after 2 years, tennis magazine's 40 greatest players..

what a difference 2 years in tennis makes. this was the list tennis magazine came up with in 2005 listing the 40 best players of the last four decades, from top to bottom. In your opinion, how would you change it if you took in the results of the players until 2007? who should move up and who should go a couple of notches down? should new players be included?


Pete Sampras
Martina Navratilova ()
Steffi Graf
Chris Evert (Lloyd)
Björn Borg
Margaret Smith (Court)
Jimmy Connors
Rod Laver
Billie Jean King
Ivan Lendl ()
John McEnroe
Andre Agassi
Monica Seles ()
Stefan Edberg
Mats Wilander
John Newcombe
Serena Williams
Boris Becker
Roger Federer
Ken Rosewall
Roy Emerson
Martina Hingis
Evonne Goolagong (Cawley)
Guillermo Vilas
Venus Williams
Jim Courier
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
Ilie Nastase
Lindsay Davenport
Arthur Ashe
Justine Henin (Hardenne)
Tracy Austin
Hana Mandlikova ()
Lleyton Hewitt
Stan Smith
Jennifer Capriati
Gustavo Kuerten
Virginia Wade
Patrick Rafter
Gabriela Sabatini
 
Last edited:

grafrules

Banned
1. Rod Laver
2. Steffi Graf
3. Martina Navratilova
4. Chris Evert
5. Bjorn Borg
6. Margaret Smith (Court)
7. Pete Sampras
8. Roger Federer
9. Ken Rosewall
10. Ivan Lendl
11. Jimmy Connors
12. Billie Jean King
13. Monica Seles
14. Serena Williams
15. John McEnroe
16. John Newcombe
17. Andre Agassi
18. Roy Emerson
19. Justine Henin
20. Venus Williams
21. Mats Wilander
22. Stefan Edberg
23. Boris Becker
24. Evonne Goolagong (Cawley)
25. Martina Hingis
26. Guillermo Vilas
27. Jim Courier
28. Hana Mandlikova
29. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
30. Lindsay Davenport
31. Arthur Ashe
32. Rafael Nadal
33. Tracy Austin
34. Virginia Wade
35. Lleyton Hewitt
36. Stan Smith
37. Ilie Nastase
38. Gustavo Kuerten
39. Amelie Mauresmo
40. Patrick Rafter
 
Last edited:

pabloJD

Rookie
I know all lists are arbitrary but how do they explain to put Sampras ahead of Navratilova on the first list? (well... and ahead of Graf and Court...)
If they considerer that achievements in men's tennis are superior to that in women's then there should be separate lists
 

fps

Legend
who would put any women in a list like this? 40 greatest women players shouldn't be in the same thing. i've seen women's tennis from 20 years ago, it was heinously awful.
 

FedSampras

Semi-Pro
what a difference 2 years in tennis makes. this was the list tennis magazine came up with in 2005 listing the 40 best players of the last four decades, from top to bottom. In your opinion, how would you change it if you took in the results of the players until 2007? who should move up and who should go a couple of notches down? should new players be included?


Pete Sampras
Martina Navratilova
()
Steffi Graf

Great List and not surprising since Sampras and Navratilova are the widely recognized GOAT ( men's and women's tennis). The only thing that would change in the next few years would be Federer ranking above Sampras. (hopefully:D )

Sampras is current GOAT for the men while Navratilova is the undisputed GOAT for the women.
 

psamp14

Hall of Fame
i would sneak nadal into the top 40, and federer would surely be inside the top 10 or top 5

in another 2 years federer will probably be #1
 

ATPballkid

Professional
1. Rod Laver

Sampras played in a much, much, much tougher era of competition than Rod Laver.

Over half of Laver's Grand Slam singles titles (6 of his 11) were won when the best players in the world were not eligible to compete. Ken Rosewall, Pancho Gonzales, Lew Hoad and others were clearly the best players in the world in the years 1960-1962 .. however, they were not eligible to compete in the Grand Slam events because they were professionals players prior to the start of the Open Era in April 1968.

Even when the best players in the sport were eligible to compete with the start of the Open Era (beginning in April 1968 ) the depth in men's tennis was not even remotely as good as it has been during Pete Sampras' career.

Still, Laver only won 11 Grand Slam events vs. an all-time 126 year record 14 Grand Slam events for Pete Sampras.

