The top 10 best American tennis players of all time: Ranked list

Picking and ranking the best American tennis players of all time is no walk in the park since the country has a large pool of talent to choose from. It could be at the top in producing the best tennis players in the world who, in turn, have set high standards for future generations to admire and strive for.

The first game in the country was held in 1881 at Newport, Rhode Island, and was only open for men who competed in singles, which was contrary to modern-day tennis. Over the years, the sport has undergone some changes, and today, both men and women participate in either singles or doubles.

Top 10 best American tennis players of all time

An athlete's performance and victories in various Grand Slam tournaments are vital to be considered the best in tennis. With that in mind, here is a list of the top 10 best American tennis players of all time.

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10. Arthur Ashe

• Full name: Arthur Robert Ashe Jr
• Date of birth: 10 July 1943
• Age: Passed at 49 years of age
• Place of birth: Richmond, Virginia, USA

Ashe is one of the best African American tennis players in history. He won the first US Open in 1968 despite many barriers and stereotypes. Consequently, he became the first black tennis player to join the US Davis Cup team and win a Grand Slam title.

9. Althea Gibson

• Full name: Althea Neale Gibson
• Date of birth: 25 August 1927
• Age: Died at 76 years old
• Place of birth: Clarendon County, South Carolina, USA

At the ninth position sits Althea Gibson, who was the complete tennis player of the 1960s in the women's category. She had a lot on her plate since racism was widely spread, especially in the sports industry and the general public.

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Despite the challenges, she achieved immense success and has since become a source of inspiration to young talents. Althea was the first black player to win a Grand Slam.

8. Venus Williams

• Full name: Venus Ebony Starr Williams
• Date of birth: 17 June 1980
• Age: 42 years (as of April 2023)
• Place of birth: Lynwood, California, USA

Venus is one of the best American female tennis players of all time next to her sister, Serena. She is the only athlete in the sport that has won medals in 4 different Summer Olympics Games and has been dominating the women's tennis world for around two decades.

7. John McEnroe

• Full name: John Patrick McEnroe Jr
• Date of birth: 16 February 1959
• Age: 64 years (as of April 2023)
• Place of birth: Wiesbaden, West Germany, Germany

John is one of the best American tennis players, once ranked the World's No. 1 due to his silken skills at the net. He won several titles, including 9 Grand Slams men's doubles and seven singles, and ended his career with 77 ATP singles.

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The renowned legend was known for his volleying ability and accurate shot-making skills, which put his rivals on their heels, thus giving them a hard time returning his balls.

6. Andre Agassi

• Full name: Andre Kirk Agassi
• Date of birth: 29 April 1970
• Age: 52 years (as of April 2023)
• Place of birth: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Among the best American tennis players in the 90s sits Andre Agassi, a former World number one. He was known for his nearly perfect returns, which experts and players deemed the best in the game's history. Additionally, Agassi is the only man to achieve a Career Super Slam, which in simple terms, means that he won all 4 Grand Slams.

5. Bill Tilden

• Full name: William Tatem Tilden II
• Date of birth: 10 February 1893
• Age: Died at 60 years old
• Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

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The legendary 'Big Bill' was the first American tennis player to take home the Wimbledon Championships title. He is widely known for his efforts to reach 10 Wimbledon finals and for being the first to win 10 Grand Slams singles titles. For six consecutive years, 1920-1925, Tilden was ranked number one globally.

4. Billie Jean King

• Full name: Billie Jean King
• Date of birth: 22 November 1943
• Age: 79 years (as of April 2023)
• Place of birth: Long Beach, California, USA

King was one of the best American tennis players in history and was widely known for her swiftness and exemplary backhand technique. During the 60s and the 70s, she participated in the singles and doubles tournaments, and in her career, she bagged 39 Grand Slam titles.

She was on the frontlines of forming the Women's Tennis Association in 1973, and in 1987, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

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3. Pete Sampras

• Full name: Petros "Pete" Sampras
• Date of birth: 12 August 1971
• Age: 51 years (as of April 2023)
• Place of birth: Washington DC, USA

Sampras is one of the best American tennis players of all time. Known for his fast serves, the legendary athlete won 14 Grand Slams titles in 12 years. He was ranked in the world's position for about 286 weeks. In addition, his rivalry with Agassi made them the best American tennis players in history.

2. Chris Evert

• Full name: Christine Marie Evert
• Date of birth: 21 December 1954
• Age: 68 years (as of April 2023)
• Place of birth: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Chris ranks as one of the best American female tennis players of all time, with a winning percentage of 89.97% in singles, the highest among both genders. With 31 appearances, she is the record holder for the most Grand Slam finals, winning 18 of them in 13 consecutive years.

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1. Serena Williams

She rose to stardom in the late 90s as a teenager and became the only woman in history to win the Grand Slam singles titles in 3 different decades. Additionally, she is the most-paid athlete in the sport with over 80 million career earnings.

• Full name: Serena Jameka Williams
• Date of birth: 26 September 1981
• Age: 41 years (as of April 2023)
• Place of birth: Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Who is the greatest American tennis player of all time?

At the top of the list is Serena Williams, considered the greatest in the sport's history. She and her sister Venus are among the current best American tennis players.

Who is the most successful male American tennis player?

With 16 titles and a world ranking of number eight, John Isner is the most successful active American tennis player.

Who is the American former World 1 tennis player?

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Having won the 2003 US Open tournament, Andrew Stephen Roddick is a former American world No. 1 athlete.

Who is the all-time king of tennis?

The GOAT, Roger Federer is widely known as the all-time king of tennis. To his name, he has bagged 20 Grand Slam titles, a record that has only been surpassed by two individuals, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal.

Most former best American tennis players have left behind a record that will take a lot of talent and determination to break. On the other hand, the United States of America has won more Grand Slams than any other country. Throughout the years, it has welcomed players from all corners to participate in the US Open and, in doing so, nurtured young talents who will take up the mantle in the future.

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