Most Famous (Male & Female)
American Tennis Players
Most Famous (Male & Female) American Tennis Players
Before and after the Open Era, American tennis played a pivotal role in developing the sport.
From the influence of the United States Tennis Association and the US Open to some of the greatest players ever, the US has a rich history as one of the most successful countries in tennis.
This guide celebrates the most famous players for you to explore and get to know, including former world No.1s, Grand Slam champs, and the active players who work diligently to leave their mark.
Active Players
American men and women are prevalent on the ATP and WTA tours. At the time of writing, 23 men and 40 women ranked in the top 200. I’ve included these players below for reference.
Male
The 90s was the last prominent era for American men’s tennis in singles.
These days, players from the US struggle to break through, but there are plenty giving their best effort. Here’s a list of the most successful active men’s tennis players from the United States.
| Player | Birthday | Highest Rank | Titles |
| John Isner | April 26, 1985 | 8 | 16 |
| Jack Sock | September 24, 1992 | 8 | 4 |
| Sam Querrey | October 7, 1987 | 11 | 10 |
| Taylor Fritz | October 28, 1997 | 13 | 2 |
| Reilly Opelka | August 28, 1997 | 17 | 4 |
| Steve Johnson | December 24, 1989 | 21 | 4 |
| Frances Tiafoe | January 2, 1998 | 25 | 1 |
| Sebastian Korda | July 5, 2000 | 30 | 1 |
| Tommy Paul | May 17, 1997 | 33 | 1 |
| Jenson Brooksby | October 26, 2000 | 35 | 0 |
| Tennys Sandgren | July 22, 1991 | 41 | 1 |
| Mackenzie McDonald | April 16, 1995 | 49 | 0 |
| Marcos Giron | July 24, 1993 | 52 | 0 |
| Denis Kudla | August 17, 1992 | 53 | 0 |
| Maxime Cressy | May 8, 1997 | 59 | 0 |
| Brandon Nakashima | August 3, 2001 | 62 | 0 |
| Ernesto Escobedo | July 4, 1996 | 67 | 0 |
| Michael Mmoh | January 10, 1998 | 96 | 0 |
| Bjorn Fratangelo | July 19, 1993 | 99 | 0 |
| Stefan Kozlov | February 1, 1998 | 115 | 0 |
| J.J. Wolf | December 21, 1998 | 120 | 0 |
| Mitchell Krueger | January 1, 1994 | 146 | 0 |
| Christopher Eubanks | May 5, 1996 | 147 | 0 |
John Isner is by far the most successful active American man in tennis with a career-high ranking of world No. 8 and 16 titles. Perhaps not surprisingly, he’s also the oldest out of all the players listed above.
Female
On the women’s side of the sport, Americans have remained a dominant force, especially with the presence of the Williams sisters.
However, beyond Venus and Serena, plenty of other ladies are making their mark. The following is a list of the most successful American women who are active on the WTA tour.
| Player | Birthday | Highest Rank | Titles |
| Serena Williams | September 26, 1981 | 1 | 73 |
| Venus Williams | June 17, 1980 | 1 | 49 |
| Sloane Stephens | March 20, 1993 | 3 | 7 |
| Sofia Kenin | November 14, 1998 | 4 | 5 |
| Madison Keys | February 17, 1995 | 7 | 6 |
| Danielle Collins | December 3, 1993 | 8 | 2 |
| Coco Vandeweghe | December 6, 1991 | 9 | 2 |
| Jessica Pegula | February 24, 1994 | 11 | 1 |
| Jennifer Brady | April 12, 1995 | 13 | 1 |
| Coco Gauff | March 13, 2004 | 15 | 2 |
| Alison Riske | July 3, 1990 | 18 | 3 |
| Varvara Lepchenko | May 21, 1986 | 19 | 1 |
| Amanda Anisimova | August 31, 2001 | 21 | 2 |
| Christina Mchale | May 11, 1992 | 24 | 1 |
| Lauren Davis | October 9, 1993 | 26 | 1 |
| Bernarda Pera | December 3, 1994 | 35 | 1 |
| Madison Brengle | April 3, 1990 | 35 | 0 |
| Shelby Rogers | October 13, 1992 | 36 | 0 |
| Ann Li | June 26, 2000 | 44 | 1 |
| Louisa Chirico | May 16, 1996 | 58 | 0 |
| Sachia Vickery | May 11, 1995 | 73 | 0 |
| Catherine Harrison | April 9, 1994 | 82 | 1 |
| Claire Liu | May 25, 2000 | 83 | 0 |
| Grace Min | May 6, 1994 | 97 | 0 |
| Catherine Mcnally | November 20, 2001 | 105 | 0 |
| Katie Volynets | December 31, 2001 | 112 | 0 |
| Francesca Di Lorenzo | July 22, 1997 | 118 | 0 |
| Hailey Baptiste | November 3, 2001 | 119 | 0 |
| Allie Kiick | June 30, 1995 | 126 | 0 |
| Jamie Loeb | March 8, 1995 | 132 | 0 |
| Alycia Parks | December 31, 2000 | 150 | 0 |
| Robin Anderson | April 12, 1993 | 159 | 0 |
| Asia Muhammad | April 4, 1991 | 167 | 0 |
| Caroline Dolehide | September 5, 1998 | 172 | 0 |
| Emina Bektas | March 30, 1993 | 188 | 0 |
| Emma Navarro | May 18, 2001 | 194 | 0 |
| Hanna Chang | February 25, 1998 | 214 | 0 |
| Sophie Chang | May 28, 1997 | 274 | 0 |
| Usue Maitane Arconada | October 28, 1988 | 285 | 0 |
| Elvina Kalieva | July 27, 2003 | 294 | 0 |
As a whole, there’s more depth within active women. Even if you remove the tremendous accomplishments of the Williams sisters, more women have earned titles and found their way into the top ten and twenty in the world.
