50 Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time

Men's tennis has produced a century’s worth of champions from all over the world. These are the best of the best.

Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time

Roger Federer is a class act on and off the tennis court.

Men’s tennis has produced many incredible players from all over the world and all walks of life.

But who has made the greatest impact — through the titles they won, the way they shaped the sport in their image, and the lasting memories they gave millions of fans with their play?

The GOAT question inspires heated debate. Here's the answer to that question with the rankings of the greatest men to ever set foot on a tennis court.

Honorable Mention: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan

Country: United States

Born: April 29, 1978, Camarillo, California (age 39)

Career: 1995-2020

Plays: Left-handed (Bob), right-handed (Mike) — one-handed backhands for both

Record: 1,108-359 (75.53 percent)

Titles: 124 (Mike), 119 (Bob)

Grand Slams: 16 (Bob), Mike (18)

Prize money: $32,699,083

Bottom line: When it comes to doubles, one team has towered above all the rest for the past two decades.

As mirror-image twins, Bob and Mike Bryan’s left- and right-handed attacking games complement each other perfectly as a doubles pair, with record-breaking results to prove it. No doubles team has won more slams, total titles or matches.

They are set to end their historic careers at the 2020 U.S. Open, and the tennis world will miss them greatly.

Note: Stats are through March 18, 2020.

50. David Ferrer

Country: Spain

Born: April 2, 1982, Xàbia, Spain (age 37)

Career: 2000-19

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 734-377 (66.1 percent)

Titles: 27

Grand Slams: 0

Prize money: $31,483,911

Bottom line: David Ferrer’s career was all about one thing — grit and determination.

Never the most physically imposing player, from a very young age, he overcame the competition through a legendary work ethic and training program, including carrying loads of bricks to build strength into his slightly built physique.

He ranked in the year-end top eight seven times and was one of the 10 highest prize money earners of all time despite never winning a Grand Slam.

49. Tim Henman

Country: United Kingdom

Born: Sept. 6, 1974, Oxford, U.K. (age 45)

Career: 1993-2007

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand).

Record: 496-274 (64.4 percent)

Titles: 11

Grand Slams: 0

Prize money: $11,635,542

Bottom line: When a 22-year-old Tim Henman reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 1996, the hopes of a nation fell on his shoulders.

He was the first British man to advance that far at the All-England since 1973, and in subsequent years, crowds flocked to "Henman Hill" to see him. Henman failed to win the title, although he reached the semifinals four times.

Still, he deserves to be remembered for sparking a renaissance of British tennis that eventually broke their championship drought.

48. Gottfried von Cramm

Country: Germany

Born: July 7, 1909, Nettlingen, Germany

Died: Nov. 8, 1976, Cairo, Egypt (age 67)

Career: 1931-52

Played: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 390-82 (82.6 percent)

Titles: 45

Grand Slams: 2

Prize money: N/A

Bottom line: Gottfried von Cramm won the French Open twice and reached the Wimbledon final three times, but the iconic moment of his career was a loss.

In 1937, von Cramm, a German, fell to American Don Budgee in an epic five-set Davis Cup final match after being forced to play for his native Germany despite opposing the Nazi regime.

Jon Marshall Fisher’s 2009 bestseller "A Terrible Splendor" retold the story of that match for a new generation of tennis fans and revived interest in von Cramm’s legacy.

47. Robin Soderling

Country: Sweden

Born: Aug. 14, 1984, Tibro, Sweden (age 35)

Career: 2001-15 (last match played in 2011)

Played: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 310-170 (64.58 percent)

Titles: 10

Grand Slams: 0

Prize money: $10,423,124

Bottom line: One French afternoon in 2009, Robin Soderling gave the tennis world a moment that it will never forget.

Rafael Nadal never had been forced to a fifth set in his entire career at the French Open, let alone lost a match, and he looked to be cruising to yet another title.

But Soderling’s booming serve and powerful groundstrokes were Rafa’s kryptonite and delivered an iconic modern upset.

46. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Country: France

Born: April 17, 1985, Le Mans, France (age 34)

Career: 2004-present

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 464-223 (67.5 percent)

Titles: 18

Grand Slams: 0

Prize money: $22,157,662

Bottom line: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is one of the great giant killers of modern tennis, one of only three players to beat each of the "Big Four" — Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in Grand Slam play.

