Tennis

:This article is about the sport, tennis. For the video game, see Tennis (video game).

Great players

Many great players played in the days before tennis's Open era, many of whom are unknown by modern sports fans. Among them are "Big Bill" Tilden, Ellsworth Vines, Fred Perry, Don Budge, Bobby Riggs, Jack Kramer, Pancho Segura, Frank Sedgman, Pancho Gonzales, Ken Rosewall, and Lew Hoad. Any one of these eleven would probably be competitive in today's game. Other fine players of the pre-Open era include Maurice McLoughlin, "Little Bill" Johnston, the "Four Musketeers" (Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet, and René Lacoste), Vinnie Richards, Jack Crawford, Vic Seixas, and Tony Trabert.

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"Big Bill" Tilden - Ellsworth Vines - Fred Perry - Don Budge - Bobby Riggs - Jack Kramer - Pancho Segura - Frank Sedgman - Pancho Gonzales - Ken Rosewall - Lew Hoad - Maurice McLoughlin - "Little Bill" Johnston - "Four Musketeers" - Jean Borotra - Jacques Brugnon - Henri Cochet - René Lacoste - Vinnie Richards - Jack Crawford - Vic Seixas - Tony Trabert

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Among women the top two pre-Open era players are considered to be Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills Moody.

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Suzanne Lenglen - Helen Wills Moody

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Among the greatest male players of the Open era are Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, John Newcombe, Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe, Björn Borg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg,Goran Ivani?evi?, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, and Roger Federer. Among the women are Margaret Smith Court, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong, Chris Evert, Hana Mandlikova, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters, and Justine Henin-Hardenne.

Related Topics:
Rod Laver - Jimmy Connors - John Newcombe - Stan Smith - Arthur Ashe - Björn Borg - John McEnroe - Ivan Lendl - Mats Wilander - Boris Becker - Stefan Edberg - Goran Ivani?evi? - Jim Courier - Pete Sampras - Andre Agassi - Michael Chang - Andy Roddick - Lleyton Hewitt - Roger Federer - Margaret Smith Court - Billie Jean King - Evonne Goolagong - Chris Evert - Hana Mandlikova - Martina Navratilova - Steffi Graf - Arantxa Sánchez Vicario - Monica Seles - Martina Hingis - Lindsay Davenport - Venus Williams - Serena Williams - Maria Sharapova - Kim Clijsters - Justine Henin-Hardenne

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Until the mid-1950s, Bill Tilden was generally considered the greatest player ever, his only rivals being Vines, Budge, and Kramer. In the later 1950s many thought Pancho Gonzales had claimed that title. Since then, champions of the Open era, first Laver, then Borg and McEnroe, followed by Sampras and now Roger Federer, have been considered the best ever. Even among experts, no consensus exists.1 Among the women, Lenglen and Wills-Moody vie with several modern players for the same distinction.

Related Topics:
Pancho Gonzales - Open era - 1

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