Men
From John McEnroe to Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, and Arthur Ashe, American men are some of the most recognizable names in tennis.
However, well before any of these players were alive, Bill Tilden and Don Budge were among a strong contingent of Americans making a name for themselves.
Keep reading to explore the most influential retired male tennis players from the United States, including their most noteworthy accomplishments.
Jimmy Connors
American, Jimmy Connors, is one of the best ever to play the game, highlighted by his success at Grand Slams. He claimed eight victories in singles, a number he could have extended further if he wasn’t banned from the French Open from 1974 to 1978 due to his participation in World Team Tennis, which had scheduling conflicts with the ATP.
He also only played the Australian Open twice, which was pretty typical until the mid-1980s for Americans because of the distance.
Jimmy had a stellar career record of 1274-283 for an 81.8% winning record. He also was successful in doubles, having claimed titles at Wimbledon and the US Open. In July of 1974, he ascended to world No. 1, which he held for 268 weeks in his career, 84 consecutive.
Jimmy Connors has coached Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, and Eugenie Bouchard, which helped maintain his post-retirement exposure in the tennis world.
| Birthday | September 2, 1952 |
| Retired | 1996 |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1998 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 109 singles / 16 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 8 singles / 2 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
John McEnroe
As famous for saying, “you cannot be serious” at Wimbledon in 1981 as he is for his success on the court, John McEnroe is one of the game’s best.
McEnroe claimed seven singles and nine doubles titles at Grand Slam events during his career, with all of those titles coming at the US Open and Wimbledon. He also helped lead the American Davis Cup team to five victories from 1978 to 1992.
In 1983, John reached the world’s No. 1 ranking in singles, which he held for 170 total weeks, 58 of which were consecutive.
Looking back on John McEnroe’s career, he stands out from many other top players with nearly equal success in doubles as singles. He also achieved a world No. 1 ranking in doubles in 1983.
John McEnroe has remained an influential and well-known figure in tennis through his regular broadcasting of tennis matches, movie cameos, and participation on the ATP Champions Tour.
| Birthday | February 16, 1959 |
| Retired | 1994 singles / 2006 doubles |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1999 |
| Highest Rank | 2 |
| Career Titles | 77 singles / 78 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 7 singles / 9 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Jim Courier
In the 1990s, Jim Courier, a prominent American tennis player, enjoyed an excellent career with four Grand Slam titles, two apiece at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
He reached the world No. 1 ranking in early 1992 on the heels of his first Grand Slam victory at the French Open and a finals appearance at the US Open the year before.
He managed a 506-237 record throughout his career, equating to a 68.1% winning percentage. He was also a regular on the doubles court, logging six titles and a career-high ranking of 20.
Jim Courier retained his prominence in tennis after retiring as an analyst and commentator for various major TV networks.
| Birthday | August 17, 1970 |
| Retired | 2000 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2005 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 23 singles / 6 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 4 singles |
| Olympic Medals | + |
Pete Sampras
Easily one of the best American men in the sport’s history, Pete Sampras delivered a dominant performance throughout the 1990s.
He wrapped up his career with 14 Grand Slam singles titles, the most of any player at his retirement in 2002. Despite his success, he could not complete a career Grand Slam because he never won the French Open. His best result at Roland Garros was the semi-finals in 1996.
His most successful surface was grass, where he won seven titles at Wimbledon. Since then, Roger Federer has been the only player to surpass his record at the tournament.
Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi had one of the greatest rivalries during the 1990s, meeting 34 times, 20 of which he won.
In April 1993, Sampras reached the world No. 1 ranking, which he held for 286 total weeks, 102 consecutive. He is third on the all-time leaderboard behind Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
| Birthday | August 12, 1971 |
| Retired | 2002 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2007 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 64 singles / 2 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 14 singles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Andre Agassi
In 1986, Andre Agassi turned pro, and throughout his 20-year career, he amassed eight Grand Slam titles, including a career Super Slam that saw him win all four Grand Slams at least once, gold a the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA, and the year-end championships.
He won 60 singles titles with an 870-274 record throughout his career, which equals a 76% win rate. In 1995, shortly after his second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, Andre ascended to world No. 1, a position he held during his career for 101 total weeks, 52 consecutive.
Apart from his success on the court, Agassi is well-known for his marriage to former world No. 1 Steffi Graf of the WTA tour and the Andre Agassi Charitable Association, founded in 1994. Furthermore, his biography, Open, is one of the best-selling tennis books.
Andre Agassi coached Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov for relatively brief periods post-retirement.
| Birthday | April 29, 1970 |
| Retired | 2006 |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2011 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 60 singles / 1 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 8 singles |
| Olympic Medals | Gold singles |
Andy Roddick
American Andy Roddick is well-known for his monster serve and big forehand, which he used effectively to earn his one and only Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2003.
