Post-retirement, she has stepped into a broadcasting career and has also appeared on ITVs Interceptor and Channel 4s Treasure Hunt. But of all the great women in tennis, only one can stand alone as the greatest of all time. Totally agree and Graf was far more mobile at 29 than Serena. One of the defining rivalries of tennis early era was between Helen Jacobs and Helen Wills, with the two meeting seven times in Grand Slam play. At 20 years old, it robbed her of over two years in her prime. The second-most successful female British Olympian, Godfree won five Olympic medals in two Olympic Games. Undeterred by this adversity, Kvitova fought to reach the 2019 Australian Open final and the top of the tennis world once again. She also became a huge inspiration for a lot of mothers when she came back after giving birth. Throughout her 11 year career, she showed she was a continually great competitor. That lead to seven Grand Slam singles titles, and a dominant run at the French Open. The 48 games played between them remains a record for most games in a single U.S. Open finals match. Ivanovic even went one step further and won a Grand Slam, taking home the French Open that year in convincing fashion. Serena who is listed as #1 23 & 72 titles less than 1/2 of M Court. Country: Germany. Because its almost not to achieve. Harriet Dart is a British tennis player who has won 14 doubles and four singles titles on the ITF Circuit so far in her career. There is no question that Graf most probably would have won at least one more Major if she would have continued playing 6 more years. Angela Mortimer Althea Gibson By Associated Press / Public domain Florence Angela Margaret Mortimer Barrett is a 4. She previously won a junior title at Wimbledon. The game has changed so much, and the racquets, in particular, have turned the modern game into something vastly different from the past. From Fred Perry and Virginia Wade to Andy Murray, British Tennis success has grown and grown over the years. Born: March 8, 1990, Bilovec, Czhechoslovakia. From trailblazing legends like Billie Jean King to champions like Serena Williams, dominant athletes on the tennis court have elevated womens sports to new heights. But clay is not the only surface where she shines. Venus is often overshadowed by her younger sisters achievements, but her career is worthy of tremendous recognition in its own right. In 2012, she became the first British female player to win a WTA singles title since 1988. In fact he was the first British man since the 70s to reach a Grand Slam semi-final position. The days are long and the nights are warm but, sadly, we will have to wait until next year to see the great players of our time compete at Wimbledon. The United States was credited with the most great players (38), followed by Australia (17), France (7), Great Britain (6) and Czechoslovakia (5). In an epic match against her frequent doubles partner Louise Brough, the battle between the two of them went to Osborne by a score of 15-13 in the third set. Jacobs amassed five titles of her own over the course of her career and brought a Jazz Age flappers sensibility to the stuffy world of 1920s tennis. People of her circle claimed that her achievement should be considered as a Grand Slam cause nowadays it wouldnt be possible anymore to achieve Grand Slam . Her style of play that relentless serve and volley approach where she would attack the net at every opportunity stood out among the sea of baseliners and her rivalry with Chris Evert is the soundtrack of womens tennis in this era. 1 Federer, No. Martina Navratilovas athleticism, power and determination to succeed were truly astonishing. 12 Below is a look at the 20 best tennis players of all time. Overnight, she was gracing fashion magazine covers and starring in television commercials around the world. Our writers have had their say this week. She won six Grand Slam titles, including a dominant stretch at Wimbledon, where she took home the championship in three consecutive years between 1948 and 1950. She won 12 of the final 13 games. 10 Rosewall. Justine Henin is one of the greatest and most underrated players in womens tennis. Steffi Graf. Evert relied on great placement, movement, and spin to have success in tennis. Doris Hart achieved things that few others have matched even in the many decades since her playing career ended. When looking back at Tracy Austins career, its pretty remarkable what she was able to accomplish at such a young age. Thanks dude, you robbed us of what might of been the best career ever. And after beating Serena to win the French, she became the first woman to best both Williams sisters in Grand Slam finals. Her surface of choice is red clay, where her heavy groundstrokes allow her to maintain the upper hand in rallies. Bottom line: Aranxta Sanchez Vicario was the womens games great clay champion at the end of the 20th century. Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand). However, there was one person who would be in her way and never really allowed her to dominate the game. But what puts Steffi miles ahead of Serena is the Grand Slam and the Golden Slam. This guy was the tennis pro of the 90s. In 1978, she wasinducted intothe International Tennis Hall of Fame. Billie Jean King has come to personify womens equality in sports thanks to her famous "Battle of the Sexes" win against Bobby Riggs in 1973, immortalized in countless retrospectives, books and a Hollywood film adaptation. Francesca Jones is a British tennis player who has won six ITF Circuit titles so far in her career. 