Laver only won 4 Wimbledons vs. an all-time record 7 Wimbledon singles titles for Sampras.

Laver only won 2 U.S. Championships vs. an all-time record 5 on hardcourts for Pete Sampras.

Laver was the top player in the world in the world .. really, twice .. and Sampras has the all-time record for 6 consecutive years at #1.

Laver won Grand Slam singles titles 9 years apart ... and Sampras won Grand Slam singles titles 12 years apart.

The only thing one could argue in Laver's case is that he managed (because of the tremendous shortage of good players in the 1960s -- and ESPECIALLY because of the tremendous shortage of good players in the early 1960s when the best players were not even eligible to compete) to win 4 Grand Slam singles titles in the same year against weak competition in 1962 and 1969.
 

avmoghe

Semi-Pro
Great List and not surprising since Sampras and Navratilova are the widely recognized GOAT ( men's and women's tennis). The only thing that would change in the next few years would be Federer ranking above Sampras. (hopefully:D )

Sampras is current GOAT for the men while Navratilova is the undisputed GOAT for the women.

Read the post carefully..
1.) its not GOAT.... it was Greatest of last 40 years.
2.) Secondly, it is tennis magazine list...not any indicator of worldwide opinion.
 

ATPballkid

Professional
I know all lists are arbitrary but how do they explain to put Sampras ahead of Navratilova on the first list? (well... and ahead of Graf and

Sampras and Navratilova clearly stands out among the rest in terms of dominance, consistency, longetivity and over all records. Both of them achieved such amazing results against STRONGER COMPETITION while Graf's overall record is slightly affected by a couple of factors. First, she came along at the tail-end of the Evert/Navratilova era. Second, she spent a great deal of her career playing against fields that did not offer up the greatest competition especially after her chief rival (#1 player and dominant player at that time Monica Seles) was forced out of the game due to the Hamburg incident.
 
I know all lists are arbitrary but how do they explain to put Sampras ahead of Navratilova on the first list? (well... and ahead of Graf and Court...)
If they considerer that achievements in men's tennis are superior to that in women's then there should be separate lists

I think it's harder determining by placing the men and women together. But if someone is higher on the list, the definitives must be stricter I guess. And this was just one example, just for longevity itself PLUS slams, etc. won in all applications, doubles, singles, etc. I would put Navratilova above Sampras though he would still be in the very upper of the list.
 

Breaker

Legend
I'd move Venus ahead of Hingis then Henin in front of Venus.
Rafa ahead of Capriati.
Fed just behind Borg.
 

2 Cent

Rookie
Why is Jimmy Connors ranked as the 3rd greatest men on the list?

the top 5 men should be something like:
1) Sampras
2) Federer
3) Borg
4) Laver
5) Agassi
6) then maybe Connors, Lendl, McEnroe or something.
 

psamp14

Hall of Fame
Why is Jimmy Connors ranked as the 3rd greatest men on the list?

the top 5 men should be something like:
1) Sampras
2) Federer
3) Borg
4) Laver
5) Agassi
6) then maybe Connors, Lendl, McEnroe or something.

for 2007 that looks like my list as well....although i might have put laver in front of borg....these lists are just so hard to compile...:)
 

pound cat

G.O.A.T.
Read the post carefully..
1.) its not GOAT.... it was Greatest of last 40 years.
2.) Secondly, it is tennis magazine list...not any indicator of worldwide opinion.

And it's an American tennis magazine, and there are a lot of Americans on the list.
 

ATPballkid

Professional
And it's an American tennis magazine, and there are a lot of Americans on the list.

Considering the top player of the first 100 years of tennis - Bill Tilden - was an American ..

Considering the best player of the 1930s - Don Budge - was an American ..

Considering the best players after World War II in the 1940s and 1950s - Jack Kramer and Pancho Gonzales - were Americans ..

Considering the guy who finished 5 consecutive years ranked #1 during the 1970s - Jimmy Connors - was an American ..

Considering the top 2 players of the 1980s - John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl - were Americans ..

Considering the top 2 players of the 1990s - Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, were Americans ..

THEN, Sampras being the greatest of the great Americans confirms he is the greatest of all time.
 

Tennis_Monk

Hall of Fame
Considering the top player of the first 100 years of tennis - Bill Tilden - was an American ..

