She was able to have a lot of success with her volley at the net, and her speed was tough for opponents to overcome when combining with her height. Its just the highest and most legendary achievement for tennis players in history. Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers was a British tennis player who won seven Wimbledon singles titles in an illustrious career that spanned more than 25 years. When considering singles and doubles, Martina Navratilova has had a ton of success in her career. WebShe is the face of womens tennis in the UK and took home a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. Laura Robson is a British professional tennis player who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics in the mixed-doubles event. Those who try to diminish her achievement have their own agenda. Forty-three players made the list from the Americas, 39 from Europe and 18 from Oceania. Since Wade's success, U.K. women have experienced a major Grand Slam title drought. This guy was the tennis pro of the 90s. She has been world No 1 for 319 weeks. After her playing career, she became a coach and broke through a major glass ceiling by coaching Andy Murray, one of the first women to ever coach a top-ranked man. Its widely known the stabber was a Steffi Graf fan. Without question, they are the greatest pair in tennis history. Born: June 14, 1969, Mannheim, West Germany. As such a young player, who won eight grand slam titles as a teenager, she showed such mental strength to win matches. Anastasia Myskina was part of the first wave of young women who helped put the worlds largest country on the map, with her French Open win in 2004, the first singles title for a Russian player. Helen Wills Moody was the number one player in the world from 1927 to 1933, and she regained that position in 1935 and 1938. 3. The only problem? She was a trendsetter in tennis as well, being the first to wear knee-length pleated skirts instead of the longer ones that were in style before she began playing. Just got done watching the great McEnroe bio on Showtime. 3. But clay is not the only surface where she shines. Steffi Graf. Once known as a media darling, Maria Sharapova has fallen on hard times in the last few years. Serena deserves her status as a global icon. She still prefers to stay near the baseline, but she can play many different styles depending on who she is facing. Your email address will not be published. Grit and determination defined Seles along with her trademark grunt. The key to her success? Country: Germany. I'm Fred, the guy behind TennisPredict. A former world No. The Belgium one-hander could win points at any time by ripping backhands from all angles. Connors and then later in Colorado the mens seniors with McEnroe, Connors , Borg and many more. Known as The Little Wonder, Lottie Dod gained fame as a remarkable tennis player and a five-time Wimbledon Ladies' Singles champion. But Graf was even more dominant in her time: She hold the #1 positon for the record number of 377 weeks, Serena did so only 319 weeks (as all time third behind Steffi and Martina Navratilova). The face of tennis is notably more diverse than when she and her sister arrived. Halep figures to add to her resume as one of the greats in years to come. Li Na completed the transformation of tennis into a global game. 2 who turned pro in 1968 and retired in 1986. She has grand slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, and shes most remembered for her runs at the Australian Open. Of course, her placement will depend upon future results, too. That lead to seven Grand Slam singles titles, and a dominant run at the French Open. You rarely saw an unforced error from Evert. Yes Venus & Serena have been great and deserve praise, but dont forget the past. WebTop British Female Tennis Players 1: Angela Mortimer. She has won 23 grand slams the most of any active tennis player, male or female. When she returned, she was able to win one more grand slam singles title, but she was not the same caliber of player. The United States was credited with the most great players (38), followed by Australia (17), France (7), Great Britain (6) and Czechoslovakia (5). Former British tennis player Annabel Croft had begun playing tennis at age 9. Things can change in a hurry, as some current players could move up the list, or into the list. Although she's never won a Grand Slam, her consistency propelled her to the top of the world rankings for the first time in 2008. May be younger tennis fans should know that terms likecareer grand slam or false grand slam are temporary new creations. Although she did well on home soil, winning the French Open twice, she found her greatest success at Wimbledon, winning that event six times. The daughter of British aristocrats Ralph Percy and Jane Richard, Lady Melissa Percy quit school at 14 to follow a career in tennis. Martina Navratilovas athleticism, power