I expect that this will be a short list.
Here are the most legitimate candidates for greatest ever Canadian player.
This is not an exhaustive list.
1) Lorne Main
Current World #1 over 80
World #1 over 70 in 2000
Champion Monte Carlo clay 1954
Davis Cup 14 wins 14 defeats in singles
2) Bob Bedard
Last Canadian to win the Canadian championship 1955, 1957, 1958 defeating in the finals Ramanathan Krishnan (World #3) and Whitney Reed (U.S.A. #1)
Davis Cup greatest success in 1961, defeating both Llamas and Osuna (World #1) in singles
Defeated Emerson (World #1) at Queens Club 1958
Won 29 tournaments, apparently all on clay
Won a set off Hoad at Wimbledon 1954, lost 3 matches to Hoad in Slam events (Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Forest Hills) lost to both Hoad and Rosewall in 1955 Davis Cup
3) Mike Belkin
Rated #7 in world in early 1960's
Davis Cup record 14 wins 7 defeats in singles
4) Daniel Nestor
Defeated world #1 Edberg in five sets in 1992 Davis Cup singles
Won numberless doubles titles, all four slam events and world titles
5) Greg Rusedski
U.S. Open runnerup 1997
Won 1998 Paris International over Sampras in final
Ranked #4 in world
Dual citizen, played Davis Cup for Britain
6) Milos Raonic
Current world #14
Defeated Murray, Federer, other greats
runner-up at Wimbledon
7) Filip Peliwo
Current 2012 Wimbledon and U.S. Open Junior Champion
World Junior #1 2012
Canada has not been a hotbed of tennis until recently, but the above is an honourable list.
I would rate Bob Bedard as all-time number 1, but this could change if Raonic or Peliwo continue to develop.
Here are the most legitimate candidates for greatest ever Canadian player.
This is not an exhaustive list.
1) Lorne Main
Current World #1 over 80
World #1 over 70 in 2000
Champion Monte Carlo clay 1954
Davis Cup 14 wins 14 defeats in singles
2) Bob Bedard
Last Canadian to win the Canadian championship 1955, 1957, 1958 defeating in the finals Ramanathan Krishnan (World #3) and Whitney Reed (U.S.A. #1)
Davis Cup greatest success in 1961, defeating both Llamas and Osuna (World #1) in singles
Defeated Emerson (World #1) at Queens Club 1958
Won 29 tournaments, apparently all on clay
Won a set off Hoad at Wimbledon 1954, lost 3 matches to Hoad in Slam events (Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Forest Hills) lost to both Hoad and Rosewall in 1955 Davis Cup
3) Mike Belkin
Rated #7 in world in early 1960's
Davis Cup record 14 wins 7 defeats in singles
4) Daniel Nestor
Defeated world #1 Edberg in five sets in 1992 Davis Cup singles
Won numberless doubles titles, all four slam events and world titles
5) Greg Rusedski
U.S. Open runnerup 1997
Won 1998 Paris International over Sampras in final
Ranked #4 in world
Dual citizen, played Davis Cup for Britain
6) Milos Raonic
Current world #14
Defeated Murray, Federer, other greats
runner-up at Wimbledon
7) Filip Peliwo
Current 2012 Wimbledon and U.S. Open Junior Champion
World Junior #1 2012
Canada has not been a hotbed of tennis until recently, but the above is an honourable list.
I would rate Bob Bedard as all-time number 1, but this could change if Raonic or Peliwo continue to develop.
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