6 Borg, No. A former world No. Her victory in the Olympics semi-final against Anastasia Myskina in 2004 also stands out, as well as her many battles with Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters. Many believed that she retired way too early in 2007, but she was back on tour in two years. Steve Watts. Here is the full list of the greatest female tennis players of all time. WebEasily one of the most successful female British tennis players, Virginia Wade is a three-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. Her career never really recovered, but she added one more Grand Slam to her mantle at the 1996 Australian Open. Born: Dec. 12, 1962, Palos Verdes, California. Justine Henin is one of the greatest and most underrated players in womens tennis. Garbine Muguruza is part of a new wave of emerging tennis champions. The only knock against her is that most of her domination came in the 1960s, before the open era of tennis. You ask the average white person, Serenas name will not be mentioned. When looking across her career resume, its hard to find a more well-rounded player. Died: Nov. 22, 1959, Stockholm, Sweden (Age 75). WebVirginia Wade and Andy Murray are the most successful British tennis players in the Open Era by singles titles. You could tell Chris would become a star. This period included her best Grand more Birthplace: Sydney, Australia Nationality: Australia 98 How is that fair? Martinez then helped Garbine Muguruza win the title in 2017, passing on championship insights to her countrywoman as a mentor and coach. Cause everybody expected her to win after she had won the second Masters of the year ( 6:0 6:0). This was due to a kick serve and deadly volleys that made her the best of her era on grass. 1 ranking for the first time in 2016. Wades tally of 55 is particularly impressive. From trailblazing legends like Billie Jean King to champions like Serena Williams, dominant athletes on the tennis court have elevated womens sports to new heights. No one could put away matches in as dominant a fashion, and her 23 Grand Slam titles are an Open Era record. Domien Takx. She is an absolute legend. It was a pretty amazing feat given that she had given birth to her first daughter in the intervening years. But thats a very questionable even if the criteria is the grand slam wins. Maureen Connollys career was cut short at just 20 years old by a horseback riding injury, but what she achieved in a short period of time still ranks her as one of the best to ever play the sport. WebEasily one of the most successful female British tennis players, Virginia Wade is a three-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. I am glad she made the Top 10. By winning the Australian Open twice and the French once, she showed she was worthy of all the hopes that had been placed on her. She was never particularly great on clay, despite growing up on it and being a native of France. She also showed her fighting qualities in her epic victory against Jennifer Capriati in the US Open semi-final, when she overcame cramp and exhaustion to win not only that match but the title. Died: June 8, 2018, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Age 78). 1, Smith also represented Britain in the European Cup and Fed Cup on several occasions. She previously won a junior title at Wimbledon. Vote up the best women's tennis players ever. Serena Williams; Steffi Graf; Martina Navritolova; Chris Evert; Margaret Court; Monica Seles; Billie Jean King; Venus Williams; Evonne Goolagong Cawley; Justine Henin; Martina Hingis; Helen Wills Moody; Maureen Connolly; Lindsay Davenport; Kim Clijsters; Jennifer Martina Hingis was a teenage tennis sensation. Christine Truman Margaret Court doubles Wimbledon By fotograaf onbekend / CC BY-SA 3.0 NL (https://creativecommons. She has won 23 grand slams the most of any active tennis player, male or female. Serena Williams celebrates after winning the French Open in 2013. Just as Justine Henin excelled on the clay, the best surface for Clijsters was hard court. Women's rankings Men's rankings Women's wheelchair rankings Men's wheelchair rankings Quad rankings British padel players Browse the profiles of Britain's top women's and men's padel players, including where they're ranked. She retired in 2008, picking up a hugely impressive 53 career titles, including 9 Grand Slams. Conchita Martinez played a decisive role in different Wimbledon championships more than two decades apart. She also broke ground for Spain by leading her country to its first Fed Cup title in 1991, a title she then helped Spain win four more times. She still prefers to stay near the baseline, but she can play many different styles depending on who she is facing. Florence Angela Margret Mortimer Berret, better known as simply Angela Mortimer, is the 2: Ann Jones. It helped her win a record nine Wimbledon singles titles and helped her to the record for both total singles and doubles titles in the Open Era. Graf, the only player to have won all four majors at least four times, finished with 22 Grand Slam singles titles despite playing about a decade less than Williams. Serena's power game, anchored by a devastating serve, is without equal in the history of the womens game. But Graf