All-time tennis records – men's singles, covers the period from 1877 to present.
- Before the beginning of the Open era in April 1968, only amateurs were allowed to compete in established tennis tournaments, including the four Grand Slams (also known as the Majors). Wimbledon, the oldest of the Majors, was founded in 1877, followed by the US Open in 1881, the French Open in 1891, and the Australian Open in 1905. Beginning in 1905 and continuing to the present day, all four Majors have been played yearly, with the exception of during the two World Wars and 1986 for the Australian Open. The Australian Open is the first Major of the year (January), followed by the French Open (May–June), Wimbledon (June–July), and US Open (August–September). There was no prize money and players were compensated for travel expenses only. A player who wins all four Majors, as a single or as part of a doubles team, in the same calendar year is said to have achieved the "Grand Slam". If the player wins all four consecutively, but not in the same calendar year, it is called a "Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam". Winning all four at some point in a career, even if not consecutively, is referred to as a "Career Grand Slam". Winning the four Majors and a gold medal in tennis at the Summer Olympics in the same calendar year has been called a "Golden Slam" since 1988.[1] Winning all four Majors plus gold at some point in a career, even if not consecutively, is referred to as a "Career Golden Slam". Winning the Year-End Championship also having won a Golden Slam is referred to as a "Super Slam".[2][3][4] Winning the four Majors in all three disciplines a player is eligible for – singles, doubles, and mixed doubles – is considered winning a "boxed set" of Grand Slam titles.
- Prior to 1924 the Major tennis championships governed by the International Lawn Tennis Federation were the World Hard Court Championships, World Grass Court Championships and World Covered Court Championships.[5]
- Many top tennis players turned professional before the open era to play legally for prize money. They played in separate professional events and were banned from competing any of the four Grand Slam tournaments. They mostly competed on pro tours involving head-to-head competition, but also in professional tournaments as the biggest events on the pro tour.[6] In addition to the head-to-head tours, there were the annual professional tournaments called "Championship tournaments" (known as Professional Majors) where the world's top professional players played. These tournaments held with a certain tradition and longevity.
- The oldest of these three Professional Majors,[7][8] or "Professional Grand Slams",[9][10] was the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships, played at a variety of different venues and on a variety of different surfaces, between 1925 and 1999, although it was no longer a Major after 1967. Between 1954 and 1962, the US Pro was played indoors in Cleveland and was called the World Professional Championships. The most prestigious of the three was generally the Wembley Championship. Played between 1934 and 1990, at the Wembley Arena in England, it was unofficially usually considered the world's championship until 1967. The third professional major was the French Pro Championship, played between 1934 and 1968, on the clay-courts of Roland Garros, apart from 1963–1967, when it was played on the indoor wood courts of Stade Coubertin.
- The Open Era in tennis began in 1968, when the Grand Slam tournaments agreed to allow professional players to compete with amateurs. A professional tennis tour was created for the entire year, where everyone could compete. This meant that the division that had existed for many years between these two groups had finally come to an end, which made the tennis world into one unified competition.
The first event to go "open" started on 22 April 1968 at The West Hants Club in Bournemouth, England,[11] while the first Grand Slam tournament to do so was the 1968 French Open (Roland Garros) starting 27 May.[12]
Analysis of records[edit]
Today the ultimate pursuit in tennis is, without question for any player to win the calendar Grand Slam. In tennis, a calendar Grand Slam is achieved when a player wins four consecutive Grand Slam events in the same calendar year.[13] In 1982 the International Tennis Federation (ITF) broadened the definition of the Grand Slam as meaning any four consecutive major victories, including the ones spanning two calendar years that became known as the non-calendar year Grand Slam though it later reversed its definition.