Tsonga is a fan favorite wherever he goes, but he and his fellow French countrymen seem to have a special relationship.

He has won nine titles on French soil and helped his country claim the Davis Cup in 2017.

45. Michael Stich

Country: Germany

Born: Oct. 18, 1968, Pinneberg, West Germany (age 51)

Career: 1988-97

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 385-176 (68.63 percent)

Titles: 18

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $12,592,483

Bottom line: Michael Stich has an incredible story of achievement and brevity.

Although he walked away from the game at age 29 after a pro career spanning less than 10 years, he proved that he was one of the most talented players alive in an era full of legendary players.

Stich beat multiple Slam champions and took down Jim Courier, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker in succession to claim the Wimbledon title in 1991.

44. Juan Carlos Ferrero

Country: Spain

Born: Feb. 12, 1980, Ontinyent, Spain (age 40)

Career: 1998-2012

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 479-262 (64.6 percent)

Titles: 16

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $13,992,895

Bottom Line: Before Rafael Nadal was the king of clay, Juan Carlos Ferrero was the Spaniard who reigned supreme on dirt.

He made the final at Roland Garros three consecutive years from 2001 to 2003 and won on his third chance. Ferrero achieved the world No.1 ranking and proved his worth on hard courts as well, reaching the U.S. Open final.

Although his career never matched those highs again, his baseline game was a pleasure to watch.

43. Marcelo Rios

Country: Chile

Born: Dec. 26, 1975, Santiago, Chile (age 44)

Career: 1994-2004

Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 391-192 (67.1 percent)

Titles: 18

Grand Slams: 0

Prize Money: $9,713,771

Bottom line: Marcelo Rios combined otherworldly talent with frustrating inconsistency and controversies aplenty.

Although he reached the world No.1 ranking in 1998, he did so without winning a major, the only man in the Open Era to do so. Still, his elegant left-handed groundstrokes were great when Rios was on form.

What he might have achieved with greater focus and dedication remains one of tennis’ most compelling "what ifs" of all time.

42. Marin Cilic

Country: Croatia

Born: Sept. 28, 1988, Medjugorje, Yugoslavia (age 31)

Career: 2005-present

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 508-275 (64.9 percent)

Titles: 18

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $27,836,861

Bottom line: Marin Cilic has had the misfortune to play in the same era as the Big Four, but he's made the most of every opportunity.

At his peak, he can beat any player in the world, as he showed at the 2014 U.S. Open. There, he dispatched Roger Federer in straight sets in the semifinals and took home the title in one of the more dominant performances in recent years.

While Cilic may not get the public recognition he deserves, he's won enough to be financially set for many lifetimes.

41. Kei Nishikori

Country: Japan

Born: Dec. 29, 1989, Shimane, Japan (age 30)

Career: 2007-present

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 403-190 (68.0 percent)

Titles: 12

Grand Slams:0

Prize money: $23,846,631

Bottom line: As a junior, Kei Nishikori’s nickname was "Project 45," reflecting the hope that he would surpass his countryman Shuzo Matsuoka’s career-high ranking of 46, then a record for Japanese men.

Nishikori has shattered that barrier, reaching the U.S. Open final and a career high of No. 4.

He was the first man from Asia to reach the final of a Grand Slam event and gave millions of tennis fans a new star to look up to.

40. Thomas Muster

Country: Austria

Born: Oct. 2, 1967, Leibnitz, Austria (age 52)

Career: 1985-99, 2010-11

Plays: Left-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 625-273 (69.6 percent)

Titles: 44

Grand Slams: 1

Prize Money: $12,266,977

Bottom line: No one could match Thomas Muster on red clay at his peak.

In 1995, the Austrian lefty won 40 consecutive matches on dirt and took home 11 titles, including the French Open. This stretch of dominance earned him the world No. 1 ranking, the first and only Austrian to do so.

Muster’s final match in 2011 provided for a poetic torch-passing moment as he lost to teenage countryman Dominic Thiem at the Vienna Open.

39. Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Country: Russia

Born: Feb. 18, 1974, Sochi, Russia (age 46)

Career: 1992-2003

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 609-306 (66.6 percent)

Titles: 26

Grand Slams: 2

Prize money: $23,883,797

Bottom line: When Russia was in chaos following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Yevgeny Kafelnikov showed the world what its nation’s athletes could still achieve, despite adversity.

