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The debate surrounding the best tennis players of all time is almost as fun as the sport itself. Here is my list of the best of the best.
5: Novak Djokovic
The number five place on this list goes to Novak Djokovic. At just 27 Djokovic is already a champion of the game.
8 grand slam titles, another seven finals, 143 weeks at world number one and 52 singles titles. Add these to a Davis Cup he spearheaded, 23 masters 1000 titles and an Olympic silver medal and you already have one of the greatest careers of all time.
What this doesn’t account for is that Djokovic is currently in the prime of his career and will almost certainly dominate the game for at least the next two to three years.
Djokovic has arguably the best backhand of all time and one of the best returns ever. He is one of the greatest movers the sport has ever seen and since his change to a gluten free diet has become one of the toughest competitors in the sport.
Possibly the greatest testament to Djokovic’s greatness is that he has accomplished this during the Federer and Nadal era. Imagine what he could have achieved if he played at a different time.
4: Pete Sampras
Sampras is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever step onto the court. He has one of the greatest serves of all time, particularly in pressure moments.
Sampras had a booming forehand, and his lightning speed around the net meant a ball rarely got passed him.
Sampras finished his career with 14 grand slam titles, 286 weeks at world number one and a record six consecutive years as year-end number one.
Sampras may not have had the on court persona of an Andre Agassi or John McEnroe but he will go down as the greatest American tennis player of all time – and one of the greatest ever.
3: Rod Laver
Rod Laver, what a freak. The only men’s singles player of the professional era to capture all four grand slam titles and complete the Grand Slam in a calendar year.
Laver actually completed the Grand Slam twice, however once was in the amateur era in 1962.
A man of his time, Laver was a classic serve and volley player. He was lightning fast, one of the most professional of his time and began playing with a wooden racquet. Laver’s left forearm is the stuff of legends, possibly an equivalent of Rafael Nadal today.
Rod Laver is certainly the greatest Australian tennis player of all time and some would have him even higher than three in the all time rankings.
2: Roger Federer
As soon as you place Roger Federer second on the list of the best players of all time, it is sure to ignite fierce debate.
Even more so when you can know who is number one.
There is no doubting Federer’s greatness. A 17-time grand slam champion, another 8 finals, 36 semis and 43 quarters. Just think about that for a second, he is one grand slam away from completing 11 full years of quarter finals at grand slam level.
Ridiculous.
Add to this that Federer has spent a record 302 weeks at world number 1, he has held the year-end ranking five times, has an Olympic gold medal, is the only player to hold over 200 consecutive weeks at world number one and in 2014 added the Davis Cup to his resume.
Federer’s list of achievements and records goes on and on. There is only so many you can put down onto paper.
It is not only Federer’s achievements that put him towards the very top in the history of the sport, it is the way he plays the game. Federer is the most elegant player of all time, a virtuoso. It is almost like he skates around the court, barely breaking sweat, simply gaining victory after victory.
Federer is amazing, he is brilliant, for years he seemed to have no weakness in his game and nothing could stop him. This was of course until his kryptonite came along, Rafael Nadal.
1: Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is the greatest men’s tennis player of all time. A player has never stepped onto the court with quite the determination of the Spanish bull.
Nadal is the greatest competitor of all time. Bar none. Sure there have been players before who have been unreal competitors, willing to give virtually everything on court to get the win. Lleyton Hewitt quickly comes to mind. But even he can’t match the intensity, the will and the never say die attitude of Rafael Nadal.
Nadal is a 14-time grand slam champion, has played in another 6 grand slam finals, holds the masters 1000 record of 27 titles and has spent 141 weeks as world number 1. He is an Olympic gold medalist and the greatest clay court player of all time.
As with Federer, the list of Nadal’s achievements can go on and on. It is something that is harder to quantify, something more intangible that separates the two.
Nadal’s will to win, to improve and give every fibre of his being to win a tennis match is what makes him the greater player.
On natural talent alone Federer is the greater player of all time, and even with Nadal’s heavily top-spun forehand pounding Federer’s one handed backhand time and time again, Federer should have had more success against Nadal.
The head to head record stands in Nadal’s favour 23-10. Many put this down to success on clay, which is true, however Nadal also holds a 9-6 hard court advantage.
Nadal has the highest winning percentage of all time and has a positive head to head record against any current player in the top 100 he has played more than five times. Think about that, of all players he plays on a regular basis he always comes out on top head to head.
When comparing Federer and Nadal, it is like comparing apples and oranges. One is stylish and elegant, the other a gladiator willing to do whatever it takes to win.
In the end however it comes down to something almost intangible that separates Nadal from Federer. It doesn’t matter what you do to him, what you throw at him, you cannot break him. He is greatness personified.
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