A table of most matches won per season (since 1983)

[AnOctorokForDinner]

I chose 1983 as a starting point because that's about when the hierarchy of tennis tournaments began to flesh out more clearly so the most successful players largely moved from playing to win a lot of smaller tournaments, frequently posting over 90, even over 100 match wins in a season, to a more rigorous schedule winning 70-80 matches seasonally as we're used to seeing. A notable change was WCT no longer hosting a full-fledged circuit and quickly diminishing to just a few events until it fizzled out with the ATP takeover in 1990. Of course, hoarding lesser titles remained a thing, but no longer done by those who consistently went deep in the biggest events year round. For comparison, Lendl won over 90 official matches in each of the previous three years, even over 100 in 1980 and 1982; after that, only one player cleared the 90 hurdle - Federer in 2006. The figures are taken from UTS, so Laver Cup isn't counted as the exho it is.

Year	Most matches won, player	# of players winning 70+ matches	# of players winning 60+ matches	# of players winning 50+ matches
1983​	81, Wilander​	2 (Wilander, Lendl)​	4 (McEnroe, Smid)​	6​
1984​	82, McEnroe​	2 (McEnroe, Connors)​	4 (Gomez, Lendl)​	8​
1985​	84, Lendl​	2 (Lendl, McEnroe)​	4 (Wilander, Edberg)​	9​
1986​	74, Lendl​	2 (Lendl, Edberg)​	3 (Becker)​	7​
1987​	76, Edberg​	4 (Edberg, Lendl, Mecir, Wilander)​	5 (Sanchez)​	9​
1988​	67, Edberg​	0​	2 (Edberg, Agassi)​	8​
1989​	79, Lendl​	1 (Lendl)​	4 (Becker, Edberg, Gilbert)​	6​
1990​	71, Becker​	2 (Becker, Edberg)​	2​	8​
1991​	76, Edberg​	2 (Edberg, Stich)​	3 (Forget)​	11​
1992​	72, Sampras​	1 (Sampras)​	5 (Courier, Edberg, Korda, Ivanisevic)​	9​
1993​	85, Sampras​	3 (Sampras, Muster, Stich)​	6 (Chang, Bruguera, Edberg)​	12​
1994​	77, Sampras​	1 (Sampras)​	9 (Ferreira, Kafelnikov, Chang, Bruguera, Berasategui, Ivanisevic, Stich, Edberg)​	12​
1995​	86, Muster​	4 (Muster, Agassi, Kafelnikov, Sampras)​	7 (Chang, Enqvist, Courier)​	9​
1996​	80, Kafelnikov​	2 (Kafelnikov, Ivanisevic)​	5 (Muster, Chang, Sampras)​	9​
1997​	71, Bjorkman​	1 (Bjorkman)​	3 (Rafter, Rios)​	11​
1998​	68, Agassi​	0​	4 (Agassi, Rios, Sampras, Rafter)​	9​
1999​	63, Agassi​	0​	2 (Agassi, Kafelnikov)​	5 (Lapentti, Kiefer, Kuerten)​
2000​	73, Safin​	1 (Safin)​	5 (Norman, Kafelnikov, Kuerten, Hewitt)​	8 (Henman, Corretja, Enqvist)​
2001​	80, Hewitt​	1 (Hewitt)​	3 (Kafelnikov, Kuerten)​	7 (Ferrero, Haas, Grosjean, Henman)​
2002​	61, Hewitt​	0​	1 (Hewitt)​	8 (Moya, Federer, Roddick, Safin, Agassi, Novak, Henman)​
2003​	78, Federer​	3 (Federer, Roddick, Schuettler)​	5 (Ferrero, Coria)​	7 (Moya, Srichaphan)​
2004​	74, Federer & Roddick​	2 (Federer, Roddick)​	3 (Hewitt)​	5 (Moya, Safin)​
2005​	81, Federer​	2 (Federer, Nadal)​	2​	7 (Roddick, Ljubicic, Davydenko, Gaudio, Coria)​
2006​	92, Federer​	1 (Federer)​	3 (Davydenko, Ljubicic)​	7 (Blake, Nadal, Nieminen, Ancic)​
2007​	70, Nadal​	1 (Nadal)​	4 (Federer, Djokovic, Ferrer)​	7 (Roddick, Blake, Davydenko)​
2008​	82, Nadal​	1 (Nadal)​	3 (Federer, Djokovic)​	6 (Murray, Davydenko, Simon)​
2009​	78, Djokovic​	1 (Djokovic)​	4 (Murray, Nadal, Federer)​	8 (Davydenko, delPotro, Tsonga, Verdasco)​
2010​	71, Nadal​	1 (Nadal)​	4 (Federer, Djokovic, Ferrer)​	6 (Soderling, Melzer)​
2011​	70, Djokovic​	1 (Djokovic)​	3 (Nadal, Federer)​	8 (Ferrer, Murray, Tsonga, Tipsarevic, Berdych)​
2012​	76, Ferrer​	3 (Ferrer, Djokovic, Federer)​	5 (del Potro, Berdych)​	9 (Almagro, Murray, Tipsarevic, Tsonga)​
2013​	75, Nadal​	2 (Nadal, Djokovic)​	3 (Ferrer)​	7 (Berdych, del Potro, Wawrinka, Gasquet)​
2014​	73, Federer​	1 (Federer)​	2 (Djokovic)​	8 (Murray, Berdych, Ferrer, Nishikori, Cilic, Dimitrov)​
2015​	82, Djokovic​	2 (Djokovic, Murray)​	4 (Federer, Nadal)​	8 (Berdych, Ferrer, Wawrinka, Nishikori)​
2016​	78, Murray​	1 (Murray)​	2 (Djokovic)​	5 (Thiem, Nishikori, Raonic)​
2017​	67, Nadal​	0​	1 (Nadal)​	4 (Goffin, Zverev, Federer)​
2018​	58, Zverev​	0​	0​	3 (Zverev, Thiem, Djokovic)​
2019​	59, Medvedev​	0​	0​	5 (Medvedev, Nadal, Djokovic, Tsitsipas, Federer)​
2020 (pandemic)​	41, Djokovic & Rublev​	0​	0​	0​
2021 (in progress)​	52, Tsitsipas​	TBD, very likely 0​	TBD, probably 2 (Tsitsipas, Medvedev)​	TBD, probably 6+​