was even more dominant in her time: She hold the #1 positon for the record number of 377 weeks, Serena did so only 319 weeks (as all time third behind Steffi and Martina Navratilova). She won her first Grand Slam in doubles at age 15 and her first in singles at age 16, taking home the Australian Open. Born: March 11, 1923, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Died: Feb. 3, 2014, Vista, California (Age 90). Apart from writing here, I play tennis on a semi-professional level and coach upcoming talents. Heather Watson is a professional tennis player who has won nine career titles so far, including four singles titles. Henry Haynes. Serena deserves her status as a global icon. It cant be done in separated parts. Angela Mortimer was certainly one of the greatest British female tennis players alive during the 1950s and early 1960s. Helen Wills was the undisputed greatest player of her era. I have been a tennis fan since the early 60s when I started playing. WebKathleen McKane Godfree was a British badminton and tennis player. Justine Henin is one of the greatest and most underrated players in womens tennis. I remember watching her in action on an old black and white TV with my mum and sister. Others believe shes already reached that pinnacle. Due to an error during editing, Martina Navratilovas grand slam titles were listed as being between 1975 and 2003, rather than the actual dates of 1974 and 2006. Then, in 2013, she far surpassed that feat. By doing so, she broke her countrys Grand Slam title drought, becoming the first Australian woman to win once since Evonne Goolangong Cawley in 1980, Born: Feb. 28, 1985, Belgrade, Yugoslavia. In 2020, she announced yet another return to the game, hoping to add more titles to her mantle. Entering her first tournaments as a teenager, it took Round nearly a decade to have success at the highest level of tennis. 3. She previously won a junior title at Wimbledon. Florence Angela Margret Mortimer Berret, better known as simply Angela Mortimer, is the 2: Ann Jones. Yes Venus & Serena have been great and deserve praise, but dont forget the past. If a player has a great serve, they have the chance to consistently win their games. Born: June 8, 1976, Palos Verdes, California. Murrays tally of 46 singles titles is good for 14th on the all-time list, just behind Boris Becker and ahead of greats including Arthur Ashe and Stefan Edberg. Its a historical crown to wear. Its not impossible, but her record of 49 total grand slam titles will be very tough to beat. This will always come down to racial divides. WebHeather Watson is a professional tennis player who has won nine career titles so far, including four singles titles. Serena Williams; Steffi Graf; Martina Navritolova; Chris Evert; Margaret Court; Monica Seles; Billie Jean King; Venus Williams; Evonne Goolagong Cawley; Justine Henin; Martina Hingis; Helen Wills Moody; Maureen Connolly; Lindsay Davenport; Kim Clijsters; Jennifer An incredible athlete with unparalleled longevity, Navratilova won the U.S. Open in mixed doubles in 2006, just a month shy of her 50th birthday. In 2016, she won the mixed-doubles at Wimbledon, becoming the first British player to win at Wimbledon since Joanna Mary Durie in 1987. The United Kingdom is regarded as the birthplace of tennis, and no one fulfilled that countrys championship hopes more than Virginia Wade. The Belgium one-hander could win points at any time by ripping backhands from all angles. She was in the top 10 of the rankings before she even turned 15 years old, and it was clear that success, fame, and money was getting the best of her. Before her, the game was seen as the exclusive domain of the elite, West European-American world. Bottom line: The 1960s and 1970s saw the peak of Australian tennis with Margaret Court and Rod Laver, whose names are commemorated on two of the Australian Open show courts today. In 2012, she became the first British female player to win a WTA singles title since 1988. Sam Stosurs game stood out for the sheer power of her serve and heavy topspin forehand. Ranker Tennis. And she has transcended her sport. Godfree won two Wimbledon singles titles. There are a lot of what-ifs with Seles. She might have dominated the tour as a whole, but her career was derailed by contracting mononculeosis and then being stabbed during a home invasion. If she was a little more dedicated to fitness early in her career, she might be higher on the list. Many of her records remain unbroken. Even the great Serena Williams would have struggled to get the ball past a prime Navratilova at the net. Who is the best of the best? In her short time as a top-level player, she had seemingly no weaknesses in her game. he days are long and the nights are warm but, sadly, we will have to wait until next year to see the great players of our time compete at Wimbledon. But don't rule out a return to the top of the sports ranks from a competitor as tough as she is. but failed to do so. She returned the ball like a human backboard, manipulating her opponent around the court. She had most of her success at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, winning a total of 10 titles between the two. Andy Murray 2. She operated on a level of artistic elegance unmatched before or since. No tennis match had been seen by so many. 92 in the world when she broke out by reaching the U.S. Open semifinal. At only 22 years, Naomi