Shortly after his success in New York, he rose to world No. 1 in November 2003. In 2004, 2005, and 2009, he also came close to winning Wimbledon, but Roger Federer defeated him all three times in the finals.
Andy Roddick claimed 32 singles titles and ended his career with a 612-213 record, winning 74.2% of the time. In 2007, Andy played a crucial role in helping the United States win the Davis Cup.
Off the court, Roddick also hosted a radio show on Fox, was a co-host on Fox Sports Live, and has commentated for tournaments, including Wimbledon in 2015.
| Birthday | August 30, 1982 |
| Retired | 2012 singles / 2015 doubles |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2017 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 32 singles / 4 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 1 singles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Mike Bryan
Along with his brother Bob, Mike Bryan goes down as one of the most successful doubles pairs in history. He turned pro in 1998 and retired 22 years later in 2020.
During his career, he claimed 18 major doubles titles, 124 men’s doubles titles, and spent 506 weeks at No. 1, all of which are the most of any male player. His record in doubles is 1,150-373, winning 75.5% of his matches.
Mike and Bob also found success at the Olympics, winning bronze in 2008 and gold in 2012. Together, they also helped lead the United States to a Davis Cup victory in 2007.
| Birthday | April 29, 1978 |
| Retired | 2020 |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Hall of Fame | – |
| Highest Rank | 246 singles / 1 doubles |
| Career Titles | 124 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 18 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | Gold doubles / Bronze doubles |
Bob Bryan
Bob Bryan partnered up with his brother Mike throughout his career as the most successful men’s pair in history.
However, Bob also found more success in singles than his brother, Mike. In 2000, he logged his highest-ever ranking at No. 116. During that year, he competed at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Due to injury, Bob’s titles fall slightly short of his brothers. In 2018, he underwent hip surgery, which took a few months to recover. During that time, Mike continued to compete, thus eclipsing Bob.
| Birthday | April 29, 1978 |
| Retired | 2020 |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Hall of Fame | – |
| Highest Rank | 116 singles / 1 doubles |
| Career Titles | 119 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 16 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | Gold doubles / Bronze doubles |
Stan Smith
American Stan Smith turned pro in 1969 after a brief stint as an amateur starting in 1964. Stan won two Grand Slam titles throughout his career, one at the US Open and another at Wimbledon.
In total, he claimed 64 titles, 48 of which fell in the Open Era, and ended his career with a 950-383 record or 71.3% win rate. Stan reached the world No. 1 ranking fairly early in his career in 1971.
Stan was also highly accomplished in doubles, having earned a world No. 1 ranking in 1981 and owning 54 titles, including five at Grand Slam events.
Off the court, Stan Smith remains well-known for the Adidas Stan Smith, an iconic tennis shoe named after him in 1978. To this day, the shoes remain popular, although no longer for competitive play.
Stan Smith serves as the President of the International Tennis Hall of Fame alongside CEO Todd Martin, another former professional tennis player.
| Birthday | December 14, 1946 |
| Retired | 1985 |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1987 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 64 singles / 54 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 2 singles / 5 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Arthur Ashe
Beyond his accomplishments, Arthur Ashe is a prominent figure in tennis history for his many accomplishments as a black tennis player.
Notably, he was the first black man selected to play for the Davis Cup, which helped America win in 1963, 1968, 1969, and 1970. He’s also the only black man to have won three Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
In 1975, he attained the world’s No. 1 ranking, and he closed out his career with 76 titles and a 1,188-371 record.
Arthur Ashe’s legacy lives on with center court at the US Open in Flushing Meadows, NY, named after him. Furthermore, the ATP hands out the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian and ESPN the Arthur Ashe for Courage Award every year to recognize his contributions.
| Birthday | July 10, 1943 |
| Retired | 1980 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1985 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 76 singles / 18 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 3 singles / 2 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Bill Tilden
Bill Tilden was a successful American player from the 1920s and 1930s who won ten Grand Slam singles titles, including seven at the US Open. He also found success in doubles, winning six Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles and five in mixed doubles.
Starting in 1912, Bill was an amateur and remained that way until 1946, when he turned professional as he needed the money.
Overall, he claimed 138 titles and a world No. 1 ranking in 1920, and he goes down in history as one of the greatest before the Open Era.
Unfortunately, Bill’s image was tarnished in the 1940s when he was arrested and jailed for sexual misconduct with younger boys. Despite that, the International Tennis Hall of Fame eventually inducted him in 1959, seven years after his death.
| Birthday | February 10, 1893 |
| Retired | 1946 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.87 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1959 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 138 singles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 10 singles / 6 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Don Budge
American Don Budge started as an amateur in 1932, but he eventually turned pro in 1938. Notably, he won six Grand Slam titles, including all four of them in 1938, the first player ever to accomplish the feat.
In 1937 and 1938, he managed to win singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles at Wimbledon and the US Open, dubbed the triple crown. He remains the only man to have accomplished the feat on three occasions.
In 1937, Don Budge earned a career-high No. 1 ranking, and he closed out his career with 43 titles and a 649-297 record, winning 68.6% of his matches. In 1964, the Tennis Hall of Fame inducted him as a member.
| Birthday | June 13, 1915 |
| Retired | 1961 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1964 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 43 singles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 6 singles / 4 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Women
American women are some of the sport’s most successful and influential athletes in history, including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Chris Evert, and Billie Jean King, to name a few.
