Before and after the Open Era, American tennis played a pivotal role in developing the sport.
From the influence of the United States Tennis Association and the US Open to some of the greatest players ever, the US has a rich history as one of the most successful countries in tennis.
This guide celebrates the most famous American tennis players for you to explore and get to know, including former world No.1s, Grand Slam champs, and the active players who work diligently to leave their mark.
American men and women are prevalent on the ATP and WTA tours. At the time of writing, 23 men and 40 women ranked in the top 200. I’ve included these players below for reference.
Male
The 90s was the last prominent era for American men’s tennis in singles.
These days, players from the US struggle to break through, but there are plenty giving their best effort. Here’s a list of the most successful active men’s tennis players from the United States.
Player
Birthday
Highest Rank
Titles
John Isner
April 26, 1985
8
16
Jack Sock
September 24, 1992
8
4
Sam Querrey
October 7, 1987
11
10
Taylor Fritz
October 28, 1997
13
2
Reilly Opelka
August 28, 1997
17
4
Steve Johnson
December 24, 1989
21
4
Frances Tiafoe
January 2, 1998
25
1
Sebastian Korda
July 5, 2000
30
1
Tommy Paul
May 17, 1997
33
1
Jenson Brooksby
October 26, 2000
35
0
Tennys Sandgren
July 22, 1991
41
1
Mackenzie McDonald
April 16, 1995
49
0
Marcos Giron
July 24, 1993
52
0
Denis Kudla
August 17, 1992
53
0
Maxime Cressy
May 8, 1997
59
0
Brandon Nakashima
August 3, 2001
62
0
Ernesto Escobedo
July 4, 1996
67
0
Michael Mmoh
January 10, 1998
96
0
Bjorn Fratangelo
July 19, 1993
99
0
Stefan Kozlov
February 1, 1998
115
0
J.J. Wolf
December 21, 1998
120
0
Mitchell Krueger
January 1, 1994
146
0
Christopher Eubanks
May 5, 1996
147
0
John Isner is by far the most successful active American man in tennis with a career-high ranking of world No. 8 and 16 titles. Perhaps not surprisingly, he’s also the oldest out of all the players listed above.
Female
On the women’s side of the sport, Americans have remained a dominant force, especially with the presence of the Williams sisters.
However, beyond Venus and Serena, plenty of other ladies are making their mark. The following is a list of the most successful American women who are active on the WTA tour.
Player
Birthday
Highest Rank
Titles
Serena Williams
September 26, 1981
1
73
Venus Williams
June 17, 1980
1
49
Sloane Stephens
March 20, 1993
3
7
Sofia Kenin
November 14, 1998
4
5
Madison Keys
February 17, 1995
7
6
Danielle Collins
December 3, 1993
8
2
Coco Vandeweghe
December 6, 1991
9
2
Jessica Pegula
February 24, 1994
11
1
Jennifer Brady
April 12, 1995
13
1
Coco Gauff
March 13, 2004
15
2
Alison Riske
July 3, 1990
18
3
Varvara Lepchenko
May 21, 1986
19
1
Amanda Anisimova
August 31, 2001
21
2
Christina Mchale
May 11, 1992
24
1
Lauren Davis
October 9, 1993
26
1
Bernarda Pera
December 3, 1994
35
1
Madison Brengle
April 3, 1990
35
0
Shelby Rogers
October 13, 1992
36
0
Ann Li
June 26, 2000
44
1
Louisa Chirico
May 16, 1996
58
0
Sachia Vickery
May 11, 1995
73
0
Catherine Harrison
April 9, 1994
82
1
Claire Liu
May 25, 2000
83
0
Grace Min
May 6, 1994
97
0
Catherine Mcnally
November 20, 2001
105
0
Katie Volynets
December 31, 2001
112
0
Francesca Di Lorenzo
July 22, 1997
118
0
Hailey Baptiste
November 3, 2001
119
0
Allie Kiick
June 30, 1995
126
0
Jamie Loeb
March 8, 1995
132
0
Alycia Parks
December 31, 2000
150
0
Robin Anderson
April 12, 1993
159
0
Asia Muhammad
April 4, 1991
167
0
Caroline Dolehide
September 5, 1998
172
0
Emina Bektas
March 30, 1993
188
0
Emma Navarro
May 18, 2001
194
0
Hanna Chang
February 25, 1998
214
0
Sophie Chang
May 28, 1997
274
0
Usue Maitane Arconada
October 28, 1988
285
0
Elvina Kalieva
July 27, 2003
294
0
As a whole, there’s more depth within active female American tennis players. Even if you remove the tremendous accomplishments of the Williams sisters, more women have earned titles and found their way into the top ten and twenty in the world.
