Such a database required a years-long research. Covered are more than 12,000 tournaments and tours and more than 1,100 players for this period.
Included is the full performance of the players for the respective year.
In order to assess the tournaments and the players’ performance fully, adequately, objectively and qualitative 3 basic methodologies were developed:
- methodology for assessing the status of the tournament;
- methodology for adopting and unifying the pre-open Era tournaments to the open era tournaments, which is often the main dispute in the public;
- methodology for assessing the professional tours in the pre-open Era;
Unlike to probably all other published rankings in ATP, the media or in the forums my rankings include also the data of the non-ATP tournaments which were regular tournaments with very high value and very often much higher paid compared to the ATP tournaments. This could lead to some potential inconsistencies in comparison to some official ATP rankings. For example 1982 when Lendl won 4 big non-ATP tournaments and the official gap between Connors and Lendl was very narrow.
Very rarely but in some years the performance of 2 players is equal. In this case both players have been ranked equally.
In the list below they are shown all the years’ top 3 players. After that list they are another 4 summarized lists:
- the players with most No 1s for the period;
- the players with most No 2s for the period;
- the players with most No 3s for the period;
- the strongest tennis seasons for all time expressed in points based on the methodologies;
I am apologizing in advance for the presentation of the lists as I have no options to format them adequately in the forum.
Top 3 players per year
Included is the full performance of the players for the respective year.
In order to assess the tournaments and the players’ performance fully, adequately, objectively and qualitative 3 basic methodologies were developed:
- methodology for assessing the status of the tournament;
- methodology for adopting and unifying the pre-open Era tournaments to the open era tournaments, which is often the main dispute in the public;
- methodology for assessing the professional tours in the pre-open Era;
Unlike to probably all other published rankings in ATP, the media or in the forums my rankings include also the data of the non-ATP tournaments which were regular tournaments with very high value and very often much higher paid compared to the ATP tournaments. This could lead to some potential inconsistencies in comparison to some official ATP rankings. For example 1982 when Lendl won 4 big non-ATP tournaments and the official gap between Connors and Lendl was very narrow.
Very rarely but in some years the performance of 2 players is equal. In this case both players have been ranked equally.
In the list below they are shown all the years’ top 3 players. After that list they are another 4 summarized lists:
- the players with most No 1s for the period;
- the players with most No 2s for the period;
- the players with most No 3s for the period;
- the strongest tennis seasons for all time expressed in points based on the methodologies;
I am apologizing in advance for the presentation of the lists as I have no options to format them adequately in the forum.
Top 3 players per year
| Year 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 | No 1 Spencer GorePatrick Hadow John Hartley Herbert Lawford William Renshaw Ernest Renshaw Herbert Lawford Herbert Lawford Herbert Lawford Harry Grove Ernest Lewis Henry Slocum Harry Barlow Oliver Campbell Harry Barlow Harry Barlow Joshua Pim Harry Barlow Harry Barlow Harold Mahony Reginald Doherty Laurence Doherty Harold Mahony Arthur Gore Laurence Doherty Laurence Doherty Laurence Doherty Laurence Doherty Laurence Doherty Tony Wilding Tony Wilding Tony Wilding Josiah Ritchie Tony Wilding Tony Wilding Tony Wilding Tony Wilding Tony Wilding Richard Williams Richard Williams Robert Murray Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Bill Johnston Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Jean Borotra Rene Lacoste Henri Cochet Henri Cochet Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Ellsworth Vines Ellsworth Vines Ellsworth Vines Hans Nusslein Ellsworth Vines Don Budge Bobby Riggs Don Budge Don Budge Pancho Segura Pancho Segura Frank Parker Bobby Riggs Bobby Riggs Jack Kramer Jack Kramer Jack Kramer Frank Sedgman Frank Sedgman Jack Kramer Richard Pancho Gonzales Richard Pancho Gonzales Richard Pancho Gonzales Richard Pancho Gonzales Richard Pancho Gonzales Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Ken Rosewall Ken Rosewall Ken Rosewall Ken Rosewall Rod Laver Rod Laver Rod Laver Rod Laver Rod Laver Rod Laver Rod Laver Ken Rosewall Ilie Nastase Ilie Nastase Jimmy Connors Arthur Ashe Jimmy Connors Guillermo Vilas Bjorn Borg Bjorn Borg Bjorn Borg John McEnroe Ivan Lendl John McEnroe John McEnroe Ivan Lendl Ivan Lendl Ivan Lendl Mats Wilander