and determination to succeed were truly astonishing. If not for her come back in the early 2000s, she would not make a list like this. Graf, the only player to have won all four majors at least four times, finished with 22 Grand Slam singles titles despite playing about a decade less than Williams. At full flight in her imperious pomp, she embodied what was possible with a tennis racket, doing so with incomparable poise while dragging her sport forward into the modern era. The Greatest of All Time is Margaret Court. Some weeks later she reached the finalof Wimbledon. Wades tally of 55 is particularly impressive. it destroyed her confidence. Born: Aug. 25, 1927, Silver, South Carolina, Died: Sept. 28, 2003, East Orange, New Jersey (Age 76). Her first Grand Slam victory came in 1968 at the US Open, and shed go on to win 55 singles titles throughout her career. When she was able to win, many people saw this as a monumental moment in womens sports. But of all the great women in tennis, only one can stand alone as the greatest of all time. Her first Grand Slam victory came in 1968 at the US Open, and shed go on to win 55 singles titles throughout her career. By the numbers, however, Court surpassed even Lavers achievements, winning a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, a whopping 11 of which came on home ground in Australia. Osaka showed that even at her young age her groundstrokes had the power to outmatch Serena strength for strength. In 2012, she became the first British female player to win a WTA singles title since 1988. But when the moment came for her to perform at the highest level, she did not disappoint. Serena was 35 when she finally tied Steffis 22 Slams and 36 when she won #23. 2 Nadal, No. Post-retirement, she has stepped into a broadcasting career and has also appeared on ITVs Interceptor and Channel 4s Treasure Hunt. Died: June 2, 1997, East Hampton, New York (Age 88). Forty-three players made the list from the Americas, 39 from Europe and 18 from Oceania. Here is the full list of the greatest female tennis players of all time. Oh, and her backhand wasnt bad either. Evonne Goolagong Cawley was not just a phenomenal tennis player, she was also a person of colour from Australia who succeeded in a sport that was and is still dominated by the white, middle classes. By winning the Australian Open twice and the French once, she showed she was worthy of all the hopes that had been placed on her. She also won the 1925 Wightman Cup. Then, in 2013, she far surpassed that feat. 1 ranking for the first time in 2016. She is an absolute legend. She was the only woman to win each Grand Slam at least four times, and in perhaps an even more unique achievement, she collected the "Golden Slam" in 1988, winning each of the four majors and the Olympic gold medal in the same year. From Fred Perry and Virginia Wade to Andy Murray, British Tennis success has grown and grown over the years. At only 22 years, Naomi Osaka has established herself as an iconic tennis star and champion. This was due to a kick serve and deadly volleys that made her the best of her era on grass. She also beat Venus Williams to win the crown at Wimbledon. Now its time to hear from our readers. Died: Oct. 24, 2012, El Paso, Texas (Age 94). Serena's power game, anchored by a devastating serve, is without equal in the history of the womens game. After that, they just need to do their, Read More 10 Greatest Tennis Servers Of All TimeContinue. Thats not to say that Venus Williams did not have a great career of her own. Chris Evert, on film, doesnt look like anyone too intimidating. The best women's tennis players of all time are multiple Grand Slam champions, Olympic tennis gold medalists and simply the best ladies to ever A former world No. Kim Clijsters shocked the tennis world by retiring at 24 years old, just when she had reached the top, after winning her first Grand Slam. She is the only player in womens tennis history to be number one at singles and doubles for over 200 weeks. She also is the most recent British woman to win a major title. There is no question that Graf most probably would have won at least one more Major if she would have continued playing 6 more years. She raised the bar in terms of physicality in the womens game and recognised the advantages of assembling a support team, each of whom had a specific role to play. WebMonica Seles is a part-Hungarian, part-Yugoslavian, and part-American former womens tennis pro who had all the makings of one of the greatest tennis players to ever live. Of, Read More 15 Best Tennis CountriesContinue, Tennis, like every other sport, is a game of rivalry. Serena Williams; Steffi Graf; Martina Navritolova; Chris Evert; Margaret Court; Monica Seles; Billie Jean King; Venus Williams; Evonne Goolagong Cawley; Justine Henin; Martina Hingis; Helen Wills Moody; Maureen Connolly; Lindsay Davenport; Kim Clijsters; Jennifer Top 5 