) and the Olympic Games in 2000.
He also reached two ATP World Tour Finals finals in 1995 and 1996 as well as winning three ATP Masters 1000 events that year.
Monte Carlo, Rome and Hamburg. Kafelnikov was ranked No 4 on the world rankings for 30 March 1998 but then slipped to No 111 by September of that year due to injuries sustained in early 1998 at the hands of Andre Agassi.
He would not return to Top 10 until November 2002 after his second win over Pete Sampras at Acapulco Tournament of Champions).
In doubles with Petr Korda he won back-to-back Roland Garros titles in 1999 and 2000 while they were still together before splitting up later that same year.. After playing some exhibition matches during 2003/2004 season.
David Nalbandian, Kafelnikov retired from professional tennis at the end of 2004 season having played just one tournament since December 2003 - where he partnered Daniel Nestor to finish runner-up at an event organised by ATP's "Come Together" appeal fund which helps families whose loved ones have battled cancer.
38. Henri Cochet
Career
- French Open: W (1926, 1928, 1930, 1932)
- Wimbledon: W (1927, 1929)
- US Open: W (1928)
- WHCC: W (1922)
- WCCC: W (1922, 1923)
- Wembley Pro: SF (1937)
- French Pro: W (1936)
- French Open: W (1927, 1930, 1932)
- Wimbledon: W (1926, 1928)
- WHCC: W (1922)
- WCCC: W (1922, 1923)
- French Open: W (1928, 1929)
- Wimbledon: SF (1930, 1932)
- US Open: W (1927)
- WHCC: W (1922, 1923)
- Davis Cup: W (1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932)
Henri Cochet was a French professional tennis player who is widely considered one of the greatest players in history. He won 90 singles titles, making him the most successful male player in French Open history.
Henri Cochet began playing tennis at an early age and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming France's No. 1 player by 1928.
Cochety's career highlight came at the 1936 Olympic Games where he reached the final alongside his compatriot Jean Borotra only to lose to eventual gold medalist Andy Warhola Jr..
After retiring from competitive play in 1958, Henri Cocht continued to work as a coach and referee before passing away aged 85 years old in 1987 Henri Cochet was a French professional tennis player.
He is most famous for his accomplishments at the Wimbledon Championships, where he won three singles titles and two doubles titles.
Cochet also enjoyed success in other tournaments, including the US Open and the World Hard Court Championship (WHCC). After retiring from competition, Cochet served as an official for several years before passing away in 2001 at the age of 84.
39. Juan Martín del Potro
Career
- Australian Open: QF (2009, 2012)
- French Open: SF (2009, 2018)
- Wimbledon: SF (2013)
- US Open: W (2009)
- Tour Finals: F (2009)
- Olympic Games: (2012) (2016)
- French Open: 1R (2006, 2007)
- Wimbledon: 1R (2007, 2008)
- Davis Cup: W (2016)
Juan Martín del Potro is a professional Argentine tennis player. He has amassed an impressive record in singles, with titles and rankings to back it up.
Del Potro was born on September 23rd 1988 in Tandil, Argentina. At 1'98 m (6 ft 6 inches), he is one of the tallest players on the ATP Tour and Grand Slam main draw circuit today.
His father played football for Club Atlético Lanus and his mother represented Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata during her playing days - both influences can be seen in his playstyle as a professional tennis player too.
Juan Martin turned pro in 2005 and quickly made a name for himself on the tour, breaking into the top 100 within two years of qualifying for events; since then he's gone from strength to strength, culminating in becoming one of the game's most successful players today at 34 years old.
Roland Garros ('09,'10,'12,'14'), three Masters 1000 tournaments ('Monte Carlo','Indian Wells','Wimbledon') plus two ATP World Tour Finals ('Miami' 'London').
As well as being runner-up twice at US Open (2012-'13) there are also several other prestigious accolades that have come along with his successes such as being voted Spanish Sportsman of The Year 2013/14 by sports journalists what an incredible legacy.
While he may not always play exciting matches like some of today's top stars do - due to his more methodical approach.
Del Potro remains highly respected among fellow professionals across all disciplines for what he achieves both on court and off it; truly someone special who will be remembered fondly long after retirement comes calling.
40. Nicolás Almagro
Career
- Australian Open: QF (2013)
- French Open: QF (2008, 2010, 2012)
- Wimbledon: 3R (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013)
- US Open: 4R (2012)
- Tour Finals: Alt (2011, 2012)
- Olympic Games: QF (2012)
- Australian Open: 2R (2008)
- French Open: 3R (2010)
- Wimbledon: 1R (2006, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2016)
- US Open: 3R (2016)
- Davis Cup: W (2008)
Nicolás Almagro is a Spanish professional tennis player who has won 13 singles titles. Nicolás was born in 1985 and turned pro in 2003. His best results came at the Grand Slam tournaments, where he reached No.
