Tennis is a globally recognized sport, where players come from different parts of the world to make a name. However, many great legends came from Australia.
Australia gave many talented players who engraved their name in the history of tennis. There are so many great Australian players that it’s hard to just choose “Top 5 Greatest Australian Tennis Players in History.”
5. Ken Rosewall
Ken Rosewall is another greatest Australian tennis player, who played in both the Amateur and Open Era. He achieved great heights in both the eras and is even considered one of the best players in the world.
Rosewall won eight Grand Slam titles in her career and also bagged 15 Pro Slam titles, a format for professional players prior to the Open era. In the 1971 Australian Open, he won the title without losing a set and thus became the first man to do so in the Open Era. Further, he was the only known man to win Pro Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces.
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4. John Newcombe
John Newcombe, the Australian legend not only successful in singles but also at doubles, attaining the World No.1 in both the categories.
The Aussie lifted seven Grand Slam singles titles and also 17 major titles at Doubles. Further, he also added two Mixed Doubles major titles in his successful career. He also led Australia to Davis Cup success five times. Also he became the president of the Association of Tennis Professionals in 1977 and 1978.
3. Roy Emerson
At third place on this list of “Top 5 Greatest Australian Tennis Players in History” we got Roy Emerson. The Australian player bagged 28 Grand Slam titles in his career, including 12 major singles and 16 major doubles titles.
The former World No.1 is also the only known man to lift a career Grand Slam in both singles and doubles categories. He had six Australian Open titles, which were a record of his time and only overtaken by Novak Djokovic. Further, he also had a great career at Davis Cup, leading Australia to victory eight times.
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2. Margaret Court
Margaret Court is not only the most successful tennis player in Australia but also in the world. The Australian lifted 24 Grand Slam singles titles in her career, which still remains an unbroken record in both men and women categories.
Court dominated the courts during the time when star players like Doris Hart, Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King. The Australian player’s success was not only limited to singles, as she also won 19 doubles and 21 mixed doubles titles. The former World No.1 not only lifted the Golden Grand Slam in singles but also in Mixed Doubles twice in 1963 and 1965.
1. Rod Laver
When we are talking about the greatest Australian tennis players in history, how can we not talk about Rod Laver? This man’s legacy is not only limited to Australia, but to the whole tennis community.
Laver conquered the top spot in tennis during both Amateur and Open Era, as he was the World No.1 for four years before and three years after the beginning of the Open Era. The Australian legend was also known for his versatility, as he excelled at all kinds of surfaces of his time, like grass, clay, hard, carpet, and wood. Apart from the individual success, he also helped Australia win Davis Cup five times, during his time this tournament was as important as a Grand Slam.
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