However, well before any of these players were alive, Bill Tilden and Don Budge were among a strong contingent of American tennis players making a name for themselves.
Keep reading to explore the most influential retired male tennis players from the United States, including their most noteworthy accomplishments.
American, Jimmy Connors, is one of the best ever to play the game, highlighted by his success at Grand Slams. He claimed eight victories in singles, a number he could have extended further if he wasn’t banned from the French Open from 1974 to 1978 due to his participation in World Team Tennis, which had scheduling conflicts with the ATP.
He also only played the Australian Open twice, which was pretty typical until the mid-1980s for American tennis players because of the distance.
Jimmy had a stellar career record of 1274-283 for an 81.8% winning record. He also was successful in doubles, having claimed titles at Wimbledon and the US Open. In July of 1974, he ascended to world No. 1, which he held for 268 weeks in his career, 84 consecutive.
Jimmy Connors has coached Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, and Eugenie Bouchard, which helped maintain his post-retirement exposure in the tennis world.
As famous for saying, “you cannot be serious” at Wimbledon in 1981 as he is for his success on the court, John McEnroe is one of the game’s best.
McEnroe claimed seven singles and nine doubles titles at Grand Slam events during his career, with all of those titles coming at the US Open and Wimbledon. He also helped lead the American Davis Cup team to five victories from 1978 to 1992.
In 1983, John reached the world’s No. 1 ranking in singles, which he held for 170 total weeks, 58 of which were consecutive.
Looking back on John McEnroe’s career, he stands out from many other top players with nearly equal success in doubles as singles. He also achieved a world No. 1 ranking in doubles in 1983.
John McEnroe has remained an influential and well-known figure in tennis through his regular broadcasting of tennis matches, movie cameos, and participation on the ATP Champions Tour.
In the 1990s, Jim Courier, a prominent American tennis player, enjoyed an excellent career with four Grand Slam titles, two apiece at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.
He reached the world No. 1 ranking in early 1992 on the heels of his first Grand Slam victory at the French Open and a finals appearance at the US Open the year before.
He managed a 506-237 record throughout his career, equating to a 68.1% winning percentage. He was also a regular on the doubles court, logging six titles and a career-high ranking of 20.
Jim Courier retained his prominence in tennis after retiring as an analyst and commentator for various major TV networks.
Easily one of the best American men in the sport’s history, Pete Sampras delivered a dominant performance throughout the 1990s.
He wrapped up his career with 14 Grand Slam singles titles, the most of any player at his retirement in 2002. Despite his success, he could not complete a career Grand Slam because he never won the French Open. His best result at Roland Garros was the semi-finals in 1996.
His most successful surface was grass, where he won seven titles at Wimbledon. Since then, Roger Federer has been the only player to surpass his record at the tournament.
Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi had one of the greatest rivalries during the 1990s, meeting 34 times, 20 of which he won.
In April 1993, Sampras reached the world No. 1 ranking, which he held for 286 total weeks, 102 consecutive. He is third on the all-time leaderboard behind Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
In 1986, Andre Agassi turned pro, and throughout his 20-year career, he amassed eight Grand Slam titles, including a career Super Slam that saw him win all four Grand Slams at least once, gold a the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA, and the year-end championships.
He won 60 singles titles with an 870-274 record throughout his career, which equals a 76% win rate. In 1995, shortly after his second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, Andre ascended to world No. 1, a position he held during his career for 101 total weeks, 52 consecutive.
Apart from his success on the court, Agassi is well-known for his marriage to former world No. 1 Steffi Graf of the WTA tour and the Andre Agassi Charitable Association, founded in 1994. Furthermore, his biography, Open, is one of the best-selling tennis books.
Andre Agassi coached Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov for relatively brief periods post-retirement.
American tennis player, Andy Roddick, is well-known for his monster serve and big forehand, which he used effectively to earn his one and only Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2003.
