best british female tennis players of all time
The game is changed quite a bit since she was playing, so its hard to compare her directly to some contemporaries. Jacobs amassed five titles of her own over the course of her career and brought a Jazz Age flappers sensibility to the stuffy world of 1920s tennis. Throughout her 11 year career, she showed she was a continually great competitor. Many believed that she retired way too early in 2007, but she was back on tour in two years. 2 Nadal, No. Though the daughter of a tennis coach mother, Katie Boulter had initially focused on playing the piano before she deviated to tennis as a career. I'm Fred, the guy behind TennisPredict. Serena was 35 when she finally tied Steffis 22 Slams and 36 when she won #23. but failed to do so. In particular, Venus used a powerful serve and crisp volleys to dominate at Wimbledon, which she has won five times. She isnt considered a huge threat to win at the majors in this part of her career, but it was just 2017 when she made a run to the finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Its an achievement that even most of the greatest of all times failed. 10 Rosewall. At only 22 years, Naomi Osaka has established herself as an iconic tennis star and champion. With that being said, one of the best ways to compare players is to look at grand slam totals. WebShe is the face of womens tennis in the UK and took home a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. She underlined that with her historical wins over #3 Seles, #2 Davenport and #1 Hingis at Roland Garos. Evonne often bullied her opposition, dominating early on and consistently throughout matches. However, there was one person who would be in her way and never really allowed her to dominate the game. Known as The Little Wonder, Lottie Dod gained fame as a remarkable tennis player and a five-time Wimbledon Ladies' Singles champion. She was the first Latin-American woman to win a major title and paved the way to tennis becoming the global sport it is today. 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). That last, dramatic French Open triumph against Hingis in 1999 is up there for the unexpected delight of it all. Going way back to the 1920s and 1930s, the game of tennis was dominated by one woman in particular. She also is the most recent British woman to win a major title. Christine Truman Margaret Court doubles Wimbledon By fotograaf onbekend / CC BY-SA 3.0 NL (https://creativecommons. Simona Halep has established herself as one of the most consistent players on the womens tour in tennis history while showing what it takes to perform on the greatest stage. 9 Agassi and No. In 2016, she won the mixed-doubles at Wimbledon, becoming the first British player to win at Wimbledon since Joanna Mary Durie in 1987. Connors and then later in Colorado the mens seniors with McEnroe, Connors , Borg and many more. 3. Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand). Born: July 5, 1979, Saint-Germain-En-Laye, France. Bottom line:Pauline Betz played Grand Slams selectively during her career, but when she did, she tended to win, and in historically dominant fashion. Steffi Graf. If Virginia Wade was the last great British womens champion of the 20th century, Dorothy Round was one of the first. Justine Henin is one of the greatest and most underrated players in womens tennis. But overcome it Gooolagong did. Martina Hingis was a teenage tennis sensation. Remarkably, Venus is just a few months away from playing professional tennis after the age of 40 years old. When looking across her career resume, its hard to find a more well-rounded player. Thanks to everyone who took part. This made her nearly unbeatable on clay, finishing with a 382-22 record on that surface. The character and poise were there from the start. 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. Vote up the best women's tennis players ever. Ivanovic even went one step further and won a Grand Slam, taking home the French Open that year in convincing fashion. British tennis has produced some of the greatest tennis players of all time. Robby J. Justine Henin is one of the greatest and most underrated players in womens tennis. Died: Aug. 21, 1994, Sutton, United Kingdom (Age 78), Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand). 2, Wade won three Grand Slam singles titles, including the famous 1977 Wimbledon, which was attended by Queen Elizabeth II. 