Find out who is the best male tennis player of all time?

By winning his 24th Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open and leaving Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the rearview mirror, Novak Djokovic broke yet another tennis record, further cementing his place as arguably the greatest male tennis player of all time. However, the debate about who is the greatest player in history remains a common topic among tennis fans. To help you better understand, kingsoccertips has compiled a list of the best male tennis player of all time!

The Best Male Tennis Players of All Time

10. Andre Agassi

A key figure during what is considered the golden era of American tennis, Andre Agassi was one of the standout players of the 1990s. Over his 20-year career, he won an impressive 60 singles titles, including 8 Grand Slam titles (4 Australian Open, 2 US Open, 1 French Open, and 1 Wimbledon). Agassi became the first player to win Grand Slam titles on all three major surfaces (hard court, clay, and grass) and the only male player to achieve a Career Super Slam by winning all four Grand Slam tournaments, the year-end championship, and an Olympic Gold Medal.

After retiring from professional tennis, Andre Agassi published his autobiography, Open: An Autobiography, which reached No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list and is regarded as one of the best tennis books ever written.

9. John McEnroe

Perhaps best known for his famous outburst, ‘You cannot be serious!’, John McEnroe’s antics at Wimbledon and on other courts made him one of the most prominent players of the 1980s. He burst onto the tennis scene in 1977 as an 18-year-old amateur. He won his first Grand Slam title in mixed doubles at the French Open and achieved the best performance by a qualifier at a Grand Slam by reaching the Wimbledon semifinals. In 1978, he led Stanford University to the NCAA championship and won the NCAA singles title. He turned professional later that year, winning five more titles. His remarkable career has been a subject of discussion among fans and analysts who debate whether he was the best male tennis player of his time.

He went on to win a total of 77 singles titles and 78 doubles titles, including 7 Grand Slam singles titles (4 US Open and 3 Wimbledon) and 10 Grand Slam doubles titles, and led the US to 5 Davis Cup victories. He is one of only three players in the Open Era to achieve world No. 1 in both singles and doubles (the others being Stefan Edberg and Stan Smith). He also holds the record for the best match-winning percentage in a single season, with 96.5% wins (82 wins, 3 losses) in 1984. John McEnroe’s career achievements often spark debates about whether he was the best male tennis player of his era.

McEnroe also published his autobiography, Seriously, in 2003, which became a bestseller.

8. Ivan Lendl

A world No. 1 junior before turning professional in 1978, Ivan Lendl was also a dominant force in 1980s tennis. Over his 22-year career, he won an astonishing 94 singles titles, including 8 Grand Slam titles (3 French Open, 3 US Open, and 2 Australian Open). This places him third in the all-time Open Era rankings for titles won (behind only Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer).

Lendl held the world No. 1 ranking for a total of 270 weeks and remains the only male player to win over 90% of his matches in five different years. Since retiring, he has found success in coaching, having helped Andy Murray win three Grand Slam titles, including Wimbledon in 2013. Ivan Lendl’s dominance and career statistics often prompt discussions about whether he is the best male tennis player of all time.

7. Jimmy Connors

Jimmy Connors dominated tennis in the late 1970s. He held the world No. 1 ranking for 160 consecutive weeks from 1974 to 1977 and topped the ATP rankings for a total of 268 weeks over his 24-year career. In 1974, he became the second player in the Open Era to win three Grand Slam titles in a calendar year, although he was denied entry to the French Open due to his association with World Team Tennis.

He went on to win 8 Grand Slam singles titles (5 US Opens, 2 Wimbledons, and 1 Australian Open) and 2 Grand Slam doubles titles. Connors still holds the ATP record for the most titles (109). He also played the most matches (1,557) and won the most matches (1,274) in the Open Era.

6. Bjorn Borg

As a teenage phenomenon, Bjorn Borg began his professional tennis career at age 15, representing Sweden in the Davis Cup in 1972. In 1974, just two weeks after his 18th birthday, he won his first Grand Slam title, becoming the youngest male French Open champion at that time. The Swedish player went on to form one of the greatest rivalries in tennis, battling Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe for the top spot in the sport in the late 1970s. Unfortunately, the constant pressure led him to retire from tennis at the age of 26.

Throughout his relatively short career, Borg spent a total of 109 weeks as the world No. 1 and won 11 Grand Slam titles (6 French Opens and 5 Wimbledon). His dominance on clay and grass courts saw him win 4 consecutive French Open titles and 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles (a record shared with Roger Federer). Many tennis experts debate whether Borg is the best male tennis player of his era, while others argue about his place in discussions about this.