Considering the best player of the 1930s - Don Budge - was an American ..

Considering the best players after World War II in the 1940s and 1950s - Jack Kramer and Pancho Gonzales - were Americans ..

Considering the guy who finished 5 consecutive years ranked #1 during the 1970s - Jimmy Connors - was an American ..

Considering the top 2 players of the 1980s - John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl - were Americans ..

Considering the top 2 players of the 1990s - Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, were Americans ..

THEN, Sampras being the greatest of the great Americans confirms he is the greatest of all time.

Ivan Lendl???.. he was a czech then turned american.his best results are as a czech? or americn?
 

JW10S

Hall of Fame
Just in case some were unaware, the TENNIS magazine list was of the top 40 players of the Open Era--not of all time. Laver, for example only played a couple years of Open tennis.
 

gdsballer

Rookie
who would put any women in a list like this? 40 greatest women players shouldn't be in the same thing. i've seen women's tennis from 20 years ago, it was heinously awful.
women's tennis is seriously terrible...i mean all grand slam finals this year were terrible, i wouldnt put any women in the top 20 or 30 at least, i mean if you compared any women's player to any men's player with the same ranking, it will be a blowout...plus why isnt emerson higher on the tennis mag list didnt he have 12 gs?
 

CyBorg

Legend
I don't know why Emerson is on this list at all. Even if one makes the argument that was a great player and that his grand slam titles count as something special all of them came before the open era and clearly the list only takes open era players into account, so...

I'll make this simple: this list stinks.
 

Eviscerator

Banned
who should move up and who should go a couple of notches down? should new players be included?

One of my pet peeves (as some of you know) is with tennis combining and comparing the men and women together. They should have separate lists of the top 50 greatest players of each gender. By combining them you keep certain ones off of the list that would otherwise be there. More importantly, it gives an illusion that women players could be better than the men. Sports like basketball have the 50 greatest players of all time, and not a single women is listed, and rightly so. If they want to make a 50 greatest of women players that would be fine.

I might start my own thread/poll on this subject because I think it does more to harm the men's game than many people realize.
 

anointedone

Banned
I don't know why Emerson is on this list at all. Even if one makes the argument that was a great player and that his grand slam titles count as something special all of them came before the open era and clearly the list only takes open era players into account, so...

This list was made in 2005, so that would go back to around the same point in 2005 in 1965. Thus it would include 2+ years of before the Open era, unlike if the list were made now and would include 0 slams from the Open era with the 2007 U.S Open just finishing (translating to just after the 1967 U.S Open, the last pre-Open era Slam).
 

AndrewD

Legend
The list was for the best players in the 40 years of Tennis magazine's existence. Not the best players of the open era and not forgetting the players who were competing on the pro tour before tennis went 'open'.


1. Margaret Court
2. Steffi Graf
3. Rod Laver
4. Martina Navratilova
5. Bjorn Borg
6. Roger Federer
7. Pete Sampras
8. Jimmy Connors
9. John McEnroe
10. Ivan Lendl
11. Billie Jean King
12. Chris Evert
13. Ken Rosewall
14. John Newcombe
15.Andre Agassi
16. Mats Wilander
17. Boris Becker
18. Stefan Edberg
19. Monica Seles
20. Evonne Goolagong
21. Justine Henin
22. Martina Hingis
23. Guillermo Vilas
24. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
25. Illie Nastase
26. Jim Courier
27. Roy Emerson
28. Arthur Ashe
29. Venus Williams
30. Serena Williams
31. Lindsay Davenport
32. Hana Mandlikova
33. Gustavo Kuerten
34. Tracey Austin
35. Virginia Wade
36. Jennifer Capriati
37. Stan Smith
38. Patrick Rafter
39. Lleyton Hewitt
40. Gabriela Sabatini
 
Last edited:

CyBorg

Legend
This list was made in 2005, so that would go back to around the same point in 2005 in 1965. Thus it would include 2+ years of before the Open era, unlike if the list were made now and would include 0 slams from the Open era with the 2007 U.S Open just finishing (translating to just after the 1967 U.S Open, the last pre-Open era Slam).

That means Roy Emerson is judged by his five amateur majors. Meh.
 