The following American women have retired from tennis, but their legacy and influence live on are worth exploring.
Chris Evert
One of the game’s most successful players, Chris Evert, turned pro in 1972 and dominated the game for much of the seventies and eighties.
In total, she claimed 18 Grand Slam singles titles, winning every Grand Slam at least twice. She also won three Grand Slams in doubles.
Her career record is thoroughly impressive at 1,309-146, winning 89.7% of her matches. In 1975, she ascended to world No. 1, which she held for 260 total weeks. Her success led to 157 singles and 32 doubles titles.
Unique to Chris, she reached 34 Grand Slam singles finals, the most of any player in history, and won at least one major every year for thirteen consecutive years, starting in 1974 and ending in 1986.
At the time, Evert deployed a unique style of baseline tennis that helped revolutionize the game along with her two-handed backhand. Previously, players mainly played serve and volley tennis.
Since retiring in 1989, Chris Evert has remained a high-profile personality in tennis as an ESPN commentator at Grand Slam events and Tennis Magazine contributor.
| Birthday | December 21, 1954 |
| Retired | 1989 |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1995 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 157 singles / 32 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 18 singles / 3 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Martina Navratilova
Although Martina Navratilova started as a professional from Czechoslovakia in 1974, she eventually became a US citizen in 1981, so much of her success came as an American.
Like Chris Evert, she holds 18 Grand Slam singles titles and at least two at every Grand Slam tournament. Her most successful event by far is Wimbledon, which she won a record nine times.
In 1978, she became world No. 1, a position she held for 332 weeks in her career, the second-most of any player behind Steffi Graf. She held the same ranking in doubles for 237 weeks and is the only player to have reached 200 weeks in both disciplines.
Although her singles results are awe-inspiring, her doubles performance far eclipses her accomplishments in singles at Grand Slam events. She won an astounding 31 doubles Grand Slam titles, with at least seven at every tournament. In total, that’s 59 Grand Slam titles, the most of any player ever.
Post-retirement, she has served as a tennis commentator, written several books, and appeared in a few TV shows, which has helped her remain visible in the sport and beyond.
| Birthday | October 18, 1956 |
| Retired | 2006 |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2000 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 167 singles / 177 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 18 singles / 31 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Billie Jean King
American, Billie Jean King, is one of the best-known female tennis players in history who had a successful career and helped shape women’s tennis as we know it today.
In 1959, King turned pro, and during her career, she won 12 singles and 16 doubles Grand Slam titles. In 1966 she was ranked No. 1 in the world in singles, a feat she matched in doubles a year later. She ended her career with a 695-155 singles record, winning 81.8% of her matches and earning 129 titles.
Billie Jean King is well-known for campaigning throughout and after her career for gender equality and equal prize money. In 1971, shortly after the Open Era began, she was part of the Original 9, a group of women who committed to the first women’s professional tour.
In 1973, King famously played in the Battle of the Sexes, an exhibition match against Bobby Riggs, which she won and was a huge milestone in developing and garnering respect for women’s tennis.
She was also instrumental in forming the WTA and became the organization’s first president in 1973. King remains involved with the sport and has continued to fight for women’s equality.
In 2006, the USTA renamed the USTA National Tennis Center the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to recognize her contributions.
| Birthday | November 22, 1943 |
| Retired | 1990 |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.64 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1987 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 129 singles / 11 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 12 singles / 16 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Tracy Austin
Although her results aren’t entirely on par with the players previously mentioned, Tracy Austin goes down as one of the best American female tennis players.
Most notably, Tracy won the US Open twice in singles. Her first came in 1979 at the age of 16 as the youngest champion ever at the tournament, while her second came two years later in 1981. Shortly after her first victory in New York, she became ranked No. 1 in 1980.
Tracy Austin won 78.8% of her singles matches and claimed 30 titles throughout her career, along with a handful of doubles wins.
Since retiring, she’s gained some additional exposure working for the TennisChannel as a commentator.
| Birthday | December 23, 1962 |
| Retired | 1994 |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1992 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 30 singles / 5 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 2 singles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Monica Seles
Monica Seles started her career representing Yugoslavia in 1989 but eventually became a US Citizen in 1994, playing under the American flag.
With an emphasis on singles, Monica won nine Grand Slam tournaments and claimed 53 titles overall. In 1991 she became the No. 1 ranked player, which she held for 178 weeks, 64 consecutive. Her career record of 595-122 netted her an impressive 82.3% winning percentage.
Unfortunately, in 1993, Monic Seles was the victim of an attack in Hamburg, Germany, when a man stabbed her in the back during her quarterfinal match. She wouldn’t return to the tour until 1995.
Although she managed to win another Grand Slam at the Australian Open after returning, she never quite found her prior form. An eventual foot injury in 2003 sidelined her, and she never played on tour again.
If the stabbing hadn’t occurred, many believe she was on track to become one of if not the most successful female tennis player of all time.
| Birthday | December 2, 1973 |
| Retired | 2008 |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2009 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 53 singles / 6 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 9 singles |
| Olympic Medals | Bronze singles |
Lindsay Davenport
Born in California, Lindsay Davenport is another highly successful American who claimed three singles and women’s doubles Grand Slam victories during her career.