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. Died: Nov. 12, 1982, Kidderminster, U.K. (Age 73). She was tennis own child star and reached the top 10 in the rankings at just 14 years old. Vote for Your Favourite British Female Tennis Players, (British Former Professional Tennis Player), (Former British Professional Tennis Player), (Former British Tennis Player and Television Presenter), (British Former Professional Tennis Player Who Formerly Represented Australia), (British Former Table Tennis and Lawn Tennis Champion), (Former Tennis Player and Television Host), (English Former Professional Tennis Player), (English Fashion Designer and Former Professional Tennis Player), (British Tennis Player and the Youngest Ladies Singles Champion), (British Tennis and Badminton Player and the Second Most Decorated Female British Olympian). She also became a huge inspiration for a lot of mothers when she came back after giving birth. With that in mind, we are spending the Wimbledon fortnight debating which of the greats is the greatest of them all. Billie Jean King takes on Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes. She had lost her last two matches against Navratilova the Wimbledon and US Open finals of 1987 and this was her first meeting against her fellow GOAT candidate during her legendary Golden Slam-winning year. Retired from professional tennis in 2013, she continued to remain associated with the game, captaining Great Britain Fed Cup team from 2017 to 2019. 1 in doubles, Wade won four Grand Slam doubles titles. Christine Truman Margaret Court doubles Wimbledon By fotograaf onbekend / CC BY-SA 3.0 NL (https://creativecommons. She won 55 singles titles and spent nearly 100 weeks spent at No.1, the eighth-most of all time. And she has transcended her sport. As such a young player, who won eight grand slam titles as a teenager, she showed such mental strength to win matches. Wade has the dual distinction of being the only British woman to win all four majors (although she only won the French in doubles). Serena has solely dominated womens tennis for over a decade and is still competing at the very highest level at the age of 38. 2, Jones managed to establish herself as a praiseworthy player despite playing in a highly competitive era; she played against some of the all-time greats like Margaret Court and Billie Jean King. The game has had many great female players, pioneers and trailblazers, but only one gets the all-time top ranking. Angela Mortimer was certainly one of the greatest British female tennis players alive during the 1950s and early 1960s. With that said, she had a ton of success as a child prodigy, and she hung around enough to have considerable success in doubles as well. Played: Right-handed (one-handed backhand). A great ambassador to the game and her country. Maria Sharapova became an international icon by winning her first Wimbledon title at 17. In 2016, she won the mixed-doubles at Wimbledon, becoming the first British player to win at Wimbledon since Joanna Mary Durie in 1987. Born: March 20, 1993, Plantation, Florida. Florence Angela Margret Mortimer Berret, better known as simply Angela Mortimer, is the 2: Ann Jones. 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 Wades tally of 55 is particularly impressive. Ranker Tennis. Justine Henin is one of the greatest and most underrated players in womens tennis. it was used the first time, when Navratilova failed to win rthe Grand Slam although she had even won 6 consecutive Majors. Chris Evert and Serena Williams each have won six titles in New York. WebEasily one of the most successful female British tennis players, Virginia Wade is a three-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. At 23, she was only ranked No. WebKathleen McKane Godfree was a British badminton and tennis player. Osaka showed that even at her young age her groundstrokes had the power to outmatch Serena strength for strength. Twice. A former world No. Justine Henin is one of the last great tennis champions in the women's game to use a one-handed backhand. Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles were all popular with our readers. Died: May 29, 2015, Coral Gables, Florida (Age 89). "Chrissie" was the signature star of 1970s tennis, a time when the game was exploding in popularity in the United States. In total, she won 3 Grand Slams, the 1955 French Open, 1958 Australian Open and Wimbledon in 1961. She also found success in doubles, winning at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open into her thirties, to bring her career full circle. Helen Wills Moody was the number one player in the world from 1927 to 1933, and she regained that position in 1935 and 1938. At the 1908 Summer Olympics, Lambert Chambers won the gold medal in the singles event. Her stretch of seven grand slams won between 1990 and 1993 is one of the greatest runs of dominance recorded by a player in the modern era. The 48 games played between them remains a record for most games in a single U.S. Open finals match. No tennis match had been seen by so many. 2. 6 Borg, No. Female athletes continue to fight for equality in sports, and tennis players have been at the forefront of that struggle for decades. She has eight ITF career titles, including three singles titles, under her belt. The top players also dominated their peers, and most of them had games that could translate into success in other eras. 