Shortly after his success in New York, he rose to world No. 1 in November 2003. In 2004, 2005, and 2009, he also came close to winning Wimbledon, but Roger Federer defeated him all three times in the finals.
Andy Roddick claimed 32 singles titles and ended his career with a 612-213 record, winning 74.2% of the time. In 2007, Andy played a crucial role in helping the United States win the Davis Cup.
Off the court, Roddick also hosted a radio show on Fox, was a co-host on Fox Sports Live, and has commentated for tournaments, including Wimbledon in 2015.
Along with his brother Bob, Mike Bryan goes down as one of the most successful doubles pairs in history. He turned pro in 1998 and retired 22 years later in 2020.
During his career, he claimed 18 major doubles titles, 124 men’s doubles titles, and spent 506 weeks at No. 1, all of which are the most of any male player. His record in doubles is 1,150-373, winning 75.5% of his matches.
Mike and Bob also found success at the Olympics, winning bronze in 2008 and gold in 2012. Together, they also helped lead the United States to a Davis Cup victory in 2007.
Bob Bryan partnered up with his brother Mike throughout his career as the most successful men’s pair in history.
However, Bob also found more success in singles than his brother, Mike. In 2000, he logged his highest-ever ranking at No. 116. During that year, he competed at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Due to injury, Bob’s titles fall slightly short of his brothers. In 2018, he underwent hip surgery, which took a few months to recover. During that time, Mike continued to compete, thus eclipsing Bob.
American Stan Smith turned pro in 1969 after a brief stint as an amateur starting in 1964. Stan won two Grand Slam titles throughout his career, one at the US Open and another at Wimbledon.
In total, he claimed 64 titles, 48 of which fell in the Open Era, and ended his career with a 950-383 record or 71.3% win rate. Stan reached the world No. 1 ranking fairly early in his career in 1971.
Stan was also highly accomplished in doubles, having earned a world No. 1 ranking in 1981 and owning 54 titles, including five at Grand Slam events.
Off the court, Stan Smith remains well-known for the Adidas Stan Smith, an iconic tennis shoe named after him in 1978. To this day, the shoes remain popular, although no longer for competitive play.
Stan Smith serves as the President of the International Tennis Hall of Fame alongside CEO Todd Martin, another former professional tennis player.
Beyond his accomplishments, Arthur Ashe is a prominent figure in tennis history for his many accomplishments as a black tennis player.
Notably, he was the first black man selected to play for the Davis Cup, which helped America win in 1963, 1968, 1969, and 1970. He’s also the only black man to have won three Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
In 1975, he attained the world’s No. 1 ranking, and he closed out his career with 76 titles and a 1,188-371 record.
Arthur Ashe’s legacy lives on with center court at the US Open in Flushing Meadows, NY, named after him. Furthermore, the ATP hands out the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian and ESPN the Arthur Ashe for Courage Award every year to recognize his contributions.
Bill Tilden was a successful American tennis player from the 1920s and 1930s who won ten Grand Slam singles titles, including seven at the US Open. He also found success in doubles, winning six Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles and five in mixed doubles.
Starting in 1912, Bill was an amateur and remained that way until 1946, when he turned professional as he needed the money.
Overall, he claimed 138 titles and a world No. 1 ranking in 1920, and he goes down in history as one of the greatest before the Open Era.
Unfortunately, Bill’s image was tarnished in the 1940s when he was arrested and jailed for sexual misconduct with younger boys. Despite that, the International Tennis Hall of Fame eventually inducted him in 1959, seven years after his death.
American Don Budge started as an amateur in 1932, but he eventually turned pro in 1938. Notably, he won six Grand Slam titles, including all four of them in 1938, the first player ever to accomplish the feat.
In 1937 and 1938, he managed to win singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles at Wimbledon and the US Open, dubbed the triple crown. He remains the only man to have accomplished the feat on three occasions.
In 1937, Don Budge earned a career-high No. 1 ranking, and he closed out his career with 43 titles and a 649-297 record, winning 68.6% of his matches. In 1964, the Tennis Hall of Fame inducted him as a member.
Birthday
June 13, 1915
Retired
1961
Height
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Hall of Fame
1964
Highest Rank
1
Career Titles
43 singles
Grand Slam Titles
6 singles / 4 doubles
Olympic Medals
–
American Female Tennis Players
American women are some of the sport’s most successful and influential athletes in history, including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Chris Evert, and Billie Jean King, to name a few.
