- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Tennis Abstract's 128 Best Tennis Players of All-Time
Posted on 12/17/22 at 11:46 am
Posted on 12/17/22 at 11:46 am
All but the top 2 players have been revealed but it's going to be Rod Laver and Steffi Graf. It's a very interesting list. Margaret Court is barely among the top 10 women's players and Pete Sampras is outside the top 10 men's players. Rankings are based on a player's ELO ratings during their prime and over the course of their career.
LINK
quote:
Top 20 Men's Players
1. Rod Laver
2. Novak Djokovic
3. Roger Federer
4. Bill Tilden
5. Rafael Nadal
6. Bjorn Borg
7. John McEnroe
8. Ken Rosewall
9. Pancho Gonzales
10. Ivan Lendl
11. Pete Sampras
12. Don Budge
13. Jimmy Connors
14. Jack Kramer
15. Andy Murray
16. Boris Becker
17. Ellsworth Vines
18. Fred Perry
19. Andre Agassi
20. Stefan Edberg
Top 20 Women's Players
1. Steffi Graf
2. Martina Navratilova
3. Serena Williams
4. Chris Evert
5. Helen Wills
6. Monica Seles
7. Suzanne Lenglen
8. Venus Williams
9. Margaret Court
10. Maureen Connolly
11. Alice Marble
12. Lindsey Davenport
13. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
14. Billie Jean King
15. Martina Hingis
16. Gabriela Sabatini
17. Justine Henin
18. Pauline Betz
19. Maria Sharapova
20. Kim Clijsters
LINK
15
Posted on 12/17/22 at 11:48 am to Bench McElroy
I'd swap djokovic and Federer, Lendl and Sampras.
Other than that, solid list
ETA: gotta wonder where Seles would rank, were she not stabbed on the court by that crazy fan. She was so dominant, they were trying to outlaw her "grunting", to frick with her game.
Other than that, solid list
ETA: gotta wonder where Seles would rank, were she not stabbed on the court by that crazy fan. She was so dominant, they were trying to outlaw her "grunting", to frick with her game.
This post was edited on 12/17/22 at 11:52 am
Posted on 12/17/22 at 11:54 am to Bench McElroy
Laver is such a weird case. He had several years he couldn't play majors and probably would have piled up a bunch more. On the other hand, three of them were on grass, so it's not like he won on a tour with a bunch of variety.
Steffi was the probably best athlete, but her numbers are inflated with the Seles incident. Serena has to be the GOAT, especially in part due to longevity.
Steffi was the probably best athlete, but her numbers are inflated with the Seles incident. Serena has to be the GOAT, especially in part due to longevity.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 11:55 am to Bench McElroy
quote:
7. John McEnroe
10. Ivan Lendl
11. Pete Sampras
Those two being above Sampras is head scratching
Posted on 12/17/22 at 11:57 am to Deactived
Yeah, Pete not at five or so is ridiculous.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:03 pm to Bench McElroy
No Althea Gibson?!
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:06 pm to Bench McElroy
Lol at their list mixing men and women and having women inside the top 1000
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:10 pm to Bench McElroy
Murray is the 15th best tennis player ever? 
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:10 pm to RedFoxx
quote:
No Althea Gibson?!
She’s #42 overall, #22 all-time among women.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:19 pm to ReauxlTide222
quote:
Murray is the 15th best tennis player ever?
Sounds about right.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:27 pm to Eat Your Crow
As said above, Laver won on grass courts. Can’t give him top billing
Sampras should be top 5
Move Agassi up to 12/13. As he won the Grand Slam on their true court surfaces.
Move Murray out.
Johnny Mac a tad high.
Sampras should be top 5
Move Agassi up to 12/13. As he won the Grand Slam on their true court surfaces.
Move Murray out.
Johnny Mac a tad high.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:37 pm to Eat Your Crow
quote:
Murray is the 15th best tennis player ever? Sounds about right.
Not if Agassi is at 19. No fricking way.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:37 pm to Bench McElroy
Where is Bjorn Bourg??
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:42 pm to Deactived
quote:
Those two being above Sampras is head scratching
I think the lack of seasonal dominance from Sampras is a big issue. Sampras had two seasons with a winning percentage above 85%. McEnroe had six seasons with a winning percentage above 85%. Lendl had five seasons with a winning percentage above 90%. McEnroe and Lendl were much dominant during their prime because they didn't have a weakness on a surface as significant as Sampras does on clay.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 12:59 pm to Bench McElroy
I know there’s some recency bias, but 4 of the top 5 has to have Sampras, Fed, Nadal, and Djoc.
Murray shouldn’t sniff this list nonetheless be above Agassi or Becker.
Murray shouldn’t sniff this list nonetheless be above Agassi or Becker.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 1:12 pm to Bunk Moreland
Sampras competed against the least competitive field during his career. Like Larry Holmes in boxing. Not his fault, it's just an is.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 1:13 pm to Bunk Moreland
quote:
Serena has to be the GOAT, especially in part due to longevity.
Yep
Posted on 12/17/22 at 1:17 pm to lsufan112001
quote:
Johnny Mac a tad high.
Yeah, I love me some Mac but that's too high.
Posted on 12/17/22 at 1:34 pm to Bench McElroy
I can’t take tennis list serious that has Sampras at #11. Give me a break
Posted on 12/17/22 at 1:51 pm to lsufan112001
quote:
Johnny Mac a tad high
McEnroe was an amazing doubles player - some say the best ever, mens and mixed. He was also huge in the Davis Cup, when that event was languishing.
I can see how you can make a "bigger picture" argument for McEnroe's ranking, despite the apparent flaws.
And even if you nitpick his performance in singles events, his career overlapped with what is arguably the toughest era of tennis - Bjorg, Connors, Vilas, Lendl, Noah, Wilander, Becker, Edberg, Cash, etc. all competing hard during an era of great transition for the game in terms of courts, equipment, fans - the so-called "golden era".
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News