Her highest ranking as world No. 1 came in 1998, a position she kept for 98 weeks, 44 consecutive. Lindsay accomplished the same feat in doubles, which she achieved in 1997 and held for 32 weeks.
In 1996, Lindsay captured gold at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA, and she ended her career with a 753-194 record, winning 79.5% of her singles matches.
Since retiring, Davenport has remained consistently involved with tennis. She has served as a tennis commentator for Tennis Channel and coached Madison Keys.
| Birthday | June 8, 1976 |
| Retired | 2010 |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.89 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2014 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 55 singles / 38 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 3 singles / 3 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | Gold singles |
Jennifer Capriati
From early in her career, Jennifer Capriati was a success. After turning pro in 1990, she quickly climbed the ranks, reaching the top 10 at 14 years old.
Her first Grand Slam title came in 2001, which she followed up with another at the French Open. Although she’d make deep runs several times at Wimbledon and the US Open, her third and final Grand Slam victory came at the 2002 Australian Open.
Despite her success in the majors, she only won 14 titles during her career and ended with a 430-176 record, winning 71% of matches. In 2001 after a string of victories, she reached the No. 1 ranking in October.
At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, Jennifer Capriati captured gold defeating Steffi Graf, coming from a set down.
| Birthday | March 29, 1976 |
| Retired | 2004 |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2012 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 14 singles / 1 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 3 singles |
| Olympic Medals | Gold singles |
Doris Hart
American, Doris Hart, was a successful tennis player in the 1950s who became the fourth player to win a Career Grand Slam in singles, doing so from 1949 to 1954 and accumulating 6 Grand Slam singles titles overall.
However, her success went far beyond singles, accumulating 14 women’s doubles titles and 15 mixed doubles. Notably, she achieved a Career Box Set, winning every Grand Slam at least once in every discipline.
In 1951, Doris garnered her highest ranking as world No. 1, and the Tennis Hall of Fame inducted her in 1951. Post-retirement in 1955, Doris taught tennis and published an autobiography.
| Birthday | June 20, 1925 |
| Retired | 1955 |
| Height | – |
| Hall of Fame | 1969 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | – |
| Grand Slam Titles | 6 singles / 14 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Althea Gibson
Althena Gibson is a black American tennis player whose road to success was challenging in the 1950s. Notably, she was the first black tennis player to win a Grand Slam at the French Open in 1956.
Althena narrowly missed claiming a Career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open in 1957, where she reached the finals. That same year, Althena attained the world’s No. 1 ranking. She’d win four more at Wimbledon and the US Open throughout her career.
Much of her success came as an amateur, but because it didn’t pay, she turned professional in 1958. Unfortunately for her, she was ahead of her time. Opportunities were limited, and racial discrimination was rampant.
Despite the challenges, she carried on. In 1964, she became the first black woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Although her racial challenges continued, she reached a career-high ranking in golf of 27, extending her accomplishments as an athlete.
Although Althea Gibson passed in 2003, her legacy lives on, and her impact and influence are undeniable.
| Birthday | August 29, 1927 |
| Retired | 1958 |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1971 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | – |
| Grand Slam Titles | 5 singles / 5 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Helen Wills Moody
Easily one of the greatest tennis players of her time, American Helen Wills Moody’s success was unmatched in the 1920s, and her success continued well into the 1930s.
In total, Helen won 31 Grand Slam titles, 19 in singles. The only Grand Slam she didn’t win was the Australian Open, which didn’t start until 1922 and few American players traveled due to the distance.
In 1926, Helen traveled to France to participate in the Match of the Century against Suzanne Lenglen, a French tennis player. The two were widely considered the best at the time. Although competitive, Helen lost the match 3-6, 6-8.
In the 1924 Paris Olympic Games, Helen won gold in singles and doubles. That same year, she reached the No. 1 ranking in doubles after winning Wimbledon and the US Open. A few years later, in 1927, she achieved the world’s No. 1 ranking in singles.
| Birthday | October 6, 1905 |
| Retired | 1938 |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.71 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1959 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | – |
| Grand Slam Titles | 19 singles / 9 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | Gold singles / Gold doubles |
Maureen Connolly
Success started early for Maureen Connolly, winning the US Championships in 1951 at 16. Soon after, in 1953, she became the first woman to win a Grand Slam as the champion of all four Grand Slam tournaments that year, only losing one set in all four of the tournaments.
In total, Maureen won 12 Grand Slam events from 1951 to 1954. Nine in singles, two in women’s doubles, and one in mixed doubles.
Unfortunately, a horseriding accident cut her career short in 1954 when she injured her fibula shortly after winning Wimbledon. A year later, she announced her retirement from the sport.
| Birthday | September 17, 1934 |
| Retired | 1955 |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 1968 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | – |
| Grand Slam Titles | 9 singles / 2 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Black Americans
Despite widespread racism and prejudice, Althea Gibson in the 1950s and Arthur Ashe in the 1960s and 70s persevered and never backed down to help pave the way for black tennis players in America and more broadly.
Years later, starting in the 1990s, Venus and Serena Williams forever changed the game as a dominant duo who will go down in history as two of the greatest players ever.