The following American women have retired from tennis, but their legacy and influence live on are worth exploring.
One of the game’s most successful players, Chris Evert, turned pro in 1972 and dominated the game for much of the seventies and eighties.
In total, she claimed 18 Grand Slam singles titles, winning every Grand Slam at least twice. She also won three Grand Slams in doubles.
Her career record is thoroughly impressive at 1,309-146, winning 89.7% of her matches. In 1975, she ascended to world No. 1, which she held for 260 total weeks. Her success led to 157 singles and 32 doubles titles.
Unique to Chris, she reached 34 Grand Slam singles finals, the most of any player in history, and won at least one major every year for thirteen consecutive years, starting in 1974 and ending in 1986.
At the time, Evert deployed a unique style of baseline tennis that helped revolutionize the game along with her two-handed backhand. Previously, players mainly played serve and volley tennis.
Since retiring in 1989, Chris Evert has remained a high-profile personality in tennis as an ESPN commentator at Grand Slam events and Tennis Magazine contributor.
Although Martina Navratilova started as a professional from Czechoslovakia in 1974, she eventually became a US citizen in 1981, so much of her success came as an American tennis player.
Like Chris Evert, she holds 18 Grand Slam singles titles and at least two at every Grand Slam tournament. Her most successful event by far is Wimbledon, which she won a record nine times.
In 1978, she became world No. 1, a position she held for 332 weeks in her career, the second-most of any player behind Steffi Graf. She held the same ranking in doubles for 237 weeks and is the only player to have reached 200 weeks in both disciplines.
Although her singles results are awe-inspiring, her doubles performance far eclipses her accomplishments in singles at Grand Slam events. She won an astounding 31 doubles Grand Slam titles, with at least seven at every tournament. In total, that’s 59 Grand Slam titles, the most of any player ever.
Post-retirement, she has served as a tennis commentator, written several books, and appeared in a few TV shows, which has helped her remain visible in the sport and beyond.
American, Billie Jean King, is one of the best-known female tennis players in history who had a successful career and helped shape women’s tennis as we know it today.
In 1959, King turned pro, and during her career, she won 12 singles and 16 doubles Grand Slam titles. In 1966 she was ranked No. 1 in the world in singles, a feat she matched in doubles a year later. She ended her career with a 695-155 singles record, winning 81.8% of her matches and earning 129 titles.
Billie Jean King is well-known for campaigning throughout and after her career for gender equality and equal prize money. In 1971, shortly after the Open Era began, she was part of the Original 9, a group of women who committed to the first women’s professional tour.
In 1973, King famously played in the Battle of the Sexes, an exhibition match against Bobby Riggs, which she won and was a huge milestone in developing and garnering respect for women’s tennis.
She was also instrumental in forming the WTA and became the organization’s first president in 1973. King remains involved with the sport and has continued to fight for women’s equality.
In 2006, the USTA renamed the USTA National Tennis Center the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to recognize her contributions.
Although her results aren’t entirely on par with the players previously mentioned, Tracy Austin goes down as one of the best American female tennis players.
Most notably, Tracy won the US Open twice in singles. Her first came in 1979 at the age of 16 as the youngest champion ever at the tournament, while her second came two years later in 1981. Shortly after her first victory in New York, she became ranked No. 1 in 1980.
Tracy Austin won 78.8% of her singles matches and claimed 30 titles throughout her career, along with a handful of doubles wins.
Since retiring, she’s gained some additional exposure working for the TennisChannel as a commentator.
Monica Seles started her career representing Yugoslavia in 1989 but eventually became a US Citizen in 1994, playing under the American flag.
With an emphasis on singles, Monica won nine Grand Slam tournaments and claimed 53 titles overall. In 1991 she became the No. 1 ranked player, which she held for 178 weeks, 64 consecutive. Her career record of 595-122 netted her an impressive 82.3% winning percentage.
Unfortunately, in 1993, Monic Seles was the victim of an attack in Hamburg, Germany, when a man stabbed her in the back during her quarterfinal match. She wouldn’t return to the tour until 1995.
Although she managed to win another Grand Slam at the Australian Open after returning, she never quite found her prior form. An eventual foot injury in 2003 sidelined her, and she never played on tour again.
