clout
Hall of Fame
Tennis was drastically different prior to OE as the only nations that were considered as “big” tennis nations were the US, Australia, UK and France, however, in the last 50 years, we've since seen a very diverse field with great players coming from countless different nations worldwide. With all due respect to doubles players, I'll only be taking singles performance into consideration for this thread, but I'll compile from both the ATP and WTA to evaluate the greatest tennis nations over the last half century:
USA:
Men - 51 GS Singles Titles (12 different slam champions), 18 YE Number Ones (8 players reaching number one), 13 Davis Cup Titles + 5 RUs
Women - 69 GS Singles Titles (10 different slam champions), 14 YE Number Ones (6 players reaching number one), 15 Fed Cup Titles + 10 RUs
Notable players - Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Chris Evert, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Billie Jean King, Lindsay Davenport, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe, Jim Courier, and Jennifer Capriati
Future players - Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, Amanda Anisimova (not sure if she's Russian or American tbh) and Coco Gauff
Golden Age - 1974-2003
Australia:
Men - 20 GS Singles Titles (8 different slam champions), 2 YE Number Ones (3 players reaching number one). 6 Davis Cup Titles + 5 RUs
Women - 22 GS Singles Titles (6 different slam champions), 1 YE Number One (2 players reaching number one), 5 Fed Cup Titles + 10 RUs
Notable players - Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, John Newcombe, Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Stosur, and Pat Rafter
Future players - Ash Barty, Alex De Minaur, and Nick Kyrgios (yes Nick Kyrgios LOL)
Golden Age - 1950-1973
Spain:
Men - 26 GS Singles Titles (7 different slam champions), 5 YE Number Ones (3 players reaching number one), 6 Davis Cup Titles + 2 RUs
Women - 7 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (2 players reaching number one), 5 Fed Cup Titles + 6 RUs
Notable players - Rafael Nadal, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moya, David Ferrer, Sergei Bruguera and Garbine Muguruza
Future players - Jamie Munar
Golden Age - 1992-present
Sweden:
Men - 25 GS Singles Titles (4 different slam champions), 6 YE Number Ones (3 players reaching number one), 7 Davis Cup Titles + 5 RUs
Women - Not much success at all on the women's side
Notable players - Bjorn Borg, Stefan Edberg, Mats Wilander, Thomas Enqvist, Magnus Norman, Thomas Johansson, and Robin Soderling
Future players - Elias Ymer and Rebecca Peterson (prob the best I could come up with)
Golden Age - 1974-1992
Switzerland:
Men - 23 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 5 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 1 Davis Cup Title + 1 RU
Women - 5 GS Singles (1 slam champions), 3 YE Number Ones (1 player reaching number one), 0 Fed Cups + 1 RU
Notable players - Roger Federer, Martina Hingis, and Stan Wawrinka
Future players - Belinda Bencic
Golden Age - 1997-present
Czech Republic:
Men - 12 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 4 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 3 Davis Cup Titles + 2 RUs
Women - 25 GS Singles Titles (4 different slam champions), 7 YE Number Ones (2 players reached number one), 11 Fed Cup Titles + 1 RU
Notable players - Martina Navratilova, Ivan Lendl, Jana Novotna (RIP), Petra Kvitova, Hana Mandlikova, and Tomas Berdych
Future players - Karolina Pliskova, Marketa Vondrousova, and Karolina Muchova
Golden Age - 1978-1990 and 2010-present
Germany:
Men - 7 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 3 Davis Cup Titles + 2 RUs
Women - 25 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 9 YE Number Ones (2 players reached number one), 2 Fed Cup Titles + 4 RUs
Notable players - Steffi Graf, Boris Becker, Angie Kerber, and Michael Stitch
Future players - Alexander Zverev
Golden Age - 1984-1999
Russia:
Men - 4 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (2 players reached number one), 2 Davis Cup Titles + 3 RUs
Women - 8 GS Singles Titles ( 3 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (2 players reached number one), 4 Fed Cup Titles + 7 RUs
Notable players - Maria Sharapova, Marat Safin, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Nikolay Davydenko, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva, Anastasia Myskina, Dinara Safina, Vera Zvonareva, and THE ONE AND ONLY, Anna Kournikova