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 She had most of her success at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, winning a total of 10 titles between the two. She is an absolute legend. Francesca Jones is a British tennis player who has won six ITF Circuit titles so far in her career. Not only did she excel as a player by winning 39 grand slam titles 12 in singles, 16 in womens doubles and 11 in mixed doubles but she is a crusader for social justice and womens equality in sports. (VOTE) There was agreement on five players: No. Her first Grand Slam victory came in 1968 at the US Open, and shed go on to win 55 singles titles throughout her career. Justine Henin is one of the greatest and most underrated players in womens tennis. In 2011, she became the first woman from Asia to reach a Grand Slam final and then win a Slam outright at the French Open, in front of a TV audience of hundreds of millions of Chinese fans. Some people believe that Serena Williams still has work to do to become the greatest tennis player of all time. In 1933, Wills won a "Battle of the Sexes" exhibition match, decades before Billie Jean King. Serena who is listed as #1 23 & 72 titles less than 1/2 of M Court. Angela Mortimer Althea Gibson By Associated Press / Public domain Florence Angela Margaret Mortimer Barrett is a 4. Its very popular these days to put Serena ahead of Graf on the all time greatest list. This guy was the tennis pro of the 90s. She also won two US Open doubles titles and three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. 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 Ann Shirley Jones is a tennis legend and easily one of the greatest of all time, playing at a time 3: Virginia Wade. She was slowing down before she even turned 30 years old, and had to step away from the game. A popular tennis player, Jones won eight Grand Slam titles during her career. Serena NEVER had the level of consistent competition that Martina and Chris Evert gave each other. Shes been number one in the world for 64 weeks so far in her career, and she may add to that number in the end. The second-most successful female British Olympian, Godfree won five Olympic medals in two Olympic Games. Died: June 2, 1997, East Hampton, New York (Age 88). Bottom line: Players from Russia are now a common part of the tennis landscape, but it was not always the case. Others believe shes already reached that pinnacle. Steffi #2? In fact he was the first British man since the 70s to reach a Grand Slam semi-final position. Tennis has seen a slew of epic rivalries throughout the course of, Read More 15 Greatest Rivalries In Tennis HistoryContinue, Over the last couple of decades, the tennis court has turned into a home for some very tall players. Ranker Tennis. She certainly left a great impression on a young 11-year-old schoolboy when she won Wimbledon for the first time in 1971. Ann Shirley Jones is a tennis legend and easily one of the greatest of all time, playing at a time 3: Virginia Wade. Laura Robson is a British professional tennis player who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics in the mixed-doubles event. The key to her success? She first gained attention after winning the Lemon Bowl at 11 and now has five singles and four doubles titles in her kitty. Wills got the better of Jacobs six times, but the seventh time, at the 1933 U.S. Open, Jacobs came away the victor. This feat, winning an entire set while losing zero points, has only been recorded 14 known times across the entire history of mens or womens tennis. Although she represented France in national play, she made history as the first Canadian-born player to win a Grand Slam and was the most recent French player (to date) to win the Roland Garros title. You rarely saw an unforced error from Evert. Forty-three players made the list from the Americas, 39 from Europe and 18 from Oceania. Vote up the best women's tennis players ever. For much of the 2010s, Caroline Wozniacki was a model of consistency, winning 30 titles and ending two consecutive years at world No.1. They put Graf ahead of Serena and on #1 position of the greatests. Still, winning a total of nine grand slam singles titles is pretty impressive. It was an elegant but deadly stroke often compared to that of Roger Federer in the mens game. WebKathleen McKane Godfree was a British badminton and tennis player. That lead to seven Grand Slam singles titles, and a dominant run at the French Open. In 1998, she fulfilled her longtime dream and won that title, the last of her style to do so. Now its time for the readers to offer their verdict. Billie Jean King has had the biggest influence on womens tennis in the past 50 years. Murrays tally of 46 singles titles is good for 14th on the all-time list, just behind Boris Becker and ahead of greats including Arthur Ashe and Stefan Edberg. 3. Ranker Tennis. The French Open paid tribute to Lenglen's legacy by naming one of its show courts after her, and it stands to this day in memory of what she achieved. An incredible athlete with unparalleled longevity, Navratilova won the U.S. Open in mixed doubles in 2006, just a month shy of her 50th birthday. If she was a little more dedicated to fitness early in her career, she might be higher on the list. In fact he was the first British man since the 70s to reach a Grand Slam semi-final position. WebVirginia Wade and Andy Murray are the most successful British tennis players in the Open Era by singles titles. Died: Oct. 24, 2012, El Paso, Texas (Age 94). To watch this young woman running around the tennis court beating the old pros was wonderful. 