If the stabbing hadn’t occurred, many believe she was on track to become one of if not the most successful female tennis player of all time.
Born in California, Lindsay Davenport is another highly successful American tennis player who claimed three singles and women’s doubles Grand Slam victories during her career.
Her highest ranking as world No. 1 came in 1998, a position she kept for 98 weeks, 44 consecutive. Lindsay accomplished the same feat in doubles, which she achieved in 1997 and held for 32 weeks.
In 1996, Lindsay captured gold at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA, and she ended her career with a 753-194 record, winning 79.5% of her singles matches.
Since retiring, Davenport has remained consistently involved with tennis. She has served as a tennis commentator for Tennis Channel and coached American tennis player Madison Keys.
From early in her career, Jennifer Capriati was a success. After turning pro in 1990, she quickly climbed the ranks, reaching the top 10 at 14 years old.
Her first Grand Slam title came in 2001, which she followed up with another at the French Open. Although she’d make deep runs several times at Wimbledon and the US Open, her third and final Grand Slam victory came at the 2002 Australian Open.
Despite her success in the majors, she only won 14 titles during her career and ended with a 430-176 record, winning 71% of matches. In 2001 after a string of victories, she reached the No. 1 ranking in October.
At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, Jennifer Capriati captured gold defeating Steffi Graf, coming from a set down.
American, Doris Hart, was a successful tennis player in the 1950s who became the fourth player to win a Career Grand Slam in singles, doing so from 1949 to 1954 and accumulating 6 Grand Slam singles titles overall.
However, her success went far beyond singles, accumulating 14 women’s doubles titles and 15 mixed doubles. Notably, she achieved a Career Box Set, winning every Grand Slam at least once in every discipline.
In 1951, Doris garnered her highest ranking as world No. 1, and the Tennis Hall of Fame inducted her in 1951. Post-retirement in 1955, Doris taught tennis and published an autobiography.
Althena Gibson is a black American tennis player whose road to success was challenging in the 1950s. Notably, she was the first black tennis player to win a Grand Slam at the French Open in 1956.
Althena narrowly missed claiming a Career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open in 1957, where she reached the finals. That same year, Althena attained the world’s No. 1 ranking. She’d win four more at Wimbledon and the US Open throughout her career.
Much of her success came as an amateur, but because it didn’t pay, she turned professional in 1958. Unfortunately for her, she was ahead of her time. Opportunities were limited, and racial discrimination was rampant.
Despite the challenges, she carried on. In 1964, she became the first black woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Although her racial challenges continued, she reached a career-high ranking in golf of 27, extending her accomplishments as an athlete.
Although Althea Gibson passed in 2003, her legacy lives on, and her impact and influence are undeniable.
Easily one of the greatest tennis players of her time, American Helen Wills Moody’s success was unmatched in the 1920s, and her success continued well into the 1930s.
In total, Helen won 31 Grand Slam titles, 19 in singles. The only Grand Slam she didn’t win was the Australian Open, which didn’t start until 1922 and few American players traveled due to the distance.
In 1926, Helen traveled to France to participate in the Match of the Century against Suzanne Lenglen, a French tennis player. The two were widely considered the best at the time. Although competitive, Helen lost the match 3-6, 6-8.
In the 1924 Paris Olympic Games, Helen won gold in singles and doubles. That same year, she reached the No. 1 ranking in doubles after winning Wimbledon and the US Open. A few years later, in 1927, she achieved the world’s No. 1 ranking in singles.
Success started early for Maureen Connolly, winning the US Championships in 1951 at 16. Soon after, in 1953, she became the first woman to win a Grand Slam as the champion of all four Grand Slam tournaments that year, only losing one set in all four of the tournaments.
In total, Maureen won 12 Grand Slam events from 1951 to 1954. Nine in singles, two in women’s doubles, and one in mixed doubles.
Unfortunately, a horseriding accident cut her career short in 1954 when she injured her fibula shortly after winning Wimbledon. A year later, she announced her retirement from the sport.
Birthday
September 17, 1934
Retired
1955
Height
5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Hall of Fame
1968
Highest Rank
1
Career Titles
–
Grand Slam Titles
9 singles / 2 doubles
Olympic Medals
–
Black American Tennis Players
Despite widespread racism and prejudice, Althea Gibson in the 1950s and Arthur Ashe in the 1960s and 70s persevered and never backed down to help pave the way for black tennis players in America and more broadly.