He was the first Russian man to win Grand Slams, taking home the French Open in 1996 and the Australian Open in 1999.

He took home the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and helped Russia win its first Davis Cup in 2002.

38. Carlos Moya

Country: Spain

Born: Aug. 27, 1976, Palma, Spain (age 43)

Career: 1995-2010

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 575-319 (64.3 percent)

Titles: 20

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $13,443,970

Bottom line: Carlos Moya put the small Spanish island of Mallorca on the world tennis map in the 1990s. Moya won the French Open in 1998 and reached the No.1 ranking in 1999.

Moya’s playing style served as a model for his fellow Mallorcan Rafael Nadal to emulate, and Moya’s fashion of wearing sleeveless shirts on court inspired Nadal’s signature look as well.

After retiring, Moya began working with Nadal as a coach in 2016, helping Rafa to continue representing Mallorca at the highest level of tennis.

37. Sergi Bruguera

Country: Spain

Born: Jan. 16, 1971, Barcelona, Spain (age 49)

Career: 1988-2002

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 447-271(62.26 percent)

Titles: 14

Grand Slams: 2

Prize money: $11,632,199

Bottom line: Spain’s journey from tennis irrelevance to perhaps the sport’s biggest national powerhouse began with Sergi Bruguera.

Bruguera’s 1992 French Open title was the first Slam win for a Spaniard since 1972, and he defended his title in 1993.

Without his breakthrough, would Carlos Moya, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Rafael Nadal and others have been able to follow?

Difficult to say, but without question, Bruguera showed the tennis world that Spain was back and better than ever.

36. Juan Martin Del Potro

Country: Argentina

Born: Sept. 23, 1988, Tandil, Argentina

Career: 2005-present

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 439-173 (71.7 percent)

Titles: 22

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $25,889,586

Bottom line: Juan Martin del Potro had one of the most powerful games in men’s tennis. And he proved it as a 20-year-old at the 2009 U.S. Open.

Del Potro blasted world No.1 Rafael Nadal off the court in the semifinals with a punishing groundstroke attack, winning in dominant straight sets.

The Argentinian then outlasted Roger Federer in five sets in the final, becoming the first man to defeat Nadal and Federer in the same Grand Slam.

35. Goran Ivanisevic

Country: Yugoslavia/Croatia

Born: Sept. 13, 1971, Split, Yugoslavia (age 48)

Career: 1988-2004

Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 599-333 (64.3 percent)

Titles: 22

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $19,878,007

Bottom line: When it came to power serving, no one could match Goran Ivanisevic.

In the 1992 Wimbledon final against Andre Agassi, Ivanisevic hit as many aces (37) in the match as Agassi hit in the entire tournament.

Throughout the 1990s, Ivanisevic came close to winning the title on Wimbledon grass, but fell short. However, a miraculous late-career effort there in 2001 saw him take home the title in a classic five-setter against Patrick Rafter.

34. Michael Chang

Country: United States

Born: Feb. 22, 1972, Hoboken, New Jersey (age 48)

Career: 1988-2003

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand).

Record: 662-312 (68.0 percent)

Titles: 34

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $19,145,623

Bottom line: Michael Chang holds the distinction of being the youngest male player to ever win a Grand Slam, taking home the French Open title in 1989.

At just 17 years old, he showed his trademark grit and determination when he outlasted Ivan Lendl in a five-set final, despite cramping so badly he could barely move without enormous pain.

Chang remained a fixture at the top of tennis throughout the 1990s, part of an iconic generation of American men.

33. Yannick Noah

Country: France

Born: May 18, 1960, Sedan, France (age 59)

Career: 1977-96

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 478-209 (69.6 percent)

Titles: 23

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $3,440,660

Bottom line: Yannick Noah achieved rock-star status in his native France when he won at Roland Garros in 1983. After his playing days, he became a literal rock star, going on to a successful music career.

With his elegant, attacking style of tennis and trailblazing status as one of the first Afro-French sports stars embraced by the nation, Noah set an example to follow for subsequent generations of French players of all races.

32. Stan Wawrinka

Country: Switzerland

Born: March 28, 1985, Lausanne, Switzerland (age 34)

Career: 2002-present

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 523-301 (63.5 percent)

Titles: 16

Grand Slams: 3

Prize money: $34,228,252

Bottom line: For much of his early career, Stan Wawrinka was "the other Swiss," a talented underachiever in the shadow of his countryman Roger Federer.