The list was for the best players in the 40 years of Tennis magazine's existence. Not the best players of the open era and not forgetting the players who were competing on the pro tour before tennis went 'open'.


1. Margaret Court
2. Steffi Graf
3. Rod Laver
4. Martina Navratilova
5. Bjorn Borg
6. Roger Federer
7. Pete Sampras
8. Jimmy Connors
9. John McEnroe
10. Ivan Lendl
11. Billie Jean King
12. Chris Evert
13. Ken Rosewall
14. John Newcombe
15.Andre Agassi
16. Mats Wilander
17. Boris Becker
18. Stefan Edberg
19. Monica Seles
20. Evonne Goolagong
21. Justine Henin
22. Martina Hingis
23. Guillermo Vilas
24. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
25. Illie Nastase
26. Jim Courier
27. Roy Emerson
28. Arthur Ashe
29. Venus Williams
30. Serena Williams
31. Lindsay Davenport
32. Hana Mandlikova
33. Gustavo Kuerten
34. Tracey Austin
35. Virginia Wade
36. Jennifer Capriati
37. Stan Smith
38. Patrick Rafter
39. Lleyton Hewitt
40. Gabriela Sabatini

I am interested in some of your choices:

1)Federer above Sampras already?
2)King above Evert?
3)Henin and Hingis 8 places above Venus and Serena, with Serena who has more slams then the other 3 and her 4-in-a-row achievement still last of those 4.
4)Mandlikova 8 spots behind Sanchez Vicario.
 
Yeah well, never read the magazine, and dont take much notice of that list. Infact it is a strange list to say the least..

Looking at the list above by Andrew, I would probably have Martina a smidge ahead of Graf because of the numbers of GS's she won in all 3 singles, doubles and mixed. Steffi's Golden Slam is what give her her the big push..

Just on achievment alone, then Margaret Court deserves the #1 spot regardless of this supposedly being an Open era list.. With a calender slam and 61 GS titles, she is the best of all time, men and women..

Laver deserves #1 because again although not as many GS titles than say Fed or Sampras. He has the 2 calender slams, as well as his astonishing career and the trouble that went with it.. He was competative till the end, where the other greats of recent times were either been caught up to, or pushed out by the newer generation.

Jimmy Connors in my opinion was a fighter, but only when it suited him. He was a great player, but not a champion. He is only in the top 10 because he is American.. His only claim is the #1 ranking in a time that rankings were very iffie at best (ask Vilas). But in GS achievments, for me, he is in about the same league as an Agassi or a Courier.. Although I would have Agassi in the top 10..

Also, what gets me. Is that people dont want to include pre-open era players in their lists, because they believe it was easier, ect ect.. But when Sampras was going to break the most Grand Slam titles record. Then why were they always using Roy Emersons total as the record to beat?.. It seems strange that Pete who was an open era player, had to beat a pre-open era players record to gain recognition for having the most slams.. Its just strange how people twist this whole who is the greatest thing to suite their own case and favourite player..
 
Last edited:

tennispro11

Hall of Fame
Yeah well, never read the magazine, and dont take much notice of that list. Infact it is a strange list to say the least..

Looking at the list above by Andrew, I would probably have Martina a smidge ahead of Graf because of the numbers of GS's she won in all 3 singles, doubles and mixed. Steffi's Golden Slam is what give her her the big push..

Just on achievment alone, then Margaret Court deserves the #1 spot regardless of this supposedly being an Open era list.. With a calender slam and 61 GS titles, she is the best of all time, men and women..

Laver deserves #1 because again although not as many GS titles than say Fed or Sampras. He has the 2 calender slams, as well as his astonishing career and the trouble that went with it.. He was competative till the end, where the other greats of recent times were either been caught up to, or pushed out by the newer generation.

Jimmy Connors in my opinion was a fighter, but only when it suited him. He was a great player, but not a champion. He is only in the top 10 because he is American.. His only claim is the #1 ranking in a time that rankings were very iffie at best (ask Vilas). But in GS achievments, for me, he is in about the same league as an Agassi or a Courier.. Although I would have Agassi in the top 10..

Also, what gets me. Is that people dont want to include pre-open era players in their lists, because they believe it was easier, ect ect.. But when Sampras was going to break the most Grand Slam titles record. Then why were they always using Roy Emersons total as the record to beat?.. It seems strange that Pete who was an open era player, had to beat a pre-open era players record to gain recognition for having the most slams.. Its just strange how people twist this whole who is the greatest thing to suite their own case and favourite player..

