The history of tennis begins in the distant XIX century. The first significant event was the Wimbledon tournament of 1877, and already in 1900 the first famous Davis Cup was played. This sport developed, and the tennis court has seen many truly great athletes.
Tennis History
Towards the end of the 20th century, there was a division into the so-called amateur and professional tennis. And only in 1967 the two species merged, which served as the beginning of a new, open era. It was from this time that the real stars of modern tennis began to appear. The best players received their titles solely for merit. The most significant award is the victory in the Grand Slam Tournament (championships are held in Australia, France, England, America). And to collect a full-fledged Grand Slam, that is, to win in all four championships for the season, only the best of the best, real tennis geniuses managed to. Who are they - the most famous world tennis players?
Rafael Nadal - 8th place
Rafael comes from Spain, was born in 1986, began his tennis career in 2001. Nadal has a great many of the most prestigious awards. The largest of these are considered to be: Gold career helmet, victories in Grand Slam Tournaments, Red Helmet (a win-win series of Masters tournaments, French Open. Rafael became a real tennis legend after winning 81 tournaments in a row. This period lasted from 8 April 2005 to May 20, 2007.
The famous tennis player set new records already in 2008, when he defeated his main opponent - R. Federer. The game lasted more than four hours, which was an absolute record for the tournament. Tennis players fought for the victory to the last. Nadal in 2010 won three of four tournaments in the Grand Slam series in one season, thereby breaking the long-standing record of R. Laver, who played back in 1969. To the full Helmet, only one victory was not enough.
Already at the age of 19, Rafael was the second racket, and by 2008 he became the best tennis player in the world. A whole asteroid was named in his honor.
Bjorn Borg - 7th place
An athlete from Sweden was born in 1956, and his start as a tennis player began in 1973. For 20 years until 1993, Borg delighted fans of this sport with his beautiful game and stunning victories. Significant wins include the fact that the Borg won and received 11 Grand Slam titles. But, unfortunately, he failed to win four tournaments in a row, only two obeyed him. Bjorn is still considered the only player on the world stage who won three times in both Paris and London.
During his active career, Borg won 77 tournaments and for 109 weeks stubbornly held the title of the first racket of the world. Impressive, isn't it?
Pete Sampras - 6th place
A famous tennis player from America was born in 1971 and began to win the highest level awards at the age of 17. World fame brought him a unique victory in 14 Grand Slam Tournaments. The tennis player became a real hero for America and the whole world, when he surpassed the no less famous and experienced tennis player, about whom we spoke above - Bjorn Borg. Pete won seven times in London. All this time, Sampras was the king of Wimbledon, but in 1996 this title had to be lost to Roger Federer. The 19-year-old Roger seemed to be Pete's successor.
The title of the first racket belonged to the tennis player for as long as 286 weeks! And the same Roger could break his record, but only in 2012. In singles during his career, Pete won 64 times.
Maria Sharapova - 5th place
Not a single list of famous tennis players in Russia is complete without Maria Sharapova. Everyone knows about the athlete, from young to old. The future tennis star was born in 1987. Sharapova’s career began in 2000 and continues to this day. Around the tennis player there are many rumors, but her track record deserves respect. Maria gained world fame due to the fact that she is considered one of ten women in the history of tennis who managed to get a non-classical full face helmet.
In addition, Sharapova takes a leading position in the world among athletes in earnings on advertising projects. He has the title of Honored Master of Sports in Russia. Sharapova managed to win the Grand Slam Tournament 5 times in singles, the tennis player won 39 victories in the tournaments of the Women's Tennis Association, in 2008 Maria won and won the Federation Cup, in 2012 she brought Russia a silver medal at the Olympics.
Until 2017, she was considered the youngest finalist of the Australian Open among juniors, at that time Mary was only 14 years old. Sharapova repeatedly played with Serena Wilms. The girls periodically conceded victory to each other, but Mary managed to stay for some time in the leading positions. Maria is considered the most famous Russian tennis player.
Serena Williams - 4th place
The woman about whom there are legends. The future tennis star was born in 1981, and is still active today, so an impressive track record can be replenished with more than one big victory. Well-known to the whole world, Serena was made by the fact that she managed to assemble a complete Grand Slam, but not in its classic version. The tennis player won 4 victories in tournaments, as expected, but not in one year, but in two, from 2002 to 2003.
Over the years of his career, the Grand Slam Tournament brought Serena 15 titles. In addition to this, in the pair games with sister Venus Williams, the tennis players took away 13 more awards. But will it still be? Williams made the Golden Helmet the most famous tennis player in the world, which she won in both singles and doubles. Serena is known for her impulsive character - to make a scandal in order to unbalance an opponent, for her is not a problem.
Evgeny Kafelnikov - 3rd place
The athlete was born in 1974 in the warm city of Sochi. The first thing worth noting in the story about Eugene is that the tennis player is considered the most titled athlete in the history of Russia. He has the title of Honored Master of Sports. The world famous Kafelnikov brought the victory of the Grand Slam in singles in 1996. He became the first tennis player in the history of Russia who managed to win this tournament. Already in May 1999, Eugene took a leading position and became the first racket of the world. But the track record of the truly great tennis player does not end there.
In 2000, Eugene brought Russia the first gold medal in a sport such as tennis at the Olympic Games. Kafelnikov began his career in 1992 and completed 11 years later. Despite such a short-lived activity, Eugene became the best of the best. Undoubtedly, Kafelnikov can be put in first place among the famous Russian tennis players.
Steffi Graf - 2nd place
The athlete from Germany was born in 1969 and simply turned her head around the world. Why? Because Steffi managed to win the full face helmet in 1988. But the tennis player’s records do not end there, in the same year she brought gold to her country at the Olympics. That period was dizzying in the career of a tennis player, after the Grand Slam and the Olympics, from 1988 to 1990, Steffi won in 8 out of 9 BS tournaments played. And if Nadal is known for the longest game, which lasted almost five hours, then Graf won the fastest world in 1988 by beating tennis player from the Soviet Union Natalia Zavereva in 34 minutes.
Steffi has 107 singles wins, 22 of them Grand Slam Tournaments. Earl broke all records when he held out for the first racket for 377 weeks. The reputation of a tennis player deserves respect, they are considered a universal athlete and plays excellently on any surface.
Steffi was never seen in unpleasant scandals and did not start high-profile novels, like her colleagues. She quietly and peacefully married the equally famous tennis player Andre Agassi in 1991, the couple raise two children.
Roger Federer - 1st place
Swiss tennis player Roger Federer was born in 1981 and distinguishes him from all the fact that he is the most titled athlete in history. And this is undoubtedly the first place in the ranking of the most famous tennis players in the world.
He is the only one who managed to win two Grand Slam Tournaments 5 times in a row. The most famous world platforms obeyed him - in 2003-2007 it was Wimbledon, in 2004-2008 - US Open. In 2009, Roger managed to win four tournaments in a row and collect the full Grand Slam. He became the sixth player in the history of tennis who managed to do this.
Already in 2012 Federer received a new title, he became the third player in the history of tennis, who managed to play in the Wimbledon finals 8 times, and he is also recognized as the third tennis player, who managed to win 7 out of 8 dizzying victories.
The unusual facts do not end there, Roger was also the most adult winner, since he won the Grand Slam at the age of 31. 2012 was a memorable year for the athlete - his 1000 match was held. 235 weeks Federer was a leader and was the first racket.