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. Who is the best of the best? Serena deserves her status as a global icon. Forty-three players made the list from the Americas, 39 from Europe and 18 from Oceania. Her first Grand Slam victory came in 1968 at the US Open, and shed go on to win 55 singles titles throughout her career. The second-most successful female British Olympian, Godfree won five Olympic medals in two Olympic Games. 2 who turned pro in 1968 and retired in 1986. Steve Watts. Jennifer Capriati had colossal expectations placed on her from a very young age. She was able to win the Golden Grand Slam, taking home all four major titles, as well as the Olympic gold in the Seoul Olympics. With that in mind, we are spending the Wimbledon fortnight debating which of the greats is the greatest of them all. Her father was an aspiring tennis coach. Top 5 British Tennis Players of All Time 1. She also broke ground for Spain by leading her country to its first Fed Cup title in 1991, a title she then helped Spain win four more times. Players must track down balls and keep long rallies going to survive in a game that now takes place almost exclusively at the, Read More 10 Fastest Tennis Players In The WorldContinue, In the world today, about 10% of people are left-handed, and 1% of the population has what is called mixed-handedness or cross-dominance. Martina Navratilova shows off her Wimbledon trophy in 1990. Doris Hart achieved things that few others have matched even in the many decades since her playing career ended. Your email address will not be published. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. 1 Federer, No. In 1981, she was inducted posthumously into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. For years, however, the title most befitting a serve-and-volley player, Wimbledon, eluded her. On the court, Sharapova dictated points with a strong serve and heavy groundstrokes and won all four majors for the career Grand Slam. Nicola Viggers. At 20 years old, it robbed her of over two years in her prime. You as fellow tennis players and tennis commentators, they will say Serena is the best female tennis player of all times. 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. Now 53 years old, she is a former professional player who ranked World No.1 for a record 377 weeks. She was able to have a ton of success in the 1990s in particular, but it was 1988 where she first made a huge splash. Furthermore, she achieved the "Box Set" of winning all four Grand Slams in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Now 53 years old, she is a former professional player who ranked World No.1 for a record 377 weeks. As we get ready for the 2020 season, heres how things look. She also had amazing drop shots, devastating passing shots, as well as great accuracy and precision. Steffi Graf. In her short time as a top-level player, she had seemingly no weaknesses in her game. But when the moment came for her to perform at the highest level, she did not disappoint. Evert gave American fans an incredible champion to cheer for as she won 157 titles and 18 Grand Slams. From Fred Perry and Virginia Wade to Andy Murray, British Tennis success has grown and grown over the years. The left-hander had nearly every shot in the game, and in many ways, she had a style of play that was well ahead of her time. 2. WebAn international panel of tennis experts determined this ranking of 62 men and 38 women. 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. Off the court, she has remained a major presence in the tennis world to this day as a television commentator, calling Grand Slam matches on NBC and on the Tennis Channel. She was able to win the Australian Open and the French Open, and she backed it up with a 2002 championship at the Australian Open as well. It just so happens that it was her sister Serena, who largely overshadowed her throughout her career. She won all four majors for the career Grand Slam, only the second woman to achieve that feat. But Id have to go with her first Wimbledon victory, in 1988 over the great Martina Navratilova. For those who arent quite convinced Serena Williams is number one all-time just yet, the most mentioned name is Steffi Graf. 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. She was able to win the 2009 and 2010 U.S. Open after giving birth, and that cemented her legacy on a list like this. Country: Germany. 2 Nadal, No. When considering singles and doubles, Martina Navratilova has had a ton of success in her career. She memorably won Wimbledon again nine years later. Often overshadowed by some of the other great players of her era, Lindsay Davenport put together a very solid career of her own. 6 Borg, No. Talk about a child prodigy Tim Henman. For years, she failed to win a Grand Slam title and was unfairly branded as someone who could not perform on the biggest stages. 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. She also had enough movement that no one could exploit her in that regard. She has won 23 grand slams the most of any active tennis player, male or female. Virginia Wade is a British former tennis player. Thats not to say that Venus Williams did not have a great career of her own. Garbine Muguruza is part of a new wave of emerging tennis champions. 