But in 2014, Wawrinka secured his own legacy, defeating Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal to win the Australian Open.

"Stan the Man" backed that up by winning the French Open in 2015 and the U.S. Open in 2016, dispatching opponents with his signature one-handed backhand, arguably the best shot of its kind in tennis history.

31. Pancho Gonzales

Country: United States

Born: May 9, 1928, Los Angeles, California

Died: July 3, 1995, Las Vegas, Nevada (age 67)

Career: 1949-74

Played: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 1250-561 (69.05 percent)

Titles: 111

Grand Slams: 2

Prize money: $911,078

Bottom line: In the pre-Open era, few were as dominant as Pancho Gonzales.

His seven consecutive years ending at No.1 in the rankings between 1954 and 1960 still stands as the all-time record 60 years later.

However, because he played much of his career before the Slams were open to professionals, he only won twice at the major events yet won then-equivalent tournaments on the pro tour 14 times.

30. Andy Roddick

Country: United States

Born: Aug. 30, 1982, Omaha, Nebraska (age 37)

Career: 2000-12

Played: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 612-213 (74.2 percent)

Titles: 32

Grand Slams: 1

Prize money: $20,640,030

Bottom line: When Andy Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open just a few days after his 21st birthday, it seemed certain that he would succeed Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi as the next American man to dominate the sport.

But Roddick's prime coincided with Roger Federer’s, and over the rest of the decade, Federer dominated their head-to-head matchups.

Nevertheless, Roddick will be remembered for his booming serve, one of the best ever.

29. Patrick Rafter

Country: Australia

Born: Dec. 28, 1972, Mount Isa, Australia (age 47)

Career: 1991-2002

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 358-191 (65.21 percent)

Titles: 11

Grand Slams:2

Prize money: $11,133,128

Bottom line: Patrick Rafter didn’t just win Grand Slam titles. He did it with a laid-back, surfer-cool style that personified his native Australia.

Winning two U.S. Open titles and reaching world No.1 in 1998, Rafter was one of the last pure serve-and-volley players to make it to the top of tennis.

His serve lacked the power of Pete Sampras or Goran Ivanisevic, but Rafter made up for it with some of the deftest volleys the game has ever seen.

Bottom line: Patrick Rafter didn’t just win Grand Slam titles. He did it with a laid-back, surfer-cool style that personified his native Australia.

Winning two U.S. Open titles and reaching world No.1 in 1998, Rafter was one of the last pure serve-and-volley players to make it to the top of tennis.

His serve lacked the power of Pete Sampras or Goran Ivanisevic, but Rafter made up for it with some of the deftest volleys the game has ever seen.

28. Marat Safin

Country: Russia

Born: Jan. 27, 1980, Moscow, Russia (age 40)

Career: 1997-2009

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 422-267 (61.3 percent)

Titles: 15

Grand Slams: 2

Prize Money: $14,373,291

Bottom line: Marat Safin’s pure talent was perhaps greater than anyone to ever play the game.

He was so good, in fact, that he got to the top of the sport despite, by his own admission, never enjoying the game very much. This attitude resulted in inconsistent play at times, and injuries marred the latter half of his career.

But at his best, even the likes of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer were helpless against Safin's power baseline attack.

Bottom line: Marat Safin’s pure talent was perhaps greater than anyone to ever play the game.

But at his best, even the likes of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer were helpless against Safin's power baseline attack.

27. Lleyton Hewitt

Country: Australia

Born: Feb. 24, 1981, Adelaide, Australia (age 39)

Career: 1998-2016

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 616-262 (70.2 percent)

Titles: 30

Grand Slams: 2

Prize money: $20,889,965

Bottom line: If Patrick Rafter personified Australia’s cool and calm, Lleyton Hewitt embodied the country’s scrappiness and competitive spirit.

Despite Hewitt's slight, 5-foot-10 stature, he scratched and clawed his way to the top with grinding baseline play.

Retiring from play in 2016, he now works to usher in the next generation of Aussie tennis from the sidelines as both the country’s Davis Cup captain and a coach to rising star Alex de Minaur.

Bottom line: If Patrick Rafter personified Australia’s cool and calm, Lleyton Hewitt embodied the country’s scrappiness and competitive spirit.

Despite Hewitt's slight, 5-foot-10 stature, he scratched and clawed his way to the top with grinding baseline play.