In the history of men's tennis, only two players have won the calendar Grand Slam, Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) [13] Budge remains the sole player to have won six majors in a row (1937-1938). In the open era only one player has achieved the non-calendar year grand slam, Novak Djokovic (2015-2016). This is followed by a career Grand Slam a feat achieved by any player winning each of the majors during their respective careers of which only eight players have done this. Winning just one of these major events in a year is a sought-after achievement but winning all four or more if we apply Prochnow's (2018) analysis retrospectively in Budge's case in a row instantly transforms a player into a legend.[13]
When we reflect on the modern era of the sport, tennis has clear separations during its history, such as the first official majors sanctioned by the world governing body of tennis it's separate tours (amateur and professional), the eligibility to compete at grand slam majors or the surface aspects of the tournaments.[13] In 1913 the ILTF created its first tennis Majors its three world championship events by 1923 they were abolished in the history of those early majors only one player won all three in the same year Anthony Wilding and arguably the first undisputed world champion.[14] In 1927 the men's game was separated leading to the creation of the Pro Slam majors in the history of the professional tour a period of 40 years only two players achieved the calendar year Pro Grand Slam Ken Rosewall (1963) and Rod Laver (1967). Prior to 1968 only amateurs could enter the Grand Slam tournaments. This was changed in 1968, after which both professionals and amateurs could compete for the tennis Majors.
There are also several other facets to take into consideration in defining great tennis players such as winning all calendar year majors consecutively on offer at the time (World Champs and Pro Slams) on three different surfaces [13] just three players achieved this distinction between 1913 and 1967, Wilding, Rosewall and Laver and only those three players have done it not only by surface [15] but also different environments (indoors and outdoors). When the professional majors were abolished in 1967 the grand slam majors were still only being played on two exclusive surfaces grass and clay. In 1978 the US Open switched surface to a hard court thus re-creating a third unique surface once more arguably the best date in defining the beginning of the Modern Era of tennis.[13] In this new modern era only one player has won all four majors in a row (Djokovic) and only one player has achieved the new term a "Surface Slam" winning three consecutive majors on three distinct surfaces that being Rafael Nadal in 2010.[13] To have accomplished any of these feats in a group of tournaments originating over 100 years ago underscores the degree of difficulty involved.[13]
These are some of the important records since the start of the first Grand Slam tournament held at The Wimbledon Championships. All statistics are based on the data at the ATP World Tour website,[16][17] the ITF[18] and other available sources, even if this isn't a complete list due to the time period involved.
Active streaks and active players are in boldface.
Grand Slams (Majors)[edit]
Grand Slam tournament totals[edit]
active players in boldface
Grand Slam tournaments consecutive streaks[edit]
active streaks in boldface
Grand Slam tournaments non-consecutive streaks[edit]
Player skipped one or more Grand Slam tournaments during his streak
Grand Slam matches[edit]
Grand Slam matches/finals streaks[edit]
Streaks can be across non-consecutive events
Match win streak per Grand Slam event[edit]
Consecutive sets won per Grand Slam event[edit]
Career records per Grand Slam event[edit]
Titles per Grand Slam event (3+ titles)[edit]
Consecutive titles per Grand Slam tournament[edit]
Finals per Grand Slam event[edit]
Runners-up per Grand Slam event[edit]
† The French Championships before 1925 are not considered to be Grand Slam events.