Years later, starting in the 1990s, Venus and Serena Williams forever changed the game as a dominant duo who will go down in history as two of the greatest players ever.
Although the Williams sisters aren’t too far off from retirement, their impact is immeasurable for black athletes, inspiring millions on and off the court. Today, many other black tennis players in America continue to follow in their footsteps.
Below, I’ve listed some of America’s most prominent male and female black tennis players.
Male
The following is a list of prominent black American male tennis players.
Arthur Ashe
James Blake
Steve Campbell
Christopher Eubanks
Bruce Foxworth
Rodney Harmon
Chip Hooper
Scoville Jenkins
Jarmere Jenkins
Lesley Joseph
Jimmie McDaniel
Michael Mmoh
Nicholas Monroe
Todd Nelson
Bryan Shelton
Frances Tifaoe
MaliVai Washington
Donald Young
Female
The following is a list of prominent black American female tennis players.
Katrina Adams
Leslie Allen
Robin Anderson
Raquel Atawo
Hailey Baptiste
Camille Benjamin
Renee Blount
Kyle Copeland
Jennifer Elie
Zina Garrison
Coco Gauff
Althea Gibson
Angela Haynes
Jamea Jackson
Cheryl Jones
Madison Keys
Stacey Martin
Lori McNeil
Robin Montgomery
Diane Morrison
Asia Muhammad
Asia Muhammad
Whitney Osuigwe
Alycia Parks
Shenay Perry
Asha Rolle
Chanda Rubin
Sloane Stephens
Alexandra Stevenson
Taylor Townsend
Sachia Vickery
Ora Washington
Mashona Washington
Serena Williams
Venus Williams
New players are coming up the ranks all the time, so I’ll do my best to keep the above lists updated. If you think I missed someone or want to encourage me to add a player, feel free to post a comment.
Greatest of All Time
There are several exceptional male and female American tennis players, a handful of whom will go down as the greatest ever. However, I’ve selected my picks for the best American tennis players below.
For many, Serena Williams will go down as the greatest female tennis player ever, regardless of nationality. Therefore, she’s undeniably the best when it comes to Americans and will be hard to eclipse.
Serena turned pro in 1995, shortly after turning 14, but it wasn’t until 1998 that she started to make waves. In 1999 she won her first Grand Slam singles win at the US Open. Since then, Serena has amassed a record 23 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era.
In July of 2002, Serena reached the world’s No. 1 ranking, and she has held that position for 319 weeks throughout her career, tied with Steffi Graf for most consecutive weeks at 186.
Along with her sister Venus, she’s won 14 Grand Slams in doubles and has another two in mixed doubles. She also has a singles gold and three doubles gold at the Olympics.
Throughout her ongoing career, she’s won 73 singles and 23 doubles titles and currently has a near-identical 84% winning percentage in both disciplines. Although Serena is not yet retired, she’s already cemented herself as one of the best ever to live.
With 14 Grand Slam tournament wins, Pete Sampras outshines other American men in singles by at least six titles, with Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors at eight.
He also held the number one ranking for more weeks than any other American player by 18 weeks. Although Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe have more titles than Pete Sampras, with 109 and 77, respectively, his success at the biggest tournaments outweighs their accomplishments.
Birthday
August 12, 1971
Retired
2002
Height
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Hall of Fame
2007
Highest Rank
1
Career Titles
64 singles / 2 doubles
Grand Slam Titles
14 singles
Olympic Medals
–
Grand Slam Singles Champions
The Grand Slam tournaments are the most prestigious and include the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.
When players win a Grand Slam event, they usually receive worldwide recognition from the media for their accomplishment. As a result, American players who have won Grand Slams are among the most famous, with some of the best name recognition of any players.
The following is a list of the American men and women who have won Grand Slam events throughout history.