Osaka has established herself as an iconic tennis star and champion. Four-time winner of the AEGON Awards, Elena Baltacha was a Ukrainian-born British tennis player, who held the British No. They put Graf ahead of Serena and on #1 position of the greatests. Most impressive is her feat of reaching 34 Grand Slam finals, a record no woman or man has equaled since. WebMonica Seles is a part-Hungarian, part-Yugoslavian, and part-American former womens tennis pro who had all the makings of one of the greatest tennis players to ever live. Wade has the dual distinction of being the only British woman to win all four majors (although she only won the French in doubles). She had a very modern power game, relying on groundstrokes from both wings to pound opponents from the baseline. WebShe is the face of womens tennis in the UK and took home a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. Talk about a child prodigy Tim Henman. She has also won four doubles and 11 singles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. If Virginia Wade was the last great British womens champion of the 20th century, Dorothy Round was one of the first. Once ranked world number five, British tennis player Jo Durie has two Grand Slam titles in her kitty. Died: Nov. 12, 1982, Kidderminster, U.K. (Age 73). 2006 was the year she put it all together, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon for her only two Grand Slam singles titles. I m talking about the real and the only Grand Slam: the wins of the four Majors within a calendar year. it was used the first time, when Navratilova failed to win rthe Grand Slam although she had even won 6 consecutive Majors. Anita Lizanas impact on tennis has been unjustly lost to the mists of time. Navratilova won twice a false one. She also won two US Open doubles titles and three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. Although Ivanovic never won another Slam, she showed persistence and determination by overcoming multiple injuries to reach the top 5 again late in her career. She was clearly the best player of that time. Its pure logic: A slam means a hit. This period included her best Grand more Birthplace: Sydney, Australia Nationality: Australia 98 Country: Germany. The only problem? Female athletes continue to fight for equality in sports, and tennis players have been at the forefront of that struggle for decades. Monica Seles is one of the biggest what ifs in tennis history. Not only do countries embrace the sport at the recreational level, but fans follow their favorite players. That last, dramatic French Open triumph against Hingis in 1999 is up there for the unexpected delight of it all. Ann Shirley Jones is a tennis legend and easily one of the greatest of all time, playing at a time 3: Virginia Wade. How Many Languages Does Roger Federer Speak. She became the first Grand Slam winner from Japan after stunning the tennis world with a finals win over Serena Williams at the 2018 U.S. Open. "Chrissie" was the signature star of 1970s tennis, a time when the game was exploding in popularity in the United States. She won all four of her Grand Slam titles on hard courts, with three coming at the U.S. Open. Born: Aug. 25, 1927, Silver, South Carolina, Died: Sept. 28, 2003, East Orange, New Jersey (Age 76). WebBritish tennis players Browse the player profiles of our British tennis players, featuring the top tennis players in the UK. Although she represented France in national play, she made history as the first Canadian-born player to win a Grand Slam and was the most recent French player (to date) to win the Roland Garros title. Seles started her career young, turning pro in 1989, aged just 16. Some people believe that Serena Williams still has work to do to become the greatest tennis player of all time. Kim Clijsters was often overshadowed by her fellow Belgian Justine Henin, but they both deserve a spot on this list. Simona Halep has established herself as one of the most consistent players on the womens tour in tennis history while showing what it takes to perform on the greatest stage. Ranker Tennis. Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles were all popular with our readers. Players must track down balls and keep long rallies going to survive in a game that now takes place almost exclusively at the, Read More 10 Fastest Tennis Players In The WorldContinue, In the world today, about 10% of people are left-handed, and 1% of the population has what is called mixed-handedness or cross-dominance. Its very popular these days to put Serena ahead of Graf on the all time greatest list. WebHeather Watson is a professional tennis player who has won nine career titles so far, including four singles titles. She also holds the record for five consecutive years ending the season number one in singles. Without question, they are the greatest pair in tennis history. She has five Grand Slam singles titles, 13 Grand Slam doubles titles and seven Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. This made her nearly unbeatable on clay, finishing with a 382-22 record on that surface. Martina Hingis isnt the most physically imposing player, especially in todays modern game. While there are certain advantages to being tall, these players have not exactly dominated the game, Read More 10 Tallest Tennis Players In The WorldContinue, Speed makes a big difference in tennis, especially in the modern game.