Future players - Daniil Medvedev, Karen Khachenov, Andrey Rublev, and Daria Kasatkina
Golden Age - 1996-2015
France:
Men - 1 GS Singles Titles (1 slam champion), 0 Number Ones, 4 Davis Cup Titles + 6 RUs
Women - 5 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 3 Fed Cup Titles + 3 RUs
Notable players - Yannick Noah, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce, Marion Bartoli, Gael Monfils, Cedric Pioline, Henri Laconte, and Richard Gasquet
Future players - Lucas Pouille (LOL that's the best there is tbh)
Golden Age - no offense, but I don't think they ever had a golden gen; they've been very consistent in every era though
Argentina:
Men - 6 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 0 Number Ones, 1 Davis Cup + 4 RUs
Women - 1 GS Singles Title (1 slam champion), 0 Number Ones or Fed Cups
Notable players - Guillermo Vilas, Juan Martin Del Potro, David Nalbandian, Gabriela Sabbatini, Guillermo Coria, and Gaston Gaudio
Future players - None tbh
Golden Age - 2002-present
Serbia:
Men - 16 GS Singles Titles (1 slam champion), 5 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 1 Davis Cup Title + 1 RU
Women - 11 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 4 YE Number Ones (3 players reached number one), 1 Fed Cup RU
Notable players - Novak Djokovic, Monica Seles, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, and Mima Jausovec
Future players - None tbh
Golden Age - 2007-present
Italy:
Men - 1 GS Singles Title, (1 slam champion), 0 Number Ones, 1 Davis Cup + 4 RUs
Women - 2 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 0 Number Ones, 4 Fed Cup Titles + 1 RU
Notable players - Adriano Pannetta, Fransesca Schiavone, Sara Errani, Flavia Pannetta, Fabio Fognini, and Roberta Vinci
Future players - Jannick Sinner and Matteo Berrettini (in honor of @tennis_pro)
Golden Age - 1976-1980 and 2006-2015
Belgium:
Men - 0 slams, 0 number ones, 2 DC finals
Women - 11 slams (2 slam champions), 3 YE number ones (2 players reached number one), and 1 Fed Cup + 1 RU
Notable players - Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, David Goffin, Yanina Wickmayer, Xavier Malisse, and Kirsten Flipkens
Future players - Elise Mertens
Golden Age - 2001-2011
Countries that deserve honorable mentions: Canada, Croatia, Japan, UK, South Africa, and China
Wow that was a lot of research . Honestly though, besides football, I can't think of another sport with as diverse talent across different nations in all corners of the globe as tennis!
USA:
Men - 51 GS Singles Titles (12 different slam champions), 18 YE Number Ones (8 players reaching number one), 13 Davis Cup Titles + 5 RUs
Women - 69 GS Singles Titles (10 different slam champions), 14 YE Number Ones (6 players reaching number one), 15 Fed Cup Titles + 10 RUs
Notable players - Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Chris Evert, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Billie Jean King, Lindsay Davenport, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe, Jim Courier, and Jennifer Capriati
Future players - Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, Amanda Anisimova (not sure if she's Russian or American tbh) and Coco Gauff
Golden Age - 1974-2003
Australia:
Men - 20 GS Singles Titles (8 different slam champions), 2 YE Number Ones (3 players reaching number one). 6 Davis Cup Titles + 5 RUs
Women - 22 GS Singles Titles (6 different slam champions), 1 YE Number One (2 players reaching number one), 5 Fed Cup Titles + 10 RUs
Notable players - Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, John Newcombe, Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Stosur, and Pat Rafter
Future players - Ash Barty, Alex De Minaur, and Nick Kyrgios (yes Nick Kyrgios LOL)
Golden Age - 1950-1973
Spain:
Men - 26 GS Singles Titles (7 different slam champions), 5 YE Number Ones (3 players reaching number one), 6 Davis Cup Titles + 2 RUs
Women - 7 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (2 players reaching number one), 5 Fed Cup Titles + 6 RUs
Notable players - Rafael Nadal, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moya, David Ferrer, Sergei Bruguera and Garbine Muguruza
Future players - Jamie Munar
Golden Age - 1992-present
Sweden:
Men - 25 GS Singles Titles (4 different slam champions), 6 YE Number Ones (3 players reaching number one), 7 Davis Cup Titles + 5 RUs
Women - Not much success at all on the women's side
Notable players - Bjorn Borg, Stefan Edberg, Mats Wilander, Thomas Enqvist, Magnus Norman, Thomas Johansson, and Robin Soderling