Chris I get what your saying. That list is total and complete bs IMO. I can't understand for the life of me what the big deal is with wanting to name somebody the GOAT or #1 on a tennis list. I think people forget the fact that we are so very lucky to be seeing history being made right in front of faces with Federer. I don't care who the GOAT is, I care about what is happening in the here and now. I do have one thing to add about something you said in your last paragraph. The pre-Open era was easier. Tennis was a closed off sport for many people and nations for that matter. Only a handful of countries had players in the majors. Tennis is a global sport and that is better for everyone involved in the sport.
 

ATPballkid

Professional
1. Margaret Court

Court was one of the greatest.. kind of like Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall and Roy Emerson .. she came from an era which was easier to win in because tennis was not very deep in terms of competition in the 1960s. Most of her slams came when pros couldn't play the majors...Also 11 of her slams were the Australian Open...Even when pros could play the majors, many did not even bother to go to Australia and compete.
 
Also 11 of her slams were the Australian Open...Even when pros could play the majors, many did not even bother to go to Australia and compete.

And thats why she is the GOAT. You have to turn up if you want to win something?;)

Dont blame her for the failings of others.. Just stupid your last post, just stupid...

Maybe I could be the GOAT if I had become a pro and played for the last 15 years.. The fact that I didn't, tells you something. I didn't become GOAT, because I didn't win any titles... Same as the whole Graf, Seles thing. Who cares what happened, history is history, and you are never going to change it to suite your own percieved thinking..
 
Chris I get what your saying. That list is total and complete bs IMO. I can't understand for the life of me what the big deal is with wanting to name somebody the GOAT or #1 on a tennis list. I think people forget the fact that we are so very lucky to be seeing history being made right in front of faces with Federer. I don't care who the GOAT is, I care about what is happening in the here and now. I do have one thing to add about something you said in your last paragraph. The pre-Open era was easier. Tennis was a closed off sport for many people and nations for that matter. Only a handful of countries had players in the majors. Tennis is a global sport and that is better for everyone involved in the sport.

Well, in all honesty, I like to just let history be.. I understand people think that in days gone by the era was easier, but you also have to take into account that in just the travel, accomodation, medical, and physical aspect alone, that in times gone by, the players certainly didnt have it as good as they do now. I know which era I would like to be playing in.. Plush hotels, personal drivers, coaches, trainers, massues, dietition, clothing/racket endorsments, amazing prize money..

I watched the 69 Wimbledon Final the other day, and the players came out with only a few wooden racqets (no bags/handbags) and stood up at the change of ends (no chairs or shade).. Now days they sit down for 2 minutes with thier luggage for a week long trip and some poor kid holding an umbrella for them..
 

ATPballkid

Professional
Same as the whole Graf, Seles thing. Who cares what happened, history is history, and you are never going to change it to suite your own percieved thinking..

You need to be CLEARLY the best player of your best decade to be in consideration for Greatest Of All Time.;)

Navratilova was obviously the best player of the 1980s in women's tennis, and that certainly puts her in consideration. The all-time record 9 Wimbledon singles titles - and being the only woman in tennis history to win 160 titles in both singles and doubles - also helps her case tremendously.

Sampras was obviously the best player of the 1990s and early 2000s in men's tennis, and that certainly puts him in consideration. All of the biggest and best records in men's tennis that Sampras has obviously helps his case tremendously.

The problem with Graf, of course, is that she was limited to 1 major event in 1990, 1991 and 1992 because of a teenager named Monica Seles before the teenage phenom was stabbed in the back with a knife on a changeover in Hamburg in April 1993. Obviously, the best player in the middle of Graf's career was a teenager named Monica Seles. Both the teenage Seles and Martina Navratilova in her mid 30s had a winning record vs. Graf in those years 1990-1993.
 

CyBorg

Legend
You need to be CLEARLY the best player of your best decade to be in consideration for Greatest Of All Time.;)

Navratilova was obviously the best player of the 1980s in women's tennis, and that certainly puts her in consideration. The all-time record 9 Wimbledon singles titles - and being the only woman in tennis history to win 160 titles in both singles and doubles - also helps her case tremendously.

