Tennis The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era  

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List Rules Only male tennis players from 1968 to the present

This list of the greatest male tennis players of the Open Era includes some of the most iconic names in men's tennis. Who are the best male singles tennis players since the game became open (professionals included) in 1968? Some might argue that Roger Federer is, without question, one of the best - if not *the* best men's tennis player of all time. Disagree? That's totally fine, just cast your votes as you see fit and, if you want, you can also re-rank this list in any order you like. Any list of great male tennis players of the Open Era should include many of the players on this list of the greatest men's tennis players of all time. And debates can certainly get interesting. Nadal vs. Federer is a pretty epic debate, for example. Sure, Nadal may rule the clay courts, but where does he stack up in the bigger picture, especially against the likes of Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg? Does Novak Djokovic deserve to be listed here? He's arguably one of the top current men's tennis players. Andy Murray? Same situation. It's hard to know for sure where these younger players will rank in the annals of tennis history, but it's sure hard to argue they aren't some of the best. If you're a huge tennis fan, you might also want to check out these lists and vote for the greatest female tennis players of the Open Era and the best players of all time, too.
list ordered by

1
839 872
Pete Sampras is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
United States of America

Australian Open: Winner 1994, 1997; Finalist 1995
Wimbledon: Winner 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999
US Open: Winner 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002; Finalist 1992, 2000, 2001

2
645 617
Rod Laver is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Australia

Australian Open: Winner 1969
French Open: Winner 1969; Finalist 1968
Wimbledon: Winner 1968, 1969
US Open: Winner 1969

3
1,688 960
Roger Federer is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Switzerland, South Africa

Australian Open: Winner 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018; Finalist 2009
French Open: Winner 2009; Finalist 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011
Wimbledon: Winner 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017; Finalist 2008, 2014, 2015
US Open: Winner 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008; Finalist 2009, 2015

4
694 664
John McEnroe is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
United States of America

French Open: Finalist 1984
Wimbledon: Winner 1981, 1983, 1984; Finalist 1980, 1982
US Open: Winner 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984; Finalist 1985

5
433 443
Stefan Edberg is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Sweden

Australian Open: Winner 1985, 1987; Finalist 1990, 1992, 1993
French Open: Finalist 1989
Wimbledon: Winner 1988, 1990; Finalist 1989
US Open: Winner 1991, 1992

6
921 832
Rafael Nadal is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Spain

Australian Open: Winner 2009; Finalist 2012, 2014, 2017
French Open: Winner 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018
Wimbledon: Winner 2008, 2010; Finalist 2006, 2007, 2011
US Open: Winner 2010, 2013, 2017; Finalist 2011

7
222 293
Ken Rosewall is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Australia

Australian Open: Winner 1971, 1972
French Open: Winner 1968; Finalist 1969
Wimbledon: Finalist 1970, 1974
US Open: Winner 1970; Finalist 1974

8
777 678
Novak Djokovic is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Serbia

Australian Open: Winner 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
French Open: Winner 2016; Finalist 2012, 2014, 2015
Wimbledon: Winner 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018; Finalist 2013
US Open: Winner 2011, 2015, 2018; Finalist 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016

9
577 518
Björn Borg is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Sweden

French Open: Winner 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981
Wimbledon: Winner 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980; Finalist 1981
US Open: Finalist 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981

10
438 388
Andre Agassi is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
United States of America

Australian Open: Winner 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003
French Open: Winner 1999; Finalist 1990, 1991
Wimbledon: Winner 1992; Finalist 1999
US Open: Winner 1994, 1999; Finalist 1995, 2002, 2005

11
133 195
John Newcombe is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Australia

Australian Open: Winner 1973, 1975; Finalist 1976
Wimbledon: Winner 1970, 1971; Finalist 1969
US Open: Winner 1973

12
664 595
Ivan Lendl is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
United States of America, Czechoslovakia

Australian Open: Winner 1989, 1990; Finalist 1983, 1991
French Open: Winner 1984, 1986, 1987; Finalist 1981, 1985
Wimbledon: Finalist 1986, 1987
US Open: Winner 1985, 1986, 1987; Finalist 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989

13
179 184
Arthur Ashe is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
United States of America

Australian Open: Winner 1970; Finalist 1971
Wimbledon: Winner 1975
US Open: Winner 1968; Finalist 1972

14
320 255
Jimmy Connors is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
United States of America

15
296 247
Boris Becker is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
West Germany, Germany

Australian Open: Winner 1991, 1996
Wimbledon: Winner 1985, 1986, 1989; Finalist 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995
US Open: Winner 1989

16
45 79
Lew Hoad is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
kurtuver added Australia

17
268 284
Andy Murray is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Scotland, United Kingdom

Australian Open: Finalist 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016
French Open: Finalist 2016
Wimbledon: Winner 2013, 2016; Finalist 2012
US Open: Winner 2012; Finalist 2008

18
61 96
Pat Cash is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
pdrodosk added Australia

Australian Open: Finalist 1987, 1988
Wimbledon: Winner 1987

19
33 72
Pancho Gonzales is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
debbie66 added United States of America

20
102 73
Stanislas Wawrinka is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
bezveze added Switzerland

Australian Open: Winner 2014
French Open: Winner 2015; Finalist 2017
US Open: Winner 2016

21
48 91
Manuel Santana is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Spain

22
166 204
Mats Wilander is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Sweden

Australian Open: Winner 1983, 1984, 1988; Finalist 1985
French Open: Winner 1982, 1985, 1988; Finalist 1983, 1987
US Open: Winner 1988; Finalist 1987

23
111 158
Patrick Rafter is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Australia

Wimbledon: Finalist 2000, 2001
US Open: Winner 1997, 1998

24
129 145
Guillermo Vilas is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Argentina

Australian Open: Winner 1978, 1989; Finalist 1977
French Open: Winner 1977; Finalist 1975, 1978, 1982
US Open: Winner 1977

25
125 154
Ilie Năstase is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Greatest Male Tennis Players of the Open Era
Romania

French Open: Winner 1973; Finalist 1971
Wimbledon: Finalist 1972, 1976
US Open: Winner 1972