Future players - Elias Ymer and Rebecca Peterson (prob the best I could come up with)
Golden Age - 1974-1992
Switzerland:
Men - 23 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 5 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 1 Davis Cup Title + 1 RU
Women - 5 GS Singles (1 slam champions), 3 YE Number Ones (1 player reaching number one), 0 Fed Cups + 1 RU
Notable players - Roger Federer, Martina Hingis, and Stan Wawrinka
Future players - Belinda Bencic
Golden Age - 1997-present
Czech Republic:
Men - 12 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 4 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 3 Davis Cup Titles + 2 RUs
Women - 25 GS Singles Titles (4 different slam champions), 7 YE Number Ones (2 players reached number one), 11 Fed Cup Titles + 1 RU
Notable players - Martina Navratilova, Ivan Lendl, Jana Novotna (RIP), Petra Kvitova, Hana Mandlikova, and Tomas Berdych
Future players - Karolina Pliskova, Marketa Vondrousova, and Karolina Muchova
Golden Age - 1978-1990 and 2010-present
Germany:
Men - 7 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 3 Davis Cup Titles + 2 RUs
Women - 25 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 9 YE Number Ones (2 players reached number one), 2 Fed Cup Titles + 4 RUs
Notable players - Steffi Graf, Boris Becker, Angie Kerber, and Michael Stitch
Future players - Alexander Zverev
Golden Age - 1984-1999
Russia:
Men - 4 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (2 players reached number one), 2 Davis Cup Titles + 3 RUs
Women - 8 GS Singles Titles ( 3 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (2 players reached number one), 4 Fed Cup Titles + 7 RUs
Notable players - Maria Sharapova, Marat Safin, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Nikolay Davydenko, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva, Anastasia Myskina, Dinara Safina, Vera Zvonareva, and THE ONE AND ONLY, Anna Kournikova
Future players - Daniil Medvedev, Karen Khachenov, Andrey Rublev, and Daria Kasatkina
Golden Age - 1996-2015
France:
Men - 1 GS Singles Titles (1 slam champion), 0 Number Ones, 4 Davis Cup Titles + 6 RUs
Women - 5 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 0 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 3 Fed Cup Titles + 3 RUs
Notable players - Yannick Noah, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce, Marion Bartoli, Gael Monfils, Cedric Pioline, Henri Laconte, and Richard Gasquet
Future players - Lucas Pouille (LOL that's the best there is tbh)
Golden Age - no offense, but I don't think they ever had a golden gen; they've been very consistent in every era though
Argentina:
Men - 6 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 0 Number Ones, 1 Davis Cup + 4 RUs
Women - 1 GS Singles Title (1 slam champion), 0 Number Ones or Fed Cups
Notable players - Guillermo Vilas, Juan Martin Del Potro, David Nalbandian, Gabriela Sabbatini, Guillermo Coria, and Gaston Gaudio
Future players - None tbh
Golden Age - 2002-present
Serbia:
Men - 16 GS Singles Titles (1 slam champion), 5 YE Number Ones (1 player reached number one), 1 Davis Cup Title + 1 RU
Women - 11 GS Singles Titles (3 different slam champions), 4 YE Number Ones (3 players reached number one), 1 Fed Cup RU
Notable players - Novak Djokovic, Monica Seles, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, and Mima Jausovec
Future players - None tbh
Golden Age - 2007-present
Italy:
Men - 1 GS Singles Title, (1 slam champion), 0 Number Ones, 1 Davis Cup + 4 RUs
Women - 2 GS Singles Titles (2 different slam champions), 0 Number Ones, 4 Fed Cup Titles + 1 RU
Notable players - Adriano Pannetta, Fransesca Schiavone, Sara Errani, Flavia Pannetta, Fabio Fognini, and Roberta Vinci
Future players - Jannick Sinner and Matteo Berrettini (in honor of @tennis_pro)
Golden Age - 1976-1980 and 2006-2015
Belgium:
Men - 0 slams, 0 number ones, 2 DC finals
Women - 11 slams (2 slam champions), 3 YE number ones (2 players reached number one), and 1 Fed Cup + 1 RU
Notable players - Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, David Goffin, Yanina Wickmayer, Xavier Malisse, and Kirsten Flipkens
Future players - Elise Mertens
Golden Age - 2001-2011
Countries that deserve honorable mentions: Canada, Croatia, Japan, UK, South Africa, and China
Wow that was a lot of research . Honestly though, besides football, I can't think of another sport with as diverse talent across different nations in all corners of the globe as tennis!
Last edited: