# Greatest Tennis Players Of All Time
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [July 8, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602 "2012-07-08T15:13:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/1 "2012-07-08T15:13:54Z")
There is a list [here.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_Greatest_of_All_Time)
Just a list of opinions of course.
It does surprise me. Lleyton hewitt and Hana Mandlikova can get in there?
I’d have Lew Hoad a bit higher, but in saying that I don’t know who I would squeeze out.
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/2 "2012-07-08T16:11:50Z")
Sampras at #5 and Federer at #1 is pretty indefensible. Pete had to compete with Andre Agassi during both of their primes-and usually got the better of him. Once Nadal hit his peak Federer wasn’t able to stay with him, and otherwise Federer never had a big rival during his own peak.
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/3 "2012-07-08T16:55:20Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> Sampras at #5 and Federer at #1 is pretty indefensible. Pete had to compete with Andre Agassi during both of their primes-and usually got the better of him. Once Nadal hit his peak Federer wasn’t able to stay with him, and otherwise Federer never had a big rival during his own peak.
Nonsense. Sampras didn’t even win a career slam.
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### Author:  [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/4 "2012-07-08T17:03:05Z")
The big knock on Sampras is that he couldn’t win on clay. Didn’t even get close. I think his best was a quarter final at the French. He is, in my opinion, the best grass player of all time.
Connors should be higher. Played in a super competitive era and played for so long.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/5 "2012-07-08T17:11:08Z")
> [@Lochdale](#):
>
> The big knock on Sampras is that he couldn’t win on clay. Didn’t even get close. I think his best was a quarter final at the French. He is, in my opinion, the best grass player of all time.
> .
Quarter-final 3 times and Semifinal once.
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### Author:  [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/6 "2012-07-08T17:16:37Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> Quarter-final 3 times and Semifinal once.
Which torpedoes his being the best of all time.
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### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/7 "2012-07-08T17:17:23Z")
And now Federer has equalled Sampras’s Wimbledon titles (and beaten the number of final appearances)
Really can’t see there is any real doubt about the number 1 position.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/8 "2012-07-08T17:19:48Z")
> [@Lochdale](#):
>
> Which torpedoes his being the best of all time.
Nah, not for me.
I’d put it like this for the men, with women being entirely separate.
1. Roger Federer
2. Pete Sampras
3. Rod Laver
4. Raphael Nadal
5. Andre Agassi/Novak Djokovic(tough call)
6. Bjorn Borg
7. Jimmy Connors
8. John McEnroe
Not sure past this, but those are the top 8.
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### Author:  [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/9 "2012-07-08T17:42:16Z")
Looking at the list linked in the OP I noticed that Steffi is listed as German. I would’ve thought she’s be naturalized by now.
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/10 "2012-07-08T17:54:54Z")
Thinking Graf should put USA down because she’s a naturalized citizen is kind of xenophobic, no? I mean, no one would expect Agassi to be listed as German even though I assume he’s a naturalized citizen of that country.
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### Author:  [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/11 "2012-07-08T18:31:06Z")
**Lisa** -Seles and Navratilova are listed as Yanks, and they too were born overseas.
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### Author:  [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/12 "2012-07-08T18:33:52Z")
> [@etv78](#):
>
> **Lisa** -Seles and Navratilova are listed as Yanks, and they too were born overseas.
Didn’t they play a significant part of their careers after taking up US citizenship?
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### Author:  [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/13 "2012-07-08T18:46:32Z")
Martina’s peak was post-defection.
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/14 "2012-07-08T19:31:27Z")
Well, yes, but my point is that it’s a tad xenophobic, or perhaps arrogant, to assume that folks who hold dual citizenship would automatically choose to put “USA” as their home country.
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### Author:  [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/15 "2012-07-08T21:19:26Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> Nah, not for me.
>
> I’d put it like this for the men, with women being entirely separate.
>
> 1. Roger Federer
> 2. Pete Sampras
> 3. Rod Laver
> 4. Raphael Nadal
> 5. Andre Agassi/Novak Djokovic(tough call)
> 6. Bjorn Borg
> 7. Jimmy Connors
> 8. John McEnroe
>
> Not sure past this, but those are the top 8.
This seems like a pretty solid list to me. I would definitely put Agassi over Djokovic: the latter isn’t done yet, but at the moment, 8 slams (including the career Slam) puts Agassi ahead.
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### Author:  [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/16 "2012-07-08T21:21:36Z")
I’d put Connors ahead of Agassi.
Also what about Wilander and Becker? They should be ahead of Djokovic.
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/17 "2012-07-08T22:53:32Z")
Looking over who Federer beat in his finals, the list isn’t exactly impressive: Andy Roddick 3 times, along with the likes of Lleyton Hewitt, Marcos Baghdatis, and a-about-to-retire Andre Agassi (and a pre-prime Djokovic). Once Nadal showed up, Federer went 2-2 against him in non-French Open finals, 0-4 in the French. If his prime coincided with say Connors/McEnroe/Borg, he’d probably have about half the majors that he does (esp. if forced to use a wooden racket). Pete was 4-1 against Andre, by contrast
I’m playing the Devil’s Advocate more than anything else (his French title is a definite point in his favor), but if they played (prime on prime) on anything other than clay, my money would be on Pete, one of the guttiest tennis players ever.
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### Author:  [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/18 "2012-07-08T23:02:41Z")
> [@etv78](#):
>
> Martina’s peak was post-defection.
Not really. She asked for political asylum in 1975 at age 18 and was given temporary residency. She became a US citizen in 1981. She won all of her grand slams after defecting and 15 of her 18 grand slam titles after becoming a US citizen.
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### Author:  [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/19 "2012-07-08T23:27:04Z")
> [@etv78](#):
>
> Martina’s peak was post-defection.
Sotty, misread your post. You are correct. Read my other post as supplying evidence.
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### Author:  [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-tennis-players-of-all-time/627602/20 "2012-07-08T23:35:12Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> Looking over who Federer beat in his finals, the list isn’t exactly impressive: Andy Roddick 3 times, along with the likes of Lleyton Hewitt, Marcos Baghdatis, and a-about-to-retire Andre Agassi (and a pre-prime Djokovic). Once Nadal showed up, Federer went 2-2 against him in non-French Open finals, 0-4 in the French. If his prime coincided with say Connors/McEnroe/Borg, he’d probably have about half the majors that he does (esp. if forced to use a wooden racket). Pete was 4-1 against Andre, by contrast
>
> I’m playing the Devil’s Advocate more than anything else (his French title is a definite point in his favor), but if they played (prime on prime) on anything other than clay, my money would be on Pete, one of the guttiest tennis players ever.
A very good post. On grass, I think Sampras beats Federer. I’d love to see Connors in his prime against Federer.
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