9 on the ATP World Tour rankings in 2011. He retired from competitive tennis in April 2019 after reaching the semifinals of the Rome Masters tournament with his last appearance being at Wimbledon earlier that year.
In doubles, he achieved mixed results but enjoyed some success with partner Pablo Cuevas including winning two ATP World Tour doubles titles together (2010 Barcelona and 2014 Toronto). Nicolás Almagro is a professional tennis player from Spain.
He has been playing professionally for over 10 years now, and has won several titles including the French Open in 2008, 2010 and 2012. In 2013 he reached his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon but lost to Roger Federer in straight sets.
Apart from tennis, Nicolás also enjoys spending time with his family and friends and is known as one of the most popular players on tour due to his friendly personality off court.
41. Alberto Berasategui
Career
- Australian Open: QF (1998)
- French Open: F (1994)
- Wimbledon: 1R (2000)
- US Open: 2R (1993, 1996)
- Tour Finals: RR (1994)
- Australian Open: 1R (1998, 2000)
- French Open: 1R (1999)
- US Open: 3R (1997)
Alberto Berasategui is a Spanish professional tennis player. He has won 14 singles titles, including two Masters 1000 tournaments (Madrid and Barcelona).
Alberto started playing tennis at the age of six and turned pro in 1991. His best year was 1994 when he reached No. 7 in the world rankings. That same year, he also won his first ATP World Tour title at Monte Carlo.
However, his career took a downturn from 2001 onwards due to injuries sustained on court; this led him to retire in 2001 aged just 29 years old with 278 wins under his belt.
Alberto now runs his own academy in Andorra which offers Tennis Training for all levels from beginner to top professionals In July 2018, it was announced that Alberto would be joining forces with fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal as coaches for Spain's Davis Cup team.
42. Eddie Dibbs
Career
- French Open: SF (1975, 1976)
- Wimbledon: 2R (1974)
- US Open: QF (1975, 1976, 1979)
- Tour Finals: SF (1978)
- WCT Finals: F (1978)
- French Open: QF (1975)
- US Open: 4R (1972)
Eddie Dibbs is a retired American professional tennis player who enjoyed considerable success in the 1970s and 1980s. He was born on February 23, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York, and turned pro in 1972.
During his career he won 22 singles titles including two Grand Slam tournaments – the Australian Open (1979) and Wimbledon (1982). He also reached the final of an exhibition tournament at Rotterdam in 1988 where he lost to Stefan Edberg.
Dibbs retired from professional play in 1984 but continued to compete on tour until 1989. Eddie Dibbs was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 24th, 1938. He turned professional in 1961 and won his first title that year at the Los Angeles Open.
Dibbs quickly became a force to be reckoned with on the ATP tour, winning 18 singles titles and 22 doubles titles during his career. In 1978, Eddie Dibbs reached No. 5 in the world rankings which is still his highest ranking ever achieved as a professional player.
After retiring from competitive tennis in 1982, he went onto have a successful coaching career alongside being inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992.
43. Jan Kodeš
Jan Kodeš was a world-renowned tennis player who won major titles in both the pre Open Era and Open Era. Kodeš turned professional in 1968 and retired from competitive play in 1983.
He is most well-known for his legendary rivalry with Björn Borg, which continued until Borg's retirement in 1981. In 1990, Jan Kodeš became the first Czechoslovakian to be inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Today, he continues to serve as an ambassador for sport and charity work within his home country of Czech Republic Jan Kodeš was a Czechoslovak professional tennis player who achieved great success in the 1970s.
He is best known for his singles career, which saw him win three Grand Slam titles – at the French Open (1970), Wimbledon (1973) and the US Open (1971, 1973).
In doubles, Jan Kodeš won 17 tournaments together with partner Jaroslav Drobný. The pair were runners-up at both the French Open (1977) and Wimbledon Championships (1975).
Jan Kodeš retired from professional tennis in 1979 after reaching No. 12 in the world rankings. Since then he has remained involved in tennis administration, serving as president of ATP Tour since 2004 and chairman of Czech Tennis Association since 2006.
Final Words
The Clay Court best players of all time are indisputably Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Maria Sharapova. These three athletes have dominated the clay court game for years, leaving scarcely a trace in their wake.
While other surfaces may offer more challenges or provide more excitement during matches, clay courts remain the domain of these three titans.