Retiring from play in 2016, he now works to usher in the next generation of Aussie tennis from the sidelines as both the country’s Davis Cup captain and a coach to rising star Alex de Minaur.

26. Gustavo Kuerten

Country: Brazil

Born: Sept. 10, 1976, Florianopolis, Brazil (age 43)

Career: 1995-2008

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 358-195 (64.7 percent)

Titles: 20

Grand Slams: 3

Prize money: $14,807,000

Bottom line: Gustavo Kuerten put himself and the country of Brazil on the tennis map in dynamite fashion.

At the 1997 French Open, he defeated three former champions of the event in a row — Thomas Muster, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and Sergi Bruguera — to take home the title.

By doing so, Kuerten became the first and only Brazilian man to win a Slam and later became the first and only Brazilian to get to the world No. 1 ranking.

Bottom line: Gustavo Kuerten put himself and the country of Brazil on the tennis map in dynamite fashion.

At the 1997 French Open, he defeated three former champions of the event in a row — Thomas Muster, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and Sergi Bruguera — to take home the title.

By doing so, Kuerten became the first and only Brazilian man to win a Slam and later became the first and only Brazilian to get to the world No. 1 ranking.

25. Stefan Edberg

Country: Sweden

Born: Jan. 19, 1966, Vastervik, Sweden (age 54)

Career: 1983-96

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand).

Record: 801-270 (74.8 percent)

Titles: 41

Grand Slams: 6

Prize money: $20,630,941

Bottom line: Stefan Edberg is a rarity among great tennis players in that he succeeded in spite of the fact that his forehand, most players' dominant shot, was considered an outright weakness in his game.

But he made up for it with a smooth backhand and a lethal serve and volley attack, rarely having to rally with his forehand from the baseline.

Edberg is the last Swede to hold the top spot in the world’s rankings.

24. Mats Wilander

Country: Sweden

Born: Aug. 22, 1963, Vaxjo, Sweden (age 56)

Career: 1981-96

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 571-222 (72.0 percent)

Titles: 33

Grand Slams: 7

Prize Money: $7,976,256

Bottom line: Mats Wilander’s career is defined by the astonishing peak he reached in 1988. Then, he became one of only a handful of players to win three Grand Slams in one year.

Wilander’s great run confirmed that Sweden was at the center of the tennis universe in the 1970s and '80s, taking up the torch after Bjorn Borg’s retirement to stand at the top of the game.

23. Rene Lacoste

Country: France

Born: July 2, 1904, Paris, France

Died: Oct. 12, 1996, Saint Jean De Luz, France (age 92)

Career: 1922-32

Played: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 1,262-443 (85.9 percent)

Titles: 24

Grand Slams: 7

Prize money: N/A

Bottom line: Long after René Lacoste was at the top of the sport, his name lives on not only for his achievements with a racquet.

He also is famous for the clothing company he created (especially its signature polo shirt he popularized on the court) that remains one of the world’s top brands nearly a century later.

The iconic crocodile on every Lacoste shirt references his nickname as a player, due to his ruthless, attacking style of play and fierce competitiveness.

22. Arthur Ashe

Country: United States

Born: July 10, 1943, Richmond, Virginia

Died: Feb. 6, 1993, New York City, New York (age 49)

Career: 1959-80

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record:1,085-337 (76.3 percent)

Titles: 76

Grand Slams: 3

Prize money: $1,584,909

Bottom line: What Jackie Robinson did for the game of baseball, Arthur Ashe did for tennis, becoming the first and only (so far) African American to win a Grand Slam.

Off the court, he campaigned against apartheid and helped the newly created Association of Tour Professionals (ATP) fight for better pay and treatment for all touring players.

In the early 1980s, Ashe contracted the HIV virus from a blood transfusion during heart surgery and died of AIDS in 1993. But his legacy lives on with the towering center court at the U.S. Open that bears his name.

21. John Newcombe

Country: Australia

Born: May 23, 1944, Sydney, Australia (age 75)

Career: 1960-81

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 552-198 (73.6 percent)

Titles: 68

Grand Slams: 7

Prize money: $1,062,408

Bottom line: John Newcombe’s nickname, "Nuke," was a testament to the power of his serve-and-volleying game, which he used to great effect.