Ivan Lendl Stefan Edberg Stefan Edberg Jim Courier Pete Sampras Pete Sampras Pete Sampras Pete Sampras Pete Sampras Marcelo Rios Andre Agassi Gustavo Kuerten Lleyton Hewitt Lleyton Hewitt Andy Roddick Roger Federer Roger Federer Roger Federer Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic Andy Murray Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic Carlos Alcaraz | No 2 William MarshallLestocq Erskine Vere Thomas Goold William Renshaw Richard Richardson Herbert Lawford Ernest Renshaw Charles Grinstead Ernest Browne Herbert Wilberforce Henry Slocum Willoughby Hamilton William Renshaw Ernest Lewis Joshua Pim Joshua Pim Robert Wrenn Wilfred Baddeley William Larned Robert Wrenn Wilberforce Eaves Harold Mahony Reginald Doherty Laurence Doherty William Larned Josiah Ritchie Josiah Ritchie Josiah Ritchie Josiah Ritchie Arthur Gore Josiah Ritchie Josiah Ritchie Otto Froitzheim Josiah Ritchie Josiah Ritchie Otto Froitzheim Maurice McLoughlin Francis Lowe Bill Johnston Bill Johnston Nathaniel Niles Robert Murray Bill Johnston Bill Johnston Francis Lowe Bill Johnston Bill Tilden Jean Borotra Rene Lacoste Henri Cochet Henri Cochet Rene Lacoste Bill Tilden John Doeg Karel Kozeluh Ellsworth Vines Hans Nusslein Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Fred Perry Don Budge Don Budge Ellsworth Vines Don Budge Bobby Riggs Bobby Riggs Joe Hunt Frank Parker Bill Talbert Don Budge Jack Kramer Bobby Riggs Richard Pancho Gonzales Pancho Segura Richard Pancho Gonzales Richard Pancho Gonzales Frank Sedgman Pancho Segura Tony Trabert Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Ken Rosewall Richard Pancho Gonzales Richard Pancho Gonzales Richard Pancho Gonzales Lew Hoad Rod Laver Rod Laver Ken Rosewall Ken Rosewall Ken Rosewall Ken Rosewall Tony Roche Ken Rosewall John Newcombe Ken Rosewall Stan Smith Bjorn Borg Bjorn Borg Bjorn Borg Jimmy Connors Jimmy Connors John McEnroe John McEnroe Ivan Lendl Jimmy Connors Ivan Lendl Ivan Lendl John McEnroe Boris Becker Stefan Edberg Stefan Edberg Boris Becker Ivan Lendl Jim Courier Stefan Edberg Michael Stich Andre Agassi Andre Agassi Boris Becker Patrick Rafter Pete Sampras Yevgeny Kafelnikov Marat Safin Gustavo Kuerten Andre Agassi Roger Federer Andy Roddick Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Novak Djokovic Roger Federer Andy Murray Novak Djokovic Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Dominic Thiem Daniil Medvedev Novak Djokovic | No 3 Charles HeathcoteHerbert Lawford Cecil Francis Parr Otway Woodhouse Herbert Lawford Richard Sears Richard Sears Donald Stewart James Dwight Robert Beeckman Ernest Renshaw Howard Taylor Willoughby Hamilton Harry Barlow Harold Mahony Fred Hovey Clarence Hobart Harold Mahony Fred Hovey William Larned Laurence Doherty Sidney Smith Sidney Smith George Hillyard Sidney Smith Sidney Smith Harold Mahony Sidney Smith Sidney Smith Laurence Doherty Norman Brookes Arthur Gore Friedrich Rahe Beals Wright Francis Lowe Maurice McLoughlin James Parke Norman Brookes Maurice McLoughlin Robert Murray Richard Williams Ichiya Kumagae Gerald Patterson Francis Lowe Brian Norton Brian Norton Brian Norton Vincent Richards Bill Johnston Bill Tilden Bill Tilden Karel Kozeluh Jean Borotra Karel Kozeluh Ellsworth Vines Karel Kozeluh Fred Perry Fred Perry Hans Nusslein Don Budge Ellsworth Vines Fred Perry Bobby Riggs Don McNeill Fred Perry Frank Kovacs Jack Kramer Bill Talbert Bobby Riggs Frank Kovacs Frank Kovacs Frank Parker Pancho Segura Arthur Larsen Pancho Segura Pancho Segura Pancho Segura Frank Sedgman Ken Rosewall Tony Trabert Pancho Segura Lew Hoad Ken Rosewall Pancho Segura Rod Laver Rod Laver Andres Gimeno Andres Gimeno Andres Gimeno Andres Gimeno Andres Gimeno Arthur Ashe Tom Okker Arthur Ashe Arthur Ashe Stan Smith Tom Okker Guillermo Vilas Manuel Orantes Ilie Nastase Bjorn Borg John McEnroe Jimmy Connors Jimmy Connors Jimmy Connors John McEnroe Jimmy Connors Jimmy Connors Mats Wilander Stefan Edberg Mats Wilander Boris Becker Stefan Edberg Boris Becker Boris Becker Goran Ivanisevic Jim Courier Stefan Edberg Thomas Muster Yevgeny Kafelnikov Michael Chang Patrick Rafter Pete Sampras Pete Sampras Andre Agassi Marat Safin Juan Carlos Ferrero Lleyton Hewitt Andy Roddick Nikolay Davydenko Novak Djokovic Roger Federer Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic Roger Federer Andy Murray David Ferrer Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Stan Wawrinka Grigor Dimitrov Roger Federer Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Alexander Zverev Rafael Nadal |
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I don't care if Cochet or Tilden or somebody else did care or did not to go here or there. 
Similar to you I've had some moments being on the edge. It was my strong dream to have a detailed look on the whole history. And this kept me cool and patient. 
The biggest problem was that the whole info was hugely fragmented and I was forced to search in thousands of sources.