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Winning 80+ matches in a season:

1. 2006 Federer - 92
2. 1995 Muster - 86
3. 1993 Sampras - 85
4. 1985 Lendl - 84
5. 1984 McEnroe - 82
5. 2008 Nadal - 82
5. 2015 Djokovic - 82
8. 1983 Wilander - 81
8. 2005 Federer - 81
10. 1996 Kafelnikov - 80
10. 2001 Hewitt - 80

Seasonal prolific leader winning less than 70 matches:

7. 1998 Agassi - 68
6. 1988 Edberg - 67
6. 2017 Nadal - 67
4. 1999 Agassi - 63
3. 2002 Hewitt - 61
2. 2019 Medvedev - 59
1. 2018 Zverev - 58
0. 2020 Djokovic & Rublev - 41 (pandemic)

Highest number of players winning 70+ matches in a season:

4 - 1987, 1995
3 - 1993, 2003, 2012

Highest number of players winning 60+ matches in a season:

9 - 1994
7 - 1995
6 - 1993
5 - 1987, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2012

Highest number of players winning 50+ matches in a season:

12 - 1993, 1994
11 - 1991, 1997
9 - 1985, 1987, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2012

Lowest number of players winning 60+ matches in a season:

2 - 1988, 1990, 1999, 2005, 2014, 2016
1 - 2002, 2017
0 - 2018, 2019, (2020)

Lowest number of players winning 50+ matches in a season:

6 - 1983, 1989, 2008, 2010
5 - 1999, 2004, 2016, 2019
4 - 2017
3 - 2018
(0 - 2020)

I feel like comparing the numbers tells us something about the relative prolificness of eras. Can't escape noting how feeble the recent years' figures are, hmm. What else it tells us? Be sure to offer any undeniably valuable insights you happen to chance upon.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

I feel like the financial side of things has had the biggest impact. Players back in the day weren’t earning millions like these guys are and played lots of events to get as much money as possible. Fed and Nadal and such have over $100 million dollars, they don’t need to go play some ATP250 in San Diego for a $30,000 cheque. Just play the big tournaments and get those big pay days instead.

 

[aldeayeah]

I half remember Kafelnikov playing everything back in the day and running into the Spaniards I followed as a kid in mickey mouse events again and again xD

 

[Madinolf]

In Grand Slams?
In Big Tournaments?

Not all tournaments have the same value.

 

[Nadal_Django]

In Grand Slams?
In Big Tournaments?

Not all tournaments have the same value.

I think in the past the big names played more smaller tournaments, but that's more about ATP and their moronic Tournament categorization (250, 500, 1000) since the 00s, than anything else. Making bigger 1000 tournaments mandatory and smaller not, you tend to kill the smaller tournaments that's for sure.

 

[Madinolf]

Players winning 20+ Grand Slam matches:

2003 - 1 (Ferrero)
2004 - 1 (Federer)
2005 - 1 (Federer)
2006 - 1 (Federer)
2007 - 2 (Federer, Nadal)
2008 - 2 (Nadal, Federer)
2009 - 1 (Federer)
2010 - 2 (Nadal, Federer)
2011 - 4 (Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, Murray)
2012 - 2 (Djokovic, Murray)
2013 - 1 (Djokovic)
2014 - 1 (Djokovic)
2015 - 2 (Djokovic, Wawrinka)
2016 - 2 (Djokovic, Murray)
2017 - 1 (Nadal)
2018 - 2 (Djokovic, Nadal)
2019 - 2 (Djokovic, Nadal)
2020 - 0
2021 - 2 (Djokovic, Medvedev)

Slams won in years with multiple 20+ match winners:

Djokovic 17
Nadal 11
Federer 7

 

[NatF]

Players winning 20+ Grand Slam matches:

2003 - 1 (Ferrero)
2004 - 1 (Federer)
2005 - 1 (Federer)
2006 - 1 (Federer)
2007 - 2 (Federer, Nadal)
2008 - 2 (Nadal, Federer)
2009 - 1
2010 - 2 (Nadal, Federer)
2011 - 4 (Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, Murray)
2012 - 2 (Djokovic, Murray)
2013 - 1
2014 - 1
2015 - 2 (Djokovic, Wawrinka)
2016 - 2 (Djokovic, Murray)
2017 - 1
2018 - 2 (Djokovic, Nadal)
2019 - 2 (Djokovic, Nadal)
2020 - 0
2021 - 2 (Djokovic, Medvedev)

Slams won in years with multiple 20+ match winners:

Djokovic 17
Nadal 11
Federer 7

Classic Lew.

 

[Nadal_Django]

Players winning 20+ Grand Slam matches:

2003 - 1 (Ferrero)
2004 - 1 (Federer)
2005 - 1 (Federer)
2006 - 1 (Federer)
2007 - 2 (Federer, Nadal)
2008 - 2 (Nadal, Federer)
2009 - 1
2010 - 2 (Nadal, Federer)
2011 - 4 (Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, Murray)
2012 - 2 (Djokovic, Murray)
2013 - 1
2014 - 1
2015 - 2 (Djokovic, Wawrinka)
2016 - 2 (Djokovic, Murray)
2017 - 1
2018 - 2 (Djokovic, Nadal)
2019 - 2 (Djokovic, Nadal)
2020 - 0
2021 - 2 (Djokovic, Medvedev)

Slams won in years with multiple 20+ match winners:

Djokovic 17
Nadal 11
Federer 7

And then you see Fed fans arguing that 2007 is better than 2011. Or even worse the 2009.

 

[aldeayeah]

How consistently dominant the top guys are through the calendar year is one thing. How well they actually play on a given day a completely different one.

Nobody can say 2009 AO Verdasco was a weak opponent and be taken seriously.

Or like, was the Nadal in the first half of 2012 weak because he didn't play the second half of the year? 2009 pre-RG Nadal? 2008 Djokovic?

 

[adil1972]

I chose 1983 as a starting point because that's about when the hierarchy of tennis tournaments began to flesh out more clearly so the most successful players largely moved from playing to win a lot of smaller tournaments, frequently posting over 90, even over 100 match wins in a season, to a more rigorous schedule winning 70-80 matches seasonally as we're used to seeing. A notable change was WCT no longer hosting a full-fledged circuit and quickly diminishing to just a few events until it fizzled out with the ATP takeover in 1990. Of course, hoarding lesser titles remained a thing, but no longer done by those who consistently went deep in the biggest events year round. For comparison, Lendl won over 90 official matches in each of the previous three years, even over 100 in 1980 and 1982; after that, only one player cleared the 90 hurdle - Federer in 2006. The figures are taken from UTS, so Laver Cup isn't counted as the exho it is.

​

thnx so much for sharing such an important statistic

can you pls share your source with the rest of us

according to this fed won the most 92 matches in 2006 beside lendl of pre 1983

 

[Madinolf]

And then you see Fed fans arguing that 2007 is better than 2011. Or even worse the 2009.

From 2011 Australian Open to 2012 Roland Garros the Big4 were almost perfect in Grand Slams. This was their score against the rest of the field:

Djokovic 30-0
Nadal 30-1
Murray 30-1
Federer 28-1

Total: 118-3

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Björkman, lol

 

[MichaelNadal]

Nadal slayed

 

[GabeT]

Weak data analysis era?

 

[goldengate14]

Weak data analysis era?

Why was your Murray says read deleted?

 

[Kralingen]

Djokovic had more wins in 2009 than 2011 lol

and cracking up at ‘12 Ferrer having the most wins in that bloodbath of a year. Some big time 250 vulturing there lol

 

[The Blond Blur]

Djokovic had more wins in 2009 than 2011 lol

and cracking up at ‘12 Ferrer having the most wins in that bloodbath of a year. Some big time 250 vulturing there lol

Ferrer slander will not be tolerated here my good sir. We only make fun of players with Greek names

 

[mike danny]

Ferrer slander will not be tolerated here my good sir. We only make fun of players with Greek names

How come more people don't talk about this? Imagine the backlash Tsitsipas or Zod would receive if they did this.

 

[The Blond Blur]

How come more people don't talk about this? Imagine the backlash Tsitsipas or Zod would receive if they did this.

It was a **** move. I think the reason it's never brought up is because nobody expected anything of Ferrer as far as winning goes. He was also beginning to decline in 2014 when this happened.

 

[mike danny]

It was a **** move. I think the reason it's never brought up is because nobody expected anything of Ferrer as far as winning goes. He was also beginning to decline in 2014 when this happened.

So was this the Berdych match of 2014 AO?

 

[The Blond Blur]

So was this the Berdych match of 2014 AO?

Yeah he was getting wrecked the first 2 sets and took it out on the linesman.

 

[Jonesy]

Can Rublev beat the record?