As he played in both the pre-Open and Open eras, Newcombe was able to earn the distinction of being one of only two male players to ever win the U.S. Open and Wimbledon as both an amateur and professional.

The other was his countryman Rod Laver.

20. Ilie Nastase

Country: Romania

Born: July 19, 1946, Bucharest, Romania (age 73)

Career: 1966-85

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 930–354 (72.4 percent)

Titles: 60

Grand Slams: 2

Prize money: $2,076,761

Bottom line: Nicknamed "Nasty," Ilie Nastase was tennis' first bad boy superstar.

He's ranked high for what he accomplished on the court, but he's ranked even higher for his off-court "accomplishments." Maxim magazine ranked him sixth on its list of "Greatest Living Sex Legends," just ahead of Jack Nicholson.

Love him or hate him, Nastase was the showman tennis needed to transition from the stuffy amateur era to the high-flying new world of modern professional sports.

19. Jim Courier

Country: United States

Born: Aug. 17, 1970, Sanford, Florida (age 49)

Career: 1988-2000

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 506-237 (68.1 percent)

Titles: 23

Grand Slams: 4

Prize money: $14,034,132

Bottom line: Jim Courier was a rare breed in tennis — an American man whose best surface was red clay.

Combining a powerful forehand with elite strength and conditioning that enabled him to dominate rallies, Courier excelled on the dirt, winning back-to-back titles at Roland Garros in 1991 and 1992.

He has remained an active presence in the tennis world, doing TV commentary and serving as captain of the United States' Davis Cup team.

18. Guillermo Vilas

Country: Argentina

Born: Aug. 17, 1952, Buenos Aires, Argentina (age 67)

Career: 1969-92

Plays: Left-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 949-291 (76.5 percent)

Titles: 62

Grand Slams: 4

Prize money: $4,923,882

Bottom line: In the 1970s, Guillermo Vilas was the game's gold standard on red clay.

He took home the Roland Garros title three times, and even Rafael Nadal has yet to equal his record of 659 total match wins on clay.

Vilas also was the first tennis star from Argentina, with such an influence on the game there that multiple top players since (see: Guillermo Coria and Guillermo Canas) were named after him.

17. Fred Perry

Country: United Kingdom

Born: May 18, 1909, Portwood, U.K.

Died: Feb. 2, 1995, Melbourne, Australia (age 85)

Career: 1929-56

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 608-239 (71.7 percent)

Titles: 55

Grand Slams: 8

Prize money: N/A

Bottom line: Fred Perry was the unquestioned icon of British tennis in the 20th century

Not only did he win eight grand slam titles, but he also became the first male player to win the "career grand slam — that is, win each of the four major events at least once.

He gave the U.K. enough tennis glory to last a lifetime, with his Wimbledon win in 1936 proving to be the last such win by a Brit for 77 years.

16. Ken Rosewall

Country: Australia

Born: Nov. 2, 1934, Sydney, Australia (age 85)

Career: 195680

Played: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record:1,655-627 (72.5%)

Titles: 133

Grand Slams: 8

Prize Money: $1,602,700

Bottom line: Ken Rosewall’s career spanned the revolution in tennis when the major tournaments became open to professionals, winning Slams as both an amateur and a pro.

Rosewall adapted remarkably well to the changing game, going from baseliner to serve and volleyer, but retaining a magnificent one-handed backhand as his signature shot.

In 1971, he set a new standard for dominance by winning the Australian Open without dropping a set, the first man to win a Slam in that fashion.

15. Roy Emerson

Country: Australia

Born: Nov. 3, 1936, Blackbutt, Australia (age 83)

Career: 1953-83

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 1,325-380 (77.7 percent)

Titles: 110

Grand Slams: 12

Prize money: N/A

Bottom line: No Australian player has dominated on home soil the way Queensland native Roy Emerson did.

Emerson’s record of six Australian Open titles, five of them consecutive, stood for more than 50 years until Novak Djokovic broke it in 2019.

As if that wasn’t enough, Emerson led Australia to a remarkable eight Davis Cups in nine years (1959-1967), and his record of 12 majors took 30 years to break.

14. Bill Tilden

Country: United States

Born: Feb. 10, 1893, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Died: June 5, 1953, Los Angeles, CA (age 60)

Career: 1912-46

Played: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record:1,425-372 (79.3 percent)

Titles: 138

Grand Slams: 10

Prize money: N/A

Bottom line: Bill Tilden’s prime was nearly a century ago, but some of the records he set took nearly that long to break.

His 10 U.S. Open finals appearances were the benchmark in the sport until 2017, when Roger Federer reached his 11th final at Wimbledon.

Tilden dominated tennis in the 1920s, ranking No.1 from 1920 to 1925, winning 10 Grand Slams, and becoming the first American man to win Wimbledon.

13. Andy Murray

Country: United Kingdom

Born: May 15, 1987, Glasgow, U.K. (age 32)

Career: 2005-present

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 673-196 (77.4 percent)

Titles: 46

Grand Slams: 3

Prize money: $61,544,007

Bottom line: If Tim Henman reignited the hopes of British tennis, Andy Murray fulfilled them.

In 2012, Murray won the U.S. Open, breaking the long drought that had lasted since Fred Perry in 1936. Even sweeter was when he hoisted the champion’s trophy at Wimbledon the following year.

For these achievements and his reign as part of the "Big Four," with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray has achieved tennis immortality.

12. Boris Becker

Country: West Germany/Germany

Born: Nov. 22, 1967, Leimen, West Germany (age 52)

Career: 1984-99

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 713-214 (76.9 percent)

Titles: 49

Grand Slams: 6

Prize money: $25,080,956

Bottom Line: Boris Becker combined a dynamic serve-and-volley game with equally dynamic charisma and force of personality to become one of tennis’ biggest stars from the moment he won his first Wimbledon title at 17 years old.

His rock-star personality was reflected in his hard-partying lifestyle, and although that may have cost him a chance at more majors, it also ensured that he would be remembered long after his playing days were over.

11. Don Budge

Country: United States

Born: June 13, 1915, Oakland, California

Died: Jan. 26, 2000, Scranton, Pennsylvania (age 84)

Career: 1932-55

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 569-278 (67.1 percent)

Titles: 43

Grand Slams: 6

Prize money: N/A

Bottom line: A contemporary of Fred Perry, Don Budge followed in his footsteps by becoming the second man to win the "career Grand Slam" and added the distinction of winning all four in a single year, the "calendar Grand Slam."

Only Rod Laver has equaled this achievement, and no one before or since has won six consecutive majors the way Budge did between the 1937 Wimbledon and 1938 U.S. Open.

10. Jimmy Connors

Country: United States

Born: Sept. 2, 1952, East St. Louis, Illinois (age 67)

Career: 1972-96

Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record:1,274–282 (81.9 percent)

Titles: 109

Grand Slams: 8

Prize money: $8,641,040

Bottom line: For much of his career, Jimmy Connors was the most hated man in tennis — and he loved it.

As quick to anger on the court as he was to send back opposing serves with his legendary return game, Connors fed off of the negative energy that radiated off of the crowds that saw him play, becoming tennis’ own version of a wrestling heel.

Nonetheless, his grit and consistency couldn’t help but win him grudging respect, winning an Open era record 109 titles.

9. Andre Agassi

Country: United States

Born: April 29, 1970, Las Vegas, Nevada (age 49)

Career: 1986-2006

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 870-274 (76.0 percent)

Titles: 60

Grand Slams: 7

Prize money: $31,152,975

Bottom line: Andre Agassi’s rivalry with Pete Sampras defined tennis in the 1990s.

While Sampras won more often on the court, Agassi’s game shaped the future of tennis as he pioneered a baseline game that could be adapted to any surface, winning all four Grand Slams.

Agassi overcame struggles with drugs and an abusive father to have a career story arc worthy of Hollywood — going from swaggering, troubled kid to beloved elder statesman.

8. Ivan Lendl

Country: Czechoslovakia/United States

Born: March 7, 1960, Ostrava, Czechoslovakia (Age 60)

Career: 1978-94

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 1,068-242 (81.5 percent)

Titles: 94

Grand Slams: 8

Prize money: $21,262,417

Bottom line: Ivan Lendl brought tennis into the modern age as the first player to incorporate the kind of strict workout and training regimen that is characteristic of all top athletes today.

The work he put in off the court paid off in spades on it. With a combination of overwhelming power and machine-like precision, Lendl earned him the nickname "The Terminator" by mowing down on-court adversaries throughout the 1980s.

7. John McEnroe

Country: United States

Born: Feb. 16, 1959, Wiesbaden, West Germany (age 61)

Career: 1978-94 (singles), 2006 (doubles)

Plays: Left-handed (one-handed backhand).

Record: 881-198 (81.6 percent)

Titles: 77

Grand Slams: 7

Prize money: $12,552,132

Bottom line: John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg’s rivalry was in a league of its own. Their clash at Wimbledon in 1980 remains legendary, with McEnroe’s fiery temper a perfect contrast to Borg’s ice-veined cool.

McEnroe’s left-handed serve-and-volley game may have been the best of all time, to the point where a common saying went that the best doubles team of all time was "John McEnroe and anyone."

6. Bjorn Borg

Country: Sweden

Born: June 6, 1956, Stockholm, Sweden (age 63)

Career: 1973-83

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 644-135 (82.7 percent)

Titles: 64

Grand Slams: 11

Prize money: $3,655,751

Bottom line: The ice to John McEnroe’s fire, Bjorn Borg was tennis’ defining star of the 1970s.

His ability to adapt to different surfaces was unmatched. He could dominate from the baseline on clay or with a serve and volley on grass, winning six French Opens and five Wimbledons.

Borg’s accomplishments are all the more remarkable for how short his career was, as he stepped away from the game at just 26.

5. Rod Laver

Country: Australia

Born: Aug. 9, 1938, Rockhampton, Australia (age 81)

Career: 1956-79

Plays: Left-handed (one-,handed backhand).

Record: 1473–407 (78.4 percent)

Titles: 200

Grand Slams: 11

Prize money: $1,565,413

Bottom line: Australia has produced many incredible tennis players, but there is a reason why the Australian Open’s center court bears Rod Laver’s name — no one reached the heights he did.

Laver won all four majors, the "calendar grand slam" in 1969, the only time that has ever been done in the Open era.

4. Pete Sampras

Country: United States

Born: Aug. 12, 1971, Washington, D.C. (age 48)

Career: 1988-2002

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 762-222 (77.4 percent)

Titles: 64

Grand Slams: 14

Prize money: $43,280,489

Bottom line: "Pistol Pete" dominated his competition in the 1990s.

With an explosive serve, strong volleys and athleticism that allowed him to hit forehand winners from a dead run or make acrobatic leaps to pull off an overhead smash, Sampras ended six consecutive years at world No. 1 during a career that spanned a golden era for U.S. players.

But he shined brighter than all the rest, leaving little doubt he is the best American to ever play the sport.

3. Novak Djokovic

Country: Serbia

Born: May 22, 1987, Belgrade, Yugoslavia (age 32)

Career: 2003-present

Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 911-187 (83.0 percent)

Titles: 79

Grand Slams: 17

Prize money: $143,631,560

Bottom Line: Nothing ever came easy for Novak Djokovic. As a child, he had to learn the game while his native Serbia was wracked by the Balkan Wars, and as a young adult player, he fought to overcome breathing issues that threatened to derail his career.

This adversity forged him into tennis’ most iron-willed competitor, punishing opponents with heavy baseline groundstrokes.

The consummate showman, he delights crowds during matches with his skills and after with his humorous impressions of fellow players.

2. Rafael Nadal

Country: Spain

Born: June 3, 1986, Manacor, Spain (age 33)

Career: 2001-present

Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand)

Record: 990-200 (83.2 percent)

Titles: 85

Grand Slams: 19

Prize money: $120,955,904

Bottom line: Rafael Nadal has shown many times that he is tennis' unquestioned "King of Clay," winning an absurd 12 French Open titles. But he wanted more, to reach the throne of tennis itself — and he did.

His first title at Wimbledon in particular stands as his greatest triumph, overcoming his great rival Roger Federer in a five-set match that instantly went into the pantheon as one of the greatest of all time.

1. Roger Federer

Country: Switzerland

Born: Aug. 8, 1981, Basel, Switzerland (age 38)

Career: 1998-2022

Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

Record: 1,242-271(82.1 percent)

Titles: 103

Grand Slams: 20

Prize money: $129,946,683

Bottom line: Roger Federer’s game showcases elegance and artfulness that no other tennis player has.

He combines a forehand that David Foster Wallace once called "a liquid whip," a serve with sniper-like accuracy and athleticism to hit impossible winners from anywhere on the court.

He holds the sport's greatest records — most Slams, most overall weeks at No.1 (310) and most consecutive weeks at No.1, an incredible 237 straight weeks.