Although the Williams sisters aren’t too far off from retirement, their impact is immeasurable for black athletes, inspiring millions on and off the court. Today, many other black tennis players in America continue to follow in their footsteps.
Below, I’ve listed some of America’s most prominent male and female black tennis players.
Male
The following is a list of prominent black American male tennis players.
- Arthur Ashe
- James Blake
- Steve Campbell
- Christopher Eubanks
- Bruce Foxworth
- Rodney Harmon
- Chip Hooper
- Scoville Jenkins
- Jarmere Jenkins
- Lesley Joseph
- Jimmie McDaniel
- Michael Mmoh
- Nicholas Monroe
- Todd Nelson
- Bryan Shelton
- Frances Tifaoe
- MaliVai Washington
- Donald Young
Female
The following is a list of prominent black American female tennis players.
- Katrina Adams
- Leslie Allen
- Robin Anderson
- Raquel Atawo
- Hailey Baptiste
- Camille Benjamin
- Renee Blount
- Kyle Copeland
- Jennifer Elie
- Zina Garrison
- Coco Gauff
- Althea Gibson
- Angela Haynes
- Jamea Jackson
- Cheryl Jones
- Madison Keys
- Stacey Martin
- Lori McNeil
- Robin Montgomery
- Diane Morrison
- Asia Muhammad
- Asia Muhammad
- Whitney Osuigwe
- Alycia Parks
- Shenay Perry
- Asha Rolle
- Chanda Rubin
- Sloane Stephens
- Alexandra Stevenson
- Taylor Townsend
- Sachia Vickery
- Ora Washington
- Mashona Washington
- Serena Williams
- Venus Williams
New players are coming up the ranks all the time, so I’ll do my best to keep the above lists updated. If you think I missed someone or want to encourage me to add a player, feel free to post a comment.
Greatest Of All Time
There are several exceptional male and female Americans, a handful of whom will go down as the greatest ever. However, I’ve selected my picks for the best below.
Serena Williams – Female
For many, Serena Williams will go down as the greatest female tennis player ever, regardless of nationality. Therefore, she’s undeniably the best when it comes to Americans and will be hard to eclipse.
Serena turned pro in 1995, shortly after turning 14, but it wasn’t until 1998 that she started to make waves. In 1999 she won her first Grand Slam singles win at the US Open. Since then, Serena has amassed a record 23 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era.
In July of 2002, Serena reached the world’s No. 1 ranking, and she has held that position for 319 weeks throughout her career, tied with Steffi Graf for most consecutive weeks at 186.
Along with her sister Venus, she’s won 14 Grand Slams in doubles and has another two in mixed doubles. She also has a singles gold and three doubles gold at the Olympics.
Throughout her ongoing career, she’s won 73 singles and 23 doubles titles and currently has a near-identical 84% winning percentage in both disciplines. Although Serena is not yet retired, she’s already cemented herself as one of the best ever to live.
| Birthday | September 26, 1981 |
| Retired | – |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Hall of Fame | – |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 73 singles / 23 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 23 singles / 14 doubles |
| Olympic Medals | Singles gold / 3x doubles gold |
Pete Sampras – Male
With 14 Grand Slam tournament wins, Pete Sampras outshines other American men in singles by at least six titles, with Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors at eight.
He also held the number one ranking for more weeks than any other American player by 18 weeks. Although Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe have more titles than Pete Sampras, with 109 and 77, respectively, his success at the biggest tournaments outweighs their accomplishments.
| Birthday | August 12, 1971 |
| Retired | 2002 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Hall of Fame | 2007 |
| Highest Rank | 1 |
| Career Titles | 64 singles / 2 doubles |
| Grand Slam Titles | 14 singles |
| Olympic Medals | – |
Grand Slam Champions
The Grand Slam tournaments are the most prestigious and include the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.
When players win a Grand Slam event, they usually receive worldwide recognition from the media for their accomplishment. As a result, American players who have won Grand Slams are among the most famous, with some of the best name recognition of any players.
The following is a list of the American men and women who have won Grand Slam events throughout history.