Match wins per Grand Slam event[edit]
Match winning percentage per Grand Slam event[edit]
Match wins in Grand Slam tournaments per court type[edit]
Winning percentage in Grand Slam tournaments per court type[edit]
Career Grand Slam achievements[edit]
The career achievement of winning all four major championships during a players career is termed a "Career Grand Slam".[33] A player who wins all four Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympic gold medal during the player's career has achieved a Career Golden Slam.[34] A Career Super Grand Slam involves a player winning all four majors, the Olympic Gold and the ATP Finals during his career.[35]
Career Grand Slam, Golden Slam, Super Slam[edit]
Winning a Grand Slam singles tournament without losing a set[edit]
Reached a Grand Slam singles tournament final without losing a set[edit]
# |
Player |
Majors
|
7 |
Rafael Nadal |
2007 French Open, 2008 French Open, 2010 French Open, 2010 US Open, 2012 French Open, 2017 French Open, 2019 Australian Open
|
6 |
Roger Federer |
2006 Wimbledon, 2007 Australian Open, 2008 Wimbledon, 2015 US Open, 2017 Wimbledon, 2018 Australian Open
|
4 |
Björn Borg |
1976 Wimbledon, 1978 French Open, 1980 French Open, 1981 French Open
|
3 |
Fred Perry |
1934 Wimbledon, 1935 Wimbledon, 1936 Wimbledon
|
Tony Trabert |
1953 US Championships, 1955 Wimbledon, 1955 US Championships
|
Jimmy Connors |
1975 Wimbledon, 1976 US Open, 1977 US Open
|
Ivan Lendl |
1983 US Open, 1985 French Open, 1987 US Open
|
Calendar year Grand Slam achievements[edit]
A players who holds all four major titles in one calendar year has achieved the 'Grand Slam'."[38]
Four Slams (Majors)[edit]
|
|
2 Slam wins & 2 finals |
Year
|
Frank Sedgman |
1952
|
Roger Federer |
2009
|
|
|
|
|
All 4 semifinals |
Year
|
Novak Djokovic (4) |
2015
|
|
Three Majors[edit]
Consecutive Majors[edit]
Four Consecutive[edit]
Australian / French / Wimbledon / United States |
Year
|
Don Budge |
1938
|
Rod Laver |
1962
|
Rod Laver |
1969
|
Three Consecutive[edit]
Two Consecutive[edit]
Players who won three or four consecutive titles are not listed here.
Non-Consecutive Majors[edit]
Three Non-Consecutive[edit]
Two Non-Consecutive[edit]
Players who won three or four titles are not listed here.
Single season winning percentage %[edit]
Non-calendar year Grand Slam achievements[edit]
Note: In a row spanning more than one year
6 consecutive majors
Wimbledon / United States / Australian / French / Wimbledon / United States |
Year
|
Don Budge |
1937–38
|
4 consecutive majors
Wimbledon / United States / Australian / French |
Year
|
Novak Djokovic |
2015–16
|
3 consecutive majors
Wimbledon / United States / Australian |
Year
|
Pete Sampras |
1993–94
|
Roger Federer |
2005–06
|
Roger Federer (2) |
2006–07
|
Novak Djokovic |
2011–12
|
Novak Djokovic (2) |
2018–19
|
Grand Slam season streaks[edit]
Pro Slam Majors[edit]
Overall totals for early Professional Majors (French Pro, Wembley Pro & US Pro).
Pro Slam totals[edit]
Pro Slam tournaments streaks[edit]
Pro Slam matches[edit]
Career records per Pro Slam event[edit]
Titles per Pro Slam event[edit]
Finals per Pro Slam event[edit]
Match winning per Pro Slam event[edit]
Calendar year Pro Slam achievements[edit]
Three Majors[edit]
Overall Majors[edit]
Overall Major tournaments consist of the combined total of Grand Slam, Pro Slam and early ILTF Major (WHCC, WCCC & WGCC) titles.
Overall career totals[edit]
Active players in boldface
Overall Major matches[edit]
- Note: The draw of Pro majors was significantly smaller than the traditional Grand Slam tournaments; usually they only had 16 or even fewer professional players. Though they were the top 16 ranked players in the world at the time, this meant only four (or even fewer) rounds of play instead of the modern six or seven rounds.
All tournaments[edit]
Career totals[edit]
Career tournament streaks[edit]
Career matches[edit]
|
|
|
Match wins |
#
|
1. |
Ken Rosewall |
1655[52]
|
2. |
Rod Laver |
1473[52]
|
3. |
Bill Tilden |
1393[52]
|
4. |
Roy Emerson |
1325[52]
|
5. |
Josiah Ritchie |
1274[52]
|
6. |
Jimmy Connors |
1256
|
7. |
Pancho Gonzales |
1250[52]
|
8. |
Pancho Segura |
1203[52]
|
9. |
Roger Federer |
1183[51]
|
10. |
Arthur Ashe |
1085[52]
|
|
|
|
Career match streaks[edit]
Career records per court type[edit]
Note: Wood has not been used since 1970 and Carpet has not been used since 2009.
Titles per court type[edit]
Consecutive titles per court type[edit]
Consecutive finals per court type[edit]
Career match wins per court type[edit]
|
|
|
|
Carpet * |
#
|
1. |
 | |