Year
Australian Open
French Open
Wimbledon
US Open
1877
1878
1879
1880
1881
Richard Sears
1882
Richard Sears
1883
Richard Sears
1884
Richard Sears
1885
Richard Sears
1886
Richard Sears
1887
Ellen Hansell
Richard Sears
1888
Bertha Townsend
Henry Slocum
1889
Bertha Townsend
Henry Slocum
1890
Ellen Roosevelt
Oliver Campbell
1891
Mabel Cahill
Oliver Campbell
1892
Mabel Cahill
Oliver Campbell
1893
Aline Terry
Robert Wrenn
1894
Helen Hellwig
Robert Wrenn
1895
Juliette Atkinson
Fred Hovey
1896
Elisabeth Moore
Robert Wrenn
1897
Juliette Atkinson
Robert Wrenn
1898
Juliette Atkinson
Malcolm Whitman
1899
Marion Jones
Malcolm Whitman
1900
Myrtle McAteer
Malcolm Whitman
1901
Elisabeth Moore
William Larned
1902
Marion Jones
William Larned
1903
Elisabeth Moore
1904
May Sutton Bundy
Holcombe Ward
1905
Elisabeth Moore
Beals Wright
1906
Helen Homans
William Clothier
1907
Evelyn Sears
William Larned
1908
Fred Alexander
Maud Barger-Wallach
William Larned
1909
Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
William Larned
1910
Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
William Larned
1911
Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
William Larned
1912
Mary Browne
Maurice McLoughlin
1913
Mary Browne
Maurice McLoughlin
1914
Mary Browne
Richard Williams
1915
William Johnston
1916
Richard Williams
1917
Robert Lindley Murray
1918
Robert Lindley Murray
1919
Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
William Johnston
1920
Bill Tilden
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
Bill Tilden
1921
Bill Tilden
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
Bill Tilden
1922
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
Bill Tilden
1923
William Johnston
Helen Wills Moody
Bill Tilden
1924
Helen Wills Moody
Bill Tilden
1925
Helen Wills Moody
Bill Tilden
1926
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
1927
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Wills Moody
1928
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Wills Moody
1929
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Wills Moody
Bill Tilden
1930
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Wills Moody
Bill Tilden
John Doeg
1931
Sidney Wood
Helen Wills Moody
Ellsworth Vines
1932
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Wills Moody
Ellsworth Vines
Helen Jacobs
Ellsworth Vines
1933
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Jacobs
1934
Helen Jacobs
1935
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Jacobs
Wilmer Allison
1936
Helen Jacobs
Alice Marble
1937
Don Budge
Don Budge
1938
Dorothy Bundy Cheney
Don Budge
Don Budge
Helen Wills Moody
Don Budge
Alice Marble
Don Budge
1939
Don McNeill
Alice Marble
Bobby Riggs
Alice Marble
Bobby Riggs
1940
Alice Marble
Don McNeill
1941
Sarah Palfrey Cooke
Bobby Riggs
1942
Pauline Betz
Ted Schroeder
1943
Pauline Betz
Joseph Hunt
1944
Pauline Betz
Frank Parker
1945
Sarah Palfrey Cooke
Frank Parker
1946
Margaret Osborne duPont
Pauline Betz
Pauline Betz
Jack Kramer
1947
Patricia Canning Todd
Margaret Osborne duPont
Jack Kramer
Louise Brough
Jack Kramer
1948
Frank Parker
Louise Brough
Bob Falkenburg
Margaret Osborne duPont
Pancho Gonzales
1949
Doris Hart
Margaret Osborne duPont
Frank Parker
Louise Brough
Ted Schroeder
Margaret Osborne duPont
Pancho Gonzales
1950
Louise Brough
Doris Hart
Budge Patty
Louise Brough
Budge Patty
Margaret Osborne duPont
Arthur Larsen
1951
Richard Savitt
Shirley Fry
Doris Hart
Richard Savitt
Maureen Connolly
1952
Doris Hart
Maureen Connolly
Maureen Connolly
1953
Maureen Connolly
Maureen Connolly
Maureen Connolly
Vic Seixas
Maureen Connolly
Tony Trabert
1954
Maureen Connolly
Tony Trabert
Maureen Connolly
Doris Hart
Vic Seixas
1955
Tony Trabert
Louise Brough
Tony Trabert
Doris Hart
Tony Trabert
1956
Althea Gibson
Shirley Fry
Shirley Fry
1957
Shirley Fry
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson
1958
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson
1959
Alex Olmedo
Alex Olmedo
1960
Darlene Hard
Darlene Hard
1961
Darlene Hard
1962
Karen Hantze Susman
1963
Chuck McKinley
1964
1965
1966
Billie Jean Moffitt King
1967
Nancy Richey
Billie Jean Moffitt King
Billie Jean Moffitt King
1968
Billie Jean Moffitt King
Nancy Richey
Billie Jean Moffitt King
Arthur Ashe
1969
