STARNBERG, October 19, 2020 (Guest post)
In this article, we at Racketology will be covering the top 5 female tennis players of all time. While these players span different decades and playing styles, they all have one attribute in common: dedication to the sport. These tennis players have exemplified the standards of excellence and continue to transcend the status quo throughout history. Moreover, they continue to be a symbol of strength and inspiration for anyone aspiring to be a tennis player.
Without further ado, here’s our list.
5. Chris Evert
Chris Evert was one of the biggest icons of this sport by being one of the dominant tennis players of all time. She is the Rockstar of the Tennis World by carrying the title of “America’s Sweetheart”. Most of her private and romantic life were made public by the media. Her dating life included most athletes in different sports, to name a few: Jimmy Connors, John Lloyd, Andy Mill, and Greg Norman.
However, her private life is nothing compared to the skills she showed on the court. She racked up a total of 157 career titles along with 18 Grand Slam titles. It was no wonder that her name was inaugurated in the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995. She is most popularly known for her efficiency and effectivity in the baseline and her two-handed backhand shot. These skills helped her win numerous championships and earned her enough popularity to land many sponsorships and endorsements.
She is most known for her rivalry with Martina Navratilova. This on-court rivalry spiraled the media towards the two of them and numerous Tennis enthusiasts taking sides. This rivalry allowed these two to meet over eighty times during their career. This on-court rivalry lasted for over fifteen years that left their fans craving for more.
4. Margaret Court
Margaret Court was born on July 16, 1942 in Albury, New South Wales, Australia. She began her successful career in 1960 and retired in 1977. She was undoubtedly the best player from the 1960s to the 1970s. Moreover, her style of play continues to be a standard of excellence for many aspiring professional players.
Margaret Court began many firsts for women in the Tennis world. She was the first woman to win the Singles Grand Slam Championships. She won over 24 titles contributing to her 64 victories overall. She is also the first and only woman to win the Mixed Doubles Grand Slam – and won twice! It is no wonder that she was honorably given the Tennis Hall of Fame Title in 1979.
Further, one of her many firsts was incorporating weights and fitness training into her workout routine. This habit gave her a stronger advantage over her other competitors. This workout contributed to her overall fitness and stamina that allowed her to compete for a very long time and maintain a competitive advantage over others.
3. Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova was born on October 18, 1956 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. She began her professional career in 1975 and honorably hung her racket in 1994. She carries over 167 titles, with 18 Grand Slam Titles under her belt. She was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2000.
This name became the name most tennis players feared playing against. Her intimidating physical condition and her exceptional aura forced tennis players to train harder than before if they wanted a chance to beat her. However, her incorporation of a high-intensity workout routine would always place her at a competitive advantage higher than her opponent.
She is also known for incorporating the big serve and volley into her repertoire. Her ability to use these styles effectively and consistently forced her opponents to learn how to beat her movements. However, she still ends up on top despite the preparations they made.
She is most known for her on-court rivalry with Chris Evert which brought about heavy media attention]. Although Evert would eventually win most of their games, Navratilova ended up achieving more titles and Slams than her long time rival.
2. Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf was born on June 14, 1969 in Manheim, Baden-Wurttemberg over in West Germany. She began her professional career in 1982 and honorably retired in 1999. She retired with 107 career titles under her belt accompanied by 22 Grand Slam Singles Titles. She was honorably placed in the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Steffi Graf is most known for her consistent record throughout her 17-year career. She was the number-one player in the world for over 377 weeks. Furthermore, this achievement has never been reached by any male or female in this sport yet.
Along with this, she was also the first player to win the Golden Slam award which can be achieved by winning all four majors including the Olympic Gold Medal. These achievements enhanced her reputation of being the best tennis player in the world.
Her career in the 1980s and 1990s continued to place her at the top with no other female tennis player able to reach her. She retired in 1999 still ranked number three in the world. She continued to be the best in the world until Serena Williams burst onto the scene. Nevertheless, tennis players can only dream to have Graf’s extensive set of achievements. .
1. Serena Williams
Serena Williams was born on September 26, 1981 over in Saginaw, Michigan. She began her professional career in 1995 and currently dominates the competition in the tennis world. She racked up over 73 titles with 23 Grand Slam Singles Titles included under her belt in her continuing career.
Currently, Serena Williams is considered the best female tennis player of all time. She continues to elevate herself above many of the other great female players to a status that all tennis players aspire to reach.
She continues to dominate the tennis world by racking up numerous titles along the way. It will be an extremely long time until a tennis player can match the standard she set for the industry. For this reason, her name can finally be inaugurated and recognized by the world as the Best Female Tennis Player of All Time. If you’re interested in adopting Serena Williams’ playing style, check out the Serena Williams Racquet, the Wilson Blade 104, which is a top tier racquet in today’s market.