| Year | Australian Open | French Open | Wimbledon | US Open |
| 1877 | ||||
| 1878 | ||||
| 1879 | ||||
| 1880 | ||||
| 1881 | Richard Sears | |||
| 1882 | Richard Sears | |||
| 1883 | Richard Sears | |||
| 1884 | Richard Sears | |||
| 1885 | Richard Sears | |||
| 1886 | Richard Sears | |||
| 1887 | Ellen Hansell Richard Sears |
|||
| 1888 | Bertha Townsend Henry Slocum |
|||
| 1889 | Bertha Townsend Henry Slocum |
|||
| 1890 | Ellen Roosevelt Oliver Campbell |
|||
| 1891 | Mabel Cahill Oliver Campbell |
|||
| 1892 | Mabel Cahill Oliver Campbell |
|||
| 1893 | Aline Terry Robert Wrenn |
|||
| 1894 | Helen Hellwig Robert Wrenn |
|||
| 1895 | Juliette Atkinson Fred Hovey |
|||
| 1896 | Elisabeth Moore Robert Wrenn |
|||
| 1897 | Juliette Atkinson Robert Wrenn |
|||
| 1898 | Juliette Atkinson Malcolm Whitman |
|||
| 1899 | Marion Jones Malcolm Whitman |
|||
| 1900 | Myrtle McAteer Malcolm Whitman |
|||
| 1901 | Elisabeth Moore William Larned |
|||
| 1902 | Marion Jones William Larned |
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| 1903 | Elisabeth Moore | |||
| 1904 | May Sutton Bundy Holcombe Ward |
|||
| 1905 | Elisabeth Moore Beals Wright |
|||
| 1906 | Helen Homans William Clothier |
|||
| 1907 | Evelyn Sears William Larned |
|||
| 1908 | Fred Alexander | Maud Barger-Wallach William Larned |
||
| 1909 | Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman William Larned |
|||
| 1910 | Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman William Larned |
|||
| 1911 | Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman William Larned |
|||
| 1912 | Mary Browne Maurice McLoughlin |
|||
| 1913 | Mary Browne Maurice McLoughlin |
|||
| 1914 | Mary Browne Richard Williams |
|||
| 1915 | William Johnston | |||
| 1916 | Richard Williams | |||
| 1917 | Robert Lindley Murray | |||
| 1918 | Robert Lindley Murray | |||
| 1919 | Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman William Johnston |
|||
| 1920 | Bill Tilden | Molla Bjurstedt Mallory Bill Tilden |
||
| 1921 | Bill Tilden | Molla Bjurstedt Mallory Bill Tilden |
||
| 1922 | Molla Bjurstedt Mallory Bill Tilden |
|||
| 1923 | William Johnston | Helen Wills Moody Bill Tilden |
||
| 1924 | Helen Wills Moody Bill Tilden |
|||
| 1925 | Helen Wills Moody Bill Tilden |
|||
| 1926 | Molla Bjurstedt Mallory | |||
| 1927 | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Wills Moody | ||
| 1928 | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Wills Moody | |
| 1929 | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Wills Moody Bill Tilden |
|
| 1930 | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Wills Moody Bill Tilden |
John Doeg | |
| 1931 | Sidney Wood | Helen Wills Moody Ellsworth Vines |
||
| 1932 | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Wills Moody Ellsworth Vines |
Helen Jacobs Ellsworth Vines |
|
| 1933 | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Jacobs | ||
| 1934 | Helen Jacobs | |||
| 1935 | Helen Wills Moody | Helen Jacobs Wilmer Allison |
||
| 1936 | Helen Jacobs | Alice Marble | ||
| 1937 | Don Budge | Don Budge | ||
| 1938 | Dorothy Bundy Cheney Don Budge |
Don Budge | Helen Wills Moody Don Budge |
Alice Marble Don Budge |
| 1939 | Don McNeill | Alice Marble Bobby Riggs |
Alice Marble Bobby Riggs |
|
| 1940 | Alice Marble Don McNeill |
|||
| 1941 | Sarah Palfrey Cooke Bobby Riggs |
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| 1942 | Pauline Betz Ted Schroeder |
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| 1943 | Pauline Betz Joseph Hunt |
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| 1944 | Pauline Betz Frank Parker |
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| 1945 | Sarah Palfrey Cooke Frank Parker |
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| 1946 | Margaret Osborne duPont | Pauline Betz | Pauline Betz Jack Kramer |
|
| 1947 | Patricia Canning Todd | Margaret Osborne duPont Jack Kramer |
Louise Brough Jack Kramer |
|
| 1948 | Frank Parker | Louise Brough Bob Falkenburg |
Margaret Osborne duPont Pancho Gonzales |
|
| 1949 | Doris Hart | Margaret Osborne duPont Frank Parker |
Louise Brough Ted Schroeder |
Margaret Osborne duPont Pancho Gonzales |
| 1950 | Louise Brough | Doris Hart Budge Patty |
Louise Brough Budge Patty |
Margaret Osborne duPont Arthur Larsen |
| 1951 | Richard Savitt | Shirley Fry | Doris Hart Richard Savitt |
Maureen Connolly |
| 1952 | Doris Hart | Maureen Connolly | Maureen Connolly | |
| 1953 | Maureen Connolly | Maureen Connolly | Maureen Connolly Vic Seixas |
Maureen Connolly Tony Trabert |
| 1954 | Maureen Connolly Tony Trabert |
Maureen Connolly | Doris Hart Vic Seixas |
|
| 1955 | Tony Trabert | Louise Brough Tony Trabert |
Doris Hart Tony Trabert |
|
| 1956 | Althea Gibson | Shirley Fry | Shirley Fry | |
| 1957 | Shirley Fry | Althea Gibson | Althea Gibson | |
| 1958 | Althea Gibson | Althea Gibson | ||
| 1959 | Alex Olmedo | Alex Olmedo | ||
| 1960 | Darlene Hard | Darlene Hard | ||
| 1961 | Darlene Hard | |||
| 1962 | Karen Hantze Susman | |||
