Greatest Doubles Player of All Time

[loy]

EDBERG AND MCENROE would have been a formidable duo!

 

[Clayplay]

Fabrice Santoro. What a champ.

 

[slice bh compliment]

Canada has given us a few prominent doubles players: Grant Connell, Glenn Michibata and Dan Nestor.

The great state of Washington has given us Patrick Galbraith and Tom Gorman.

 

[Feña14]

I have to say Bjorkman aswell, he performs with whoever he is playing with and has a fantastic record. Refeshing to see him in todays game aswell.

I also have to say I enjoyed watching Peter Fleming in the older footage that I have seen, with his tall frame he covered the net well and did an outstanding job. His personality off court is also very appealing.

 

[Santiagomac]

Jared Palmer the most talented doubles player

 

[Shaolin]

Tomic/Kyrgios vs Paire/Fognini …the ultimate battle of mental strength.

 

[Minion]

Definitely the Bryans. I reckon they are currently the most successful partnership of all time. But there are still many active players who play amazing doubles - Nestor, Paes, Stepanek, Mahut, Herber, Mello, Murray, Soares, Mirnyi, Benneteau, Roger-Vasselin....the list goes on...

 

[TupeloDanger]

Bryans are definitely the most "successful." But nowhere near the best.

They'd have been an afterthought in the era when legitimate tennis forces like Mac, Edberg, Noah, Leconte, etc still prowled the courts.

 

[buscemi]

John Newcombe. He still holds the men's record with 17 Major doubles titles, 5 at at the Australian Open, 3 at the French Open, 6 at Wimbledon, and 3 at the U.S. Open. He also won 2 mixed doubles Majors and won a lot of doubles matches to help Australia win Davis Cup from 1964-1967 and in 1973. And, of course, he did all of this while being a pretty terrific singles player who won 7 Majors and reached #1 in both the Open and pre-Open eras.

 

[tom williams]

What about Hoad and Rosewall

 

[tom williams]

slice bh compliment and Kaptain Karl,

Some great players on those lists of yours. SBC, nice touch to add the women - deservedly so.

If I could add a few players to the ones you've mentioned Id nominate

Margaret Court:
2 mixed grand slams (63 and 65) to go with her singles grand slam and 21 doubles majors plus 13 r/u plus 20 mixed (including the Grand Slam) and 4 r/u. I think that last stat, 20 wins from 24 finals is pretty damn impressive no-matter what era. Strangely, she only gets credit for one mixed slam in 63 as part of a team (with Ken Fletcher) but if you count her individual effort in 65 when she won all four but with different partners then she's actually got two. Marty Riessen - no mean doubles player himself- said that the best mixed team ever was... Margaret Court and any guy LOL

Frank Sedgman and Ken McGregor:
the only doubles Grand Slam duo in men's tennis).

Roy Emerson:
even if you leave out the years 63-67 -although he was still up against Newk and Roche- he won 8 majors and played in another 8 finals. Overall total was 16 wins and 12 runner-up placings. That doesn't happen by accident, especially when 6 straight wins were at the French and, at that one tournament, he made the final 10 out of 11 years

Fred Stolle:
10 majors, 6 r/u (one at the 81 US Open when he was 43) plus 6 mixed including one as a 37 year old

 

[tom williams]

i think Roy Emerson is the best right court player in history who ever played with Roy they all seemed to move up a gear,however there have been many great doubles combinations, sadly i think the doubles has dropped in status due the top players not competing

 

[Mazz Retic]

Tomic/Nadal

 

[slice bh compliment]

TRIVIA question (cuz I bet you guys on this thread will know ... and I cannot remember): Who was the player who called Mac to the net after "Tantrum X" and threatened to spank him (or just beat the snot out of him)? I remember Mac truly blanching in fear the guy would do it....

- KK

What a bump.
Did we ever settle this trivia Q? @Kaptain Karl
Was it Johan Kriek?

 

[thrust]

My list is similar to slice bh compliment's. Here it is, with no "ranking"....

The Woodies
Leander Paes
Navratilova
Mac
Frew McMillan
Sherwood Stewart
Bob Lutz
Stan Smith
Tom Okker
Billie Jean King
John Newcombe
Tony Roche

... And my "all time best?" John McEnroe, so good, anyone he played with looked great also.