Sampras was obviously the best player of the 1990s and early 2000s in men's tennis, and that certainly puts him in consideration. All of the biggest and best records in men's tennis that Sampras has obviously helps his case tremendously.

The problem with Graf, of course, is that she was limited to 1 major event in 1990, 1991 and 1992 because of a teenager named Monica Seles before the teenage phenom was stabbed in the back with a knife on a changeover in Hamburg in April 1993. Obviously, the best player in the middle of Graf's career was a teenager named Monica Seles. Both the teenage Seles and Martina Navratilova in her mid 30s had a winning record vs. Graf in those years 1990-1993.

Monica Seles was stabbed by the who-what-now? The who-what-when? The who-what-how?
 
I would say the top 10 men in the past 40 yrs would be in this order:
though I'm modernly Bias since there's actually game footage of these players playing.

Pete Sampras
Rod Laver
Roger Federer
John Mcenroe
Bjorn Borg
Ivan Lendl
Andre Agassi
Boris Becker
Guga
Nadal.

Honorable mentions: Stefan Edberg, Pat Rafter, Jim Courier, I.Natasase, Roy Emerson & Ken Rosewall, Lletyon Hewitt.....
 

Dean

Rookie
^^ Surely going by your list you would replace Guga and nadal with Edberg and Wilander. They both were YE No.1's and won 6 and 7 GS's versus 3 French Open's for the other two.
 
Pete Sampras can only be put above Laver because of amounts of GS titles, but with Laver getting the 2 calender slams, he has to be at no 1..

I took your list seriously until I saw Nadal and Guga.. How you missed Wilander is beyond me. Edberg im not so sure..

Lleyton Hewitt shouldnt even be on it, or Pat Rafter for that matter as far as I am concerned, and I am an Australian.. I think some of your choices are ones of popularity instead of achievment..

Emerson and Rosewall for sure..
 
Last edited:

Wuornos

Professional
Open Era only.

1 Roger Federer
2 Martina Navratilova
3 Ivan Lendl
4 Chris Evert
5 Steffi Graf
6 Monica Seles
7 Mats Wilander
8 Björn Borg
9 John McEnroe
10 Margaret Smith Court
11 Pete Sampras
12 Jim Courier
13 Boris Becker
14 Stefan Edberg
15 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
16 Evonne Goolagong
17 Serena Williams
18 Jimmy Connors
19 Hana Mandlíková
20 Venus Williams
21 Billie Jean King
22 Martina Hingis
23 Rafael Nadal
24 Guillermo Vilas
25 Justine Henin
26 Gabriela Sabatini
27 Andre Agassi
28 Lindsay Davenport
29 Pat Cash
30 Rod Laver
31 Andy Roddick
32 Vitas Gerulaitis
33 Jennifer Capriati
34 Mary Joe Fernández
35 Maria Sharapova
36 Helena Suková
37 Conchita Martínez
38 Miloslav Mečíř
39 Lleyton Hewitt
40 Andrea Jaeger
 
Feddy is greater than all those 8 grand slam winners. I mean, Federer should be in the top ten in my opinion. Or at least ahead of Connors. Of course it has to be considered that Feddy's only real competition is Nadal on clay and grass(because of its royal slowness) because Nadal rarely makes Hard Court finals on a consistent basis. Compare this to Connors era where he competed with Borg, Johnny Mac, Lendl and some other good guys.
 
^^ Surely going by your list you would replace Guga and nadal with Edberg and Wilander. They both were YE No.1's and won 6 and 7 GS's versus 3 French Open's for the other two.

I can't believe I forgot about Mats W.! See there's too many players that deserve to be on this list. I suppose it just comes down to preference when you talk about top 10 of all time. I have never enjoyed serve and volley tennis, to watch that type of tennis is grueling (i.e boring) I rather see long rallies..which reflects the list somewhat more than actual GS titles, IMO.
 

CyBorg

Legend
Open Era only.