| 1963 | Chuck McKinley | |||
| 1964 | ||||
| 1965 | ||||
| 1966 | Billie Jean Moffitt King | |||
| 1967 | Nancy Richey | Billie Jean Moffitt King | Billie Jean Moffitt King | |
| 1968 | Billie Jean Moffitt King | Nancy Richey | Billie Jean Moffitt King | Arthur Ashe |
| 1969 | Ann Haydon Jones | |||
| 1970 | Arthur Ashe | |||
| 1971 | Billie Jean Moffitt King Stan Smith |
|||
| 1972 | Billie Jean Moffitt King | Billie Jean Moffitt King Stan Smith |
Billie Jean Moffitt King | |
| 1973 | Billie Jean Moffitt King | |||
| 1974 | Jimmy Connors | Chris Evert | Chris Evert Jimmy Connors |
Billie Jean Moffitt King Jimmy Connors |
| 1975 | Chris Evert | Billie Jean Moffitt King Arthur Ashe |
Chris Evert | |
| 1976 | Chris Evert | Chris Evert Jimmy Connors |
||
| 1977 | Roscoe Tanner – Jan Vitas Gerulaitis – Dec |
Chris Evert | ||
| 1978 | Martina Navratilova | Chris Evert Jimmy Connors |
||
| 1979 | Barbara Jordan | Chris Evert | Martina Navratilova | Tracy Austin John McEnroe |
| 1980 | Brian TeacherDec | Chris Evert | Chris Evert John McEnroe |
|
| 1981 | Martina Navratilova | Chris Evert John McEnroe |
Tracy Austin John McEnroe |
|
| 1982 | Chris Evert Johan KriekDec |
Martina Navratilova | Martina Navratilova Jimmy Connors |
Chris Evert Jimmy Connors |
| 1983 | Martina Navratilova | Chris Evert | Martina Navratilova John McEnroe |
Martina Navratilova Jimmy Connors |
| 1984 | Chris Evert | Martina Navratilova | Martina Navratilova John McEnroe |
Martina Navratilova John McEnroe |
| 1985 | Martina Navratilova | Chris Evert | Martina Navratilova | |
| 1986 | Chris Evert | Martina Navratilova | Martina Navratilova | |
| 1987 | Martina Navratilova | Martina Navratilova | ||
| 1988 | ||||
| 1989 | Michael Chang | |||
| 1990 | Martina Navratilova | Pete Sampras | ||
| 1991 | Jim Courier | |||
| 1992 | Jim Courier | Jim Courier | Andre Agassi | |
| 1993 | Jim Courier | Pete Sampras | Pete Sampras | |
| 1994 | Pete Sampras | Pete Sampras | Andre Agassi | |
| 1995 | Andre Agassi | Pete Sampras | Pete Sampras | |
| 1996 | Monica Seles | Pete Sampras | ||
| 1997 | Pete Sampras | Pete Sampras | ||
| 1998 | Pete Sampras | Lindsay Davenport | ||
| 1999 | Andre Agassi | Lindsay Davenport Pete Sampras |
Serena Williams Andre Agassi |
|
| 2000 | Lindsay Davenport Andre Agassi |
Venus Williams Pete Sampras |
Venus Williams | |
| 2001 | Jennifer Capriati Andre Agassi |
Jennifer Capriati | Venus Williams | Venus Williams |
| 2002 | Jennifer Capriati | Serena Williams | Serena Williams | Serena Williams Pete Sampras |
| 2003 | Serena Williams Andre Agassi |
Serena Williams | Andy Roddick | |
| 2004 | ||||
| 2005 | Serena Williams | Venus Williams | ||
| 2006 | ||||
| 2007 | Serena Williams | Venus Williams | ||
| 2008 | Venus Williams | Serena Williams | ||
| 2009 | Serena Williams | Serena Williams | ||
| 2010 | Serena Williams | Serena Williams | ||
| 2011 | ||||
| 2012 | Serena Williams | Serena Williams | ||
| 2013 | Serena Williams | Serena Williams | ||
| 2014 | Serena Williams | |||
| 2015 | Serena Williams | Serena Williams | Serena Williams | |
| 2016 | Serena Williams | |||
| 2017 | Serena Williams | Sloane Stephens | ||
| 2018 | ||||
| 2019 | ||||
| 2020 | Sofia Kenin | |||
| 2021 | ||||
| 2022 |
I’ll do my best to keep this list updated as it changes.
World No. 1s
Achieving a No. 1 ranking in tennis takes time and consistent performance, which few players have accomplished.
Since the ATP and WTA began tracking rankings, only 27 men and 28 women have held the top spot, underscoring how difficult it is to achieve the feat. As a result of their success, these players usually attract global attention and sponsorships and are some of the most recognizable names.
The following are lists of American men and women who have managed to rank No. 1 in tennis during the Open Era.
Men
The United States has more former world No. 1s than any other country. Here are the men that make up the list.
- Pete Sampras
- Jimmy Connors
- John McEnroe
- Andre Agassi
- Jim Courier
- Andy Roddick
Women
Eight American women have held the No. 1 spot in tennis, the most of any country in history. Here are the women who have claimed the top spot during the Open Era.
- Martina Navratilova
- Serena Williams
- Chris Evert
- Monica Seles
- Lindsay Davenport
- Tracy Austin
- Jennifer Capriati
- Venus Williams
This list will undoubtedly change in the future, so I’ll do my best to keep it updated.
Wrapping Up
Americans are some of the most influential in tennis history, and their legacy will likely only grow as more players come through the ranks and establish themselves on the ATP and WTA tours.
Hopefully, this article has helped you in your exploration of men and women players from the United States. If you think there’s anyone I’ve skipped or have any thoughts to share, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
5-Point Friday
A brief recap of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about in tennis.
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