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. So taking all this in consideration, for me its no question that these singular achievements plus the over all carerer picture not only equalize Serenas one win advantage at the Majors. With recent success from Emma Raducanu and Cameron Norrie, British tennis can only get better and better and we cant wait to see what 2022 When she was 29 years old, she participated in the Battle of the Sexes against a 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. Born: September 17, 1934, San Diego, California, Died: June 21, 1969, Dallas, Texas (Age 34). Before her, the game was seen as the exclusive domain of the elite, West European-American world. Andy Murray 2. Born: June 1, 1982, Liege, Belgium (Age 37). Martinez then helped Garbine Muguruza win the title in 2017, passing on championship insights to her countrywoman as a mentor and coach. WebShe is the face of womens tennis in the UK and took home a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. There was a lot on the line. Its pure logic: A slam means a hit. Her father was an aspiring tennis coach. Top 5 British Tennis Players of All Time 1. The 7 Best Tennis Documentaries Of All Time, How Tennis Players Qualify For Grand Slams. I have been a tennis fan since the early 60s when I started playing. Just as Justine Henin excelled on the clay, the best surface for Clijsters was hard court. Now 53 years old, she is a former professional player who ranked World No.1 for a record 377 weeks. Godfree won two Wimbledon singles titles. She also won two US Open doubles titles and three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She leveraged her position as a top player to spearhead the formation of the Womens Tennis Association in 1973 and her achievements on the court were matched by her accomplishments off it. Evert relied on great placement, movement, and spin to have success in tennis. Most impressive is her feat of reaching 34 Grand Slam finals, a record no woman or man has equaled since. Serena's power game, anchored by a devastating serve, is without equal in the history of the womens game. Yea, unquestionably Serena was a very dominant player in her era. Born: Jan. 18, 1988, Bremen, West Germany. She won all four of her Grand Slam titles on hard courts, with three coming at the U.S. Open. WebAn international panel of tennis experts determined this ranking of 62 men and 38 women. The United States was credited with the most great players (38), followed by Australia (17), France (7), Great Britain (6) and Czechoslovakia (5). But don't rule out a return to the top of the sports ranks from a competitor as tough as she is. She also won to U.S. Open and became a great doubles partner with her sister when they felt like it. Its been said that no backhand in the history of womens tennis has been as great as Justine Henin. She retired in 2020, bringing her storied career to a close. There are a few what if scenarios on this list, but Maureen Connolly might be the biggest of them all. She also demonstrated incredible overall consistency at the majors, reaching a then-record 26 consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals between 1959 and 1960. Her track record outside of that match more than stands on its own. Many of the women on this list were teenage sensations, finding championship success instantly on the tour. Graf was 29 when she won her last Major. Since Wade's success, U.K. women have experienced a major Grand Slam title drought. Godfree won two Wimbledon singles titles. Konta achieved a steep rise in her ranking from the spring of 2015 to late 2016, climbing from 150 to inside the world's top ten, thereby becoming the first Briton to be ranked amongst the WTA's top ten since Jo Durie over 30 years previously. This means that they change hand preference with different tasks. 12 After that, they just need to do their, Read More 10 Greatest Tennis Servers Of All TimeContinue. The most important match of her life was seen by more than 90 million people when she beat Bobby Riggs in the now famous Battle of the Sexes. 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. 3, Barker had an illustrious playing career during which she won 15 WTA singles titles, including the 1976 French Open. Throughout her 11 year career, she showed she was a continually great competitor. I remember watching her in action on an old black and white TV with my mum and sister. In total, she won 3 Grand Slams, the 1955 French Open, 1958 Australian Open and Wimbledon in 1961. Evonne Goolagong-Cawley at Wimbledon in 1981. dramatic French Open triumph against Hingis in 1999. This period included her best Grand more Birthplace: Sydney, Australia Nationality: Australia 98 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. Steffi Graf. When Venus Williams first came onto the scene, her father, Richard, warned the tennis world that her younger sister, Serena, was even better.
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