1 Roger Federer
2 Martina Navratilova
3 Ivan Lendl
4 Chris Evert
5 Steffi Graf
6 Monica Seles
7 Mats Wilander
8 Björn Borg
9 John McEnroe
10 Margaret Smith Court
11 Pete Sampras
12 Jim Courier
13 Boris Becker
14 Stefan Edberg
15 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
16 Evonne Goolagong
17 Serena Williams
18 Jimmy Connors
19 Hana Mandlíková
20 Venus Williams
21 Billie Jean King
22 Martina Hingis
23 Rafael Nadal
24 Guillermo Vilas
25 Justine Henin
26 Gabriela Sabatini
27 Andre Agassi
28 Lindsay Davenport
29 Pat Cash
30 Rod Laver
31 Andy Roddick
32 Vitas Gerulaitis
33 Jennifer Capriati
34 Mary Joe Fernández
35 Maria Sharapova
36 Helena Suková
37 Conchita Martínez
38 Miloslav Mečíř
39 Lleyton Hewitt
40 Andrea Jaeger

Wilander would be the first to tell you that he's too high.
 
Open Era only.

1 Roger Federer
2 Martina Navratilova
3 Ivan Lendl
4 Chris Evert
5 Steffi Graf
6 Monica Seles
7 Mats Wilander
8 Björn Borg
9 John McEnroe
10 Margaret Smith Court
11 Pete Sampras
12 Jim Courier
13 Boris Becker
14 Stefan Edberg
15 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
16 Evonne Goolagong
17 Serena Williams
18 Jimmy Connors
19 Hana Mandlíková
20 Venus Williams
21 Billie Jean King
22 Martina Hingis
23 Rafael Nadal
24 Guillermo Vilas
25 Justine Henin
26 Gabriela Sabatini
27 Andre Agassi
28 Lindsay Davenport
29 Pat Cash
30 Rod Laver
31 Andy Roddick
32 Vitas Gerulaitis
33 Jennifer Capriati
34 Mary Joe Fernández
35 Maria Sharapova
36 Helena Suková
37 Conchita Martínez
38 Miloslav Mečíř
39 Lleyton Hewitt
40 Andrea Jaeger

Evert in front of Graf?
Federer #1 - Pete Sampras - #11?
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in front of Serena, Henin and Venus?
Mary Joe Fernandez - has she ever won a GS? I know she never beat Graf not once in 20+ tries?
Billie Jean King below Seles, Serena & Venus?

So many perplexing choices - it makes me wonder whether you follow tennis at all?
 

edmondsm

Legend
I don't get it. Why are there some current players on the list like Serena, Venus, and Hingis? But no Fed. This list is stupid.
 

2 Cent

Rookie
something that bugs me is how Navratilova and Evert are put ahead of Steffi Graff.
and in a list of Greatest players, Graff should be ranked ahead of both those *****es because she has more grand slams then both of them, plus she achieved the Golden Slam in '88. plus, she could whip both those *****es asses. and she did.

Steffi Graff = Greatest Female Player of All Time.
 

ATPballkid

Professional
The Great Ones and Graf

something that bugs me is how Navratilova and Evert are put ahead of Steffi Graff.
and in a list of Greatest players, Graff should be ranked ahead of both those *****es because she has more grand slams then both of them, plus she achieved the Golden Slam in '88. plus, she could whip both those *****es asses. and she did.

.



Court has the all-time record for most Slams.
Wills Moody has the record for most years ranked #1.
Navratilova has the all-time record for most singles titles.
Mallory has the all-time record for most U.S. titles.
Evert has the all-time record for most French Opens.
Court has the all-time record for most Australian titles.
Wills Moody has the record for most from the Big Two.
Navratilova has the all-time record for most Wimbledons.

These are the major records in women's tennis that date back decades and decades to 1925 and earlier.

No stabbings of the top players by any of these 5 players or their fans.
 

2 Cent

Rookie
Court has the all-time record for most Slams.
Wills Moody has the record for most years ranked #1.
Navratilova has the all-time record for most singles titles.
Mallory has the all-time record for most U.S. titles.
Evert has the all-time record for most French Opens.
Court has the all-time record for most Australian titles.
Wills Moody has the record for most from the Big Two.
Navratilova has the all-time record for most Wimbledons.

These are the major records in women's tennis that date back decades and decades to 1925 and earlier.

No stabbings of the top players by any of these 5 players or their fans.

if you pit any of those women up against Steffi Graf in a match, Steffi would kick all their asses. and that's what "Greatest" should really come down to. besides, Steffi has an incredible resume' of her own. ie she's the only player to win each GS atleast 4 times each.
 
Top