British Tennis Players of All Time 1. For years, however, the title most befitting a serve-and-volley player, Wimbledon, eluded her. No tennis match had been seen by so many. As a player, she became the first woman from Spain to take home the Wimbledon title in 1994, winning an epic three-set classic over the heavily favored Martina Navratilova. Virginia Wade is a British former tennis player. I m talking about the real and the only Grand Slam: the wins of the four Majors within a calendar year. I have been a tennis fan since the early 60s when I started playing. In 2012, she became the first British female player to win a WTA singles title since 1988. While there are certain advantages to being tall, these players have not exactly dominated the game, Read More 10 Tallest Tennis Players In The WorldContinue, Speed makes a big difference in tennis, especially in the modern game. Serena who is listed as #1 23 & 72 titles less than 1/2 of M Court. She won seven grand slams and an Olympic gold medal in a hugely competitive era in the womens game. She had a varied and beautiful all-around style of play and, despite being small in stature, was a giant fighter. She was such a happy, joyful person; you could not help but love her. One of the most underrated womens tennis players of all time is Amelie Mauresmo. Navratilova conquered all of the grand slams winning singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles at all four slams between 1974 and 2006 but it was at Wimbledon where her volleying prowess caused the most damage, not only in titles but in eventually winning the respect of the crowd. WebTop British Female Tennis Players 1: Angela Mortimer. Ann Shirley Jones is a tennis legend and easily one of the greatest of all time, playing at a time 3: Virginia Wade. But what puts Steffi miles ahead of Serena is the Grand Slam and the Golden Slam. By doing so, she broke her countrys Grand Slam title drought, becoming the first Australian woman to win once since Evonne Goolangong Cawley in 1980, Born: Feb. 28, 1985, Belgrade, Yugoslavia. She entered 56 grand slams, reached 52 semi-finals (including the semi-finals or better of 34 consecutive slams) and won 18 titles. Died: Aug. 21, 1994, Sutton, United Kingdom (Age 78), Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand). Female athletes continue to fight for equality in sports, and tennis players have been at the forefront of that struggle for decades. Monica Seles took the tennis world by storm with a unique playing style two-handed groundstrokes on both sides that she used to devastating effect. She was never particularly great on clay, despite growing up on it and being a native of France. Yea, Williams is one ahead of Steffi (23:22). The TenWho are the 10 best women's tennis players of all time? In 2012, she became the first British female player to win a WTA singles title since 1988. Based on 2022 results, Iga Swiatek has entered the top 20. The second-most successful female British Olympian, Godfree won five Olympic medals in two Olympic Games. Courageous, indomitable and also stubborn, she refused to bow to the press, who treated her with suspicion. Now 53 years old, she is a former professional player who ranked World No.1 for a record 377 weeks. Number 2 of the greatest female tennis player and most tennis Grand Slams womens division winners we have Steffi Graf. Maureen Connollys career was cut short at just 20 years old by a horseback riding injury, but what she achieved in a short period of time still ranks her as one of the best to ever play the sport. Unfortunately, those were her only two Grand Slam titles, and she was already retired and in the Hall of Fame before she turned 30 years old. When she was 29 years old, she participated in the Battle of the Sexes against a 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. The second-most successful female British Olympian, Godfree won five Olympic medals in two Olympic Games. If a player has a great serve, they have the chance to consistently win their games. Born: June 1, 1982, Liege, Belgium (Age 37). I position for the first time at the age of nineteen. From trailblazing legends like Billie Jean King to champions like Serena Williams, dominant athletes on the tennis court have elevated womens sports to new heights. Justine Henin kisses the French Open trophy in 2003. No one could put away matches in as dominant a fashion, and her 23 Grand Slam titles are an Open Era record. A popular tennis player, Jones won eight Grand Slam titles during her career. She won seven grand slams and an Olympic gold medal in a hugely competitive era in the womens game. Her efficient, counterpunching game style has served her well over a long career. But overcome it Gooolagong did. WebMonica Seles is a part-Hungarian, part-Yugoslavian, and part-American former womens tennis pro who had all the makings of one of the greatest tennis players to ever live.