5. Pete Sampras

Considered the most successful player of the 1990s, Pete Sampras held the top spot for a total of 286 weeks and finished the year ranked No. 1 for six consecutive years from 1993 to 1998. His dominance on grass courts was unparalleled, earning him seven Wimbledon titles, a record later surpassed by Roger Federer. He also excelled on hard courts, winning two Australian Open titles and a record-tying five US Open titles (shared with Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer).

He capped off his professional career with a victory at the 2002 US Open, defeating longtime rival Andre Agassi in the final. By the time he retired, Sampras had won a total of 64 singles titles, including 14 Grand Slam titles. His remarkable achievements have led many to consider him the best male tennis player of his era.

4. Rod Laver

Beloved by fans and players alike, Rod Laver is regarded by many as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Starting his career before the Open Era, Laver holds the record for the most titles in tennis history, winning an astounding 198 titles. He claimed 6 Grand Slam titles before 1968 and added 5 more during the Open Era.

Laver also has 6 Grand Slam doubles titles and 5 Davis Cup titles to his name, and holds the record for being the only player to win 10 or more titles in seven consecutive seasons (1964-1970). To this day, he remains the only male player to achieve the calendar-year Grand Slam in the Open Era, winning all four Grand Slam titles in 1969.

3. Rafael Nadal

As one of the most successful teenage players in ATP history, Rafael Nadal ascended to the world No. 2 ranking at the age of 19 after winning 16 titles, including his first French Open title in 2005. By 2008, Nadal had secured his fourth French Open title and won his first Wimbledon title by dethroning Roger Federer in what is considered one of the greatest tennis matches ever. That same year, he achieved the world No. 1 ranking for the first time and also won an Olympic Gold Medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Since then, Nadal has won a total of 92 titles, including a record 22 Grand Slam titles. With a career clay court win rate of 91% and a 112-3 record at Roland Garros, the Spanish player captured a record 14th French Open title in 2022, solidifying his status as the undisputed King of Clay. He is also one of only two men to complete a Career Golden Slam (all four Grand Slams and an Olympic Gold Medal), along with Andre Agassi. Nadal’s remarkable career and versatility also place him as the best male tennis player ever.

2. Roger Federer

Undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever to grace the court, Roger Federer’s style is unmatched. Over a 23-year career spanning four decades, the Swiss player spent a total of 310 weeks as the world No. 1 and holds the longest streak at the top spot in Open Era history, having led the ATP rankings for four and a half years (237 weeks) from 2004 to 2008. His dominance in the 2000s saw him reach 18 of 19 major finals from 2005 to 2010. He won three out of four Grand Slam titles in 2004, 2006, and 2007, eventually completing a Career Grand Slam in 2009 by winning the French Open.

He won an astonishing 103 singles titles, the second-most in the Open Era after Jimmy Connors, including a record 20 Grand Slam titles, which is tied with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. In 2017, he claimed a record eighth Wimbledon title and also shared the record for the most US Open titles (5) with Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors.

Federer is also a fan favorite, having won the ATP Fans’ Favorite Player Award for 19 consecutive years from 2003 to 2020 and a record five Laureus World Sportsman of the Year awards. Without a doubt, Roger Federer has secured his place in history as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

1. Novak Djokovic

Arguably the best male tennis player of all time, Novak Djokovic has broken nearly every record in the book. As of this writing, Djokovic has held the top spot for a record 401 weeks and continues to dominate the rankings. Over his 20-year professional career, he has won a total of 98 singles titles, including an astounding 24 Grand Slam titles, surpassing Nadal for the most major titles of all time. He holds a record of 10 Australian Open titles, as well as 7 Wimbledon titles, 4 US Open titles, and 3 French Open titles. He is also the first and only player to complete the Career Golden Masters, winning all nine Masters 1000 titles at least once, and currently holds the record for the most Masters titles with 40.

During the 2015-2016 season, he won a non-calendar year Grand Slam, holding all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously. In 2020, he won his second French Open title by dethroning Nadal and became the only player in the Open Era to complete a Career Grand Slam twice, meaning he won all four Grand Slam titles in his career twice. Playing some of the best tennis of his career in 2023 and showing no signs of stopping, Novak Djokovic appears poised to go down in history as the greatest player ever to set foot on a tennis court.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving world of tennis, determining the best male tennis player of all time is a challenge filled with rich histories, incredible feats, and undeniable talent. Rafael Nadal’s unparalleled success on clay courts, Roger Federer’s elegant and dominant play across decades, and Novak Djokovic’s record-breaking achievements and versatility place them at the pinnacle of this debate. Each of these legends has left an indelible mark on the sport, making it nearly impossible to single out one as the definitive greatest. However, given his unmatched records and recent accomplishments, Novak Djokovic currently stands out as the leading contender for the title of the best male tennis player ever. As the sport progresses and new talents emerge, this discussion will undoubtedly continue to captivate tennis enthusiasts around the world.

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