- KK

Margret Court, Doris Hart, Shirley Fry, Maria Bueno, Darlene Hard, Margret O du Pont, Louise Brough, Franciose Durr, Lesley Turner. Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Fred Stolle, Lew Hoad, Pancho Gonzalez, Segura, Roy Emerson, Rosie Callals, Virginia Wade-etc.

 

[Backhanded Compliment]

I can't believe that everyone's missed the other guy to have been ranked #1 in doubles and singles at the same time (besides McEnroe).
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drum roll please
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anybody remember
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.
Stefan Edberg?

Edberg most often teamed with Anders Jarryd. He was as good as McEnroe in doubles. His serve, that high kicker, was tailor made for doubles. It let him close the net and since he had a partner, he was nearly impossible to pass. Edberg and Jarryd were both possessed with great hands at net and played some great matches for Sweden.

My favorite doubles teams through the years have to be (in no order)

Newcombe/Roche - one of the all time greats

Newcombe/Stolle - their run at the Open losing to McEnroe/Fleming in the semis in 5 was astounding. Especially since they did it on a lark.

Hewitt/McMillan - these were the first guys I really followed in dubs. McMillan played with that great looking Fischer frame and had two hands on both sides and a bent arm serve. He was as stylish as Hewitt was brutal. McMillan played angles with a regular sized frame that were amazing even today. He also wore that little cap thing from Adidas. Too cool for school.

King/Davidson - won a Grand Slam in mixed

Lutz/Smith - stalwart Davis Cup team, established American dominance in the doubles in any tie they played.

Curren/Denton - great team, both had tremendous serves.

The Gullys - the original brothers act. They played with Adila Cannons and were really fun to watch. They were never consistently the best, but they were fun much like:

The Jensens - These guys were great. They did nothing but give back to the game, show enthusiasm and play for the crowds. Great team.

McEnroe/Fleming - picked up where Lutz/Smith left off. It is interesting that Ashe opted for Lutz/Smith in the tie versus Czechoslavkia in 1981 at Flushing Meadows. Bob Lutz and Stan Smith gave McEnroe a breather and beat Lendl/Smid to earn the doubles point. It is interesting for two reasons. 1) I believe that at the time, McEnroe/Fleming were the #1 team in the world. 2) Lendl/Smid were no slouches in doubles. It was an interesting gambit that turned out for Ashe.

Flach/Seguso - the next great DC team for the US. Many critical points won by this team in less than ideal situations. It seemed that for the majority of their tenure, they were on the road.

Woodies - probably the ultimate doubles paring, these guys made the transition from singles/doubles teams to strictly doubles guys.

Bjorkman/Woodbridge - I just love watching these two play. They both have great court awareness and can volley.

Bryans - they p!ss everyone they play off, but these two can play doubles. And, they love playing Davis Cup. I think PMac waited about a year too long to get these guys on the team. Todd Martin and his various partners didn't do squat for the effort. The Bryans should have been in a long time ago. Even when he let them play their first tie, I think they were ranked #2, he said he'd have to watch them and see how they did. See how they did?

fantastic and wise post... tip of the hat to you!

Did Mac and edberg play as a team together? ... man that would have rocked.

 

[Stephen H]

Bob Bryan

 

[thrust]

Definitely the Bryans. I reckon they are currently the most successful partnership of all time. But there are still many active players who play amazing doubles - Nestor, Paes, Stepanek, Mahut, Herber, Mello, Murray, Soares, Mirnyi, Benneteau, Roger-Vasselin....the list goes on...

The Bryans are strictly doubles specialists, playing a game much easier than when Mac, Newcombe etc. played.

 

[timnz]

Newcombe - record holder of slam doubles titles at 17. Played at a time when the top singles players were still playing doubles.

Imagine Newcombe on the right side of the court, partnered with McEnroe on the left hand side of the court - would they ever lose?

 

[slice bh compliment]

Newcombe - record holder of slam doubles titles at 17. Played at a time when the top singles players were still playing doubles.

Imagine Newcombe on the right side of the court, partnered with McEnroe on the left hand side of the court - would they ever lose?

Newk and Mac? What a duo! John and John, righty and lefty. Huge servers, clutch returners, awesome volleyers. Hmmm. They would not lose.
Not even to the bryan twinz. Not even to raf and rog. Pete and dre. Maybe they would have trouble with edberg and mac. Or stich and mac. Or becker and stich. They would definitely enjoy playing the Jensen brothers.
Ok, what about hoad and rosewall?