Ann Haydon Jones
1970
Arthur Ashe
1971
Billie Jean Moffitt King
Stan Smith
1972
Billie Jean Moffitt King
Billie Jean Moffitt King
Stan Smith
Billie Jean Moffitt King
1973
Billie Jean Moffitt King
1974
Jimmy Connors
Chris Evert
Chris Evert
Jimmy Connors
Billie Jean Moffitt King
Jimmy Connors
1975
Chris Evert
Billie Jean Moffitt King
Arthur Ashe
Chris Evert
1976
Chris Evert
Chris Evert
Jimmy Connors
1977
Roscoe Tanner – Jan
Vitas Gerulaitis – Dec
Chris Evert
1978
Martina Navratilova
Chris Evert
Jimmy Connors
1979
Barbara Jordan
Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
Tracy Austin
John McEnroe
1980
Brian TeacherDec
Chris Evert
Chris Evert
John McEnroe
1981
Martina Navratilova
Chris Evert
John McEnroe
Tracy Austin
John McEnroe
1982
Chris Evert
Johan KriekDec
Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova
Jimmy Connors
Chris Evert
Jimmy Connors
1983
Martina Navratilova
Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
John McEnroe
Martina Navratilova
Jimmy Connors
1984
Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova
John McEnroe
Martina Navratilova
John McEnroe
1985
Martina Navratilova
Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
1986
Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova
1987
Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova
1988
1989
Michael Chang
1990
Martina Navratilova
Pete Sampras
1991
Jim Courier
1992
Jim Courier
Jim Courier
Andre Agassi
1993
Jim Courier
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
1994
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
Andre Agassi
1995
Andre Agassi
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
1996
Monica Seles
Pete Sampras
1997
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
1998
Pete Sampras
Lindsay Davenport
1999
Andre Agassi
Lindsay Davenport
Pete Sampras
Serena Williams
Andre Agassi
2000
Lindsay Davenport
Andre Agassi
Venus Williams
Pete Sampras
Venus Williams
2001
Jennifer Capriati
Andre Agassi
Jennifer Capriati
Venus Williams
Venus Williams
2002
Jennifer Capriati
Serena Williams
Serena Williams
Serena Williams
Pete Sampras
2003
Serena Williams
Andre Agassi
Serena Williams
Andy Roddick
2004
2005
Serena Williams
Venus Williams
2006
2007
Serena Williams
Venus Williams
2008
Venus Williams
Serena Williams
2009
Serena Williams
Serena Williams
2010
Serena Williams
Serena Williams
2011
2012
Serena Williams
Serena Williams
2013
Serena Williams
Serena Williams
2014
Serena Williams
2015
Serena Williams
Serena Williams
Serena Williams
2016
Serena Williams
2017
Serena Williams
Sloane Stephens
2018
2019
2020
Sofia Kenin
2021
2022
I’ll do my best to keep this list updated as it changes.
World No. 1s
Achieving a No. 1 ranking in tennis takes time and consistent performance, which few players have accomplished.
Since the ATP and WTA began tracking rankings, only 27 men and 28 women have held the top spot, underscoring how difficult it is to achieve the feat. As a result of their success, these players usually attract global attention and sponsorships and are some of the most recognizable names.
The following are lists of American men and women who have managed to rank No. 1 in tennis during the Open Era.
Men
The United States has more former world No. 1s than any other country. Here are the men that make up the list.
Pete Sampras
Jimmy Connors
John McEnroe
Andre Agassi
Jim Courier
Andy Roddick
Women
Eight American women have held the No. 1 spot in tennis, the most of any country in history. Here are the women who have claimed the top spot during the Open Era.
Martina Navratilova
Serena Williams
Chris Evert
Monica Seles
Lindsay Davenport
Tracy Austin
Jennifer Capriati
Venus Williams
This list will undoubtedly change in the future, so I’ll do my best to keep it updated.
Wrapping Up
American tennis players are some of the most influential in tennis history, and their legacy will likely only grow as more players come through the ranks and establish themselves on the ATP and WTA tours.
Hopefully, this article has helped you in your exploration of men and women players from the United States. If you think there’s anyone I’ve skipped or have any thoughts to share, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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