Well, at their ages, we need to make this a proper triples tournament.
My money is on: Newcombe, johnny and tony roche (John, Mac and Roche).
I really just wanted to say "John Mac and Roche".

 

[slice bh compliment]

fantastic and wise post... tip of the hat to you!

Did Mac and edberg play as a team together? ... man that would have rocked.

Indeed, rabbit, with yet another sage, menschy, atg poast.

I do not recall Mac and Edberg teaming up, but you know who did? Mac and Stich, wimbledon champs in singles and doubles at various times.

Another pretty cool tandem: Arthur Ashe and johnny Mac. Early days. Similar sized fros. Differently sized egos.

 

[Backhanded Compliment]

Indeed, rabbit, with yet another sage, menschy, atg poast.

I do not recall Mac and Edberg teaming up, but you know who did? Mac and Stich, wimbledon champs in singles and doubles at various times.

Another pretty cool tandem: Arthur Ashe and johnny Mac. Early days. Similar sized fros. Differently sized egos.

Yeah watching Mac and Stich win Wimbledon together was an all time great moment in the sport.

 

[Rabbit]

Hey, thanks for the kudos after all this time! I don't know if Mac and Edberg ever played together, but more than one player said John McEnroe and <insert name here> was the best team in McEnroe's prime. I think Edberg should share that accolade!

 

[slice bh compliment]

Indeed^

What about Hoad and Rosewall

The Whiz Kids.

 

[PMChambers]

I can't believe that everyone's missed the other guy to have been ranked #1 in doubles and singles at the same time (besides McEnroe).
.
.
.
drum roll please
.
.
.
anybody remember
.
.
.
Stefan Edberg?

?

Are you sure, I had Edberg stopping doubles when he was No. 4 in singles. Unless it was a blip. He got to No. 1 singles in 1990 but doubles in 86, he stopped regularly playing not long after. Jarad played with Fitzgerald around late 80s.

 

[Rabbit]

Championship Years Record accomplished Player tied
No. 1 Ranking 1986–1987 Achieved both in singles and doubles John McEnroe
Fewest games match 1987 Triple bagel win (6–0, 6–0, 6–0) Nikola Špear
Karel Nováček
Ivan Lendl
Sergi Bruguera
Andy Murray

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Edberg#Records

yeah, I checked the wiki as well and found the above

 

[The Joker]

I beleive ze canadien, Sr. Daniel Nestor is best doubles man. LeAndre Paes is up there alsooo. Best doubles team? Rog and STanimal

 

[slice bh compliment]

Just a quick mention here...
Mats Wilander was a singles world number one. Not sure of his doubles rankings, but he and Joakim Nystrom did win a Wimbledon dubs title ... with the best of 5 set format. Baseliner, grinder, remarkable passer, but the man could volley, return, slice, and play dubs with the very best.

 

[mtincoronel76]

I'd go for Woodbridge, over McEnroe.

Woodbridge has won all 4 Grand Slams in doubles - Mac never even made a French or Australian open final. Total doubles Grand Slams won - 16 for Woodbridge, 9 for Mac. Total tournaments won in doubles - 83 for Woodbridge, 69 for Mac.

total tournaments in doubles for Mac isnt 69, is 78. And Mac also had 269 weeks as No.1 in doubles against 205 for Woody.
What's more, Mac was equally distributing his career in singles and doubles, unlike Todd. In fact between 1981 and 84 was # 1 in singles and doubles at the same time ...

 

[slice bh compliment]

Yes. Mac played great dubs alongside many partners.
Quite a list....
Arthur Ashe, Fleming, Stich, Bjorkman, Pete Sampras.
Particularly telling is a comment that will not show up on the atp site:
Fleming said, ~the best doubles team in the world is John McEnroe and anybody.~

 

[BlueClayGOAT]

What a great thread! Welcome change from the endless GOAT battles and inane fanboy threads.

Also a very interesting read for someone like me who was born in the early 1990s and doesn't follow doubles too much- which I believe is because a lot of the top singles players don't focus too much on doubles any more, compared to the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I think that's a shame, doubles can be wonderful to watch.

It's great to know we have some very knowledgeable and informative posters here who have seen/know a lot about tennis from the 60s to the 90s.

While I could recite the feats of almost any great player from those eras, and have seen plenty of YouTube clips, it's always great to have first-hand views and information!

 

[toby55555]

Other names that seemed very prominent at the time were McNamara and McNamee and Heinz Gundthart and Balazs Tarocczy.