Senior Correspondent Mike Osborne compares the grand slam records of champion tennis players past and present to determine which legends dominated their era and all-time
For more than two decades three giants of tennis have dominated the sport like no others – Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer.
A handful of elite players monopolised past eras, including the Williams sisters, Margaret Court, Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova as well as Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors among the men.
But none have strode the world’s tennis courts so commandingly as the big three 21st century gladiators.
MEN 2003-2023 = 84 Grand Slams
| Novak Djokovic | 24 | 28.6% |
|---|---|---|
| Rafael Nadal | 22 | 26.2% |
| Roger Federer | 20 | 23.8% |
| Total | 66 | 78.6% |
| Others | 18* | |
| *Including Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka with 3 titles each |
Between them, Djokovic, Nadal and Federer have won 66 of the 84 grand slam singles titles in the two decades between 2003 and 2023 – an unequalled winning rate of 79 per cent shared by just three players.
Djokovic alone has won 26 per cent of all grand slam titles on offer over the past 20 years and has a 38 per cent winning rate at the slams over the past 15 years – making him arguably the greatest player of all time. The Serb champion lost in the semi-finals of the 2024 Australian Open but says he still has “high hopes” for other slams this year.
“I don’t think he’s got any weaknesses,” Popryn says of the world No.1. “He’s physically strong, has a really good forehand, a really good backhand, he’s solid from the back, and has an amazing serve.
“He is the greatest of all time in our sport, so to get there, you have to have no weaknesses. I know him personally, he doesn’t stop looking for ways to improve. I think that’s what has made him the greatest of all time.”
But this period of dominance by Djokovic and fellow gladiators Nadal and Federer is coming to its inevitable end.
Federer with 20 grand slams has retired. Nadal with 22 is plagued with injury and Djokovic, with 24 slams at the age of 36, has an army of young guns trying to shoot him down at every event – as 22-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner did in the semi-finals in Melbourne.
Regardless of when they call it quits, these three will be remembered as the giants of the game of tennis – ahead of all the champions from former eras based on their grand slam record.
Comparing the statistics produced a compelling argument. A combined 10 champions in the two decades from 1960-1980 won 63 of the 84 grand slam titles on offer (75 per cent). They included Roy Emerson’s 12 titles, Rod Laver’s 11 and 10 of Bjorn Borg’s 11 slams. Those three had a joint 40 per cent winning rate – about half compared to the current trio.
Men 1960-1980 = 84 Grand Slams
| Amateur and Professional | ||
|---|---|---|
| Roy Emerson | 12 | 14.4% |
| Rod Laver | 11 | 13.1% |
| Bjorn Borg | 10 (of 11) | 11.9% |
| Total | 33 | 39.3* |
| Others | 51* | |
| *Including John Newcombe with 7 and Jimmy Conner with 5 (of 11) |
Of course debate continues about how many more major titles players like Laver may have won if they had not turned professional and played on the alternative tour for five years or more.
In other era’s such as the one dominated by Borg (11 titles), Connors, Ivan Lendl (8 each) and McEnroe (7), the top 10 players (including Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg) from 1974-1994 could only win 72.5 per cent of the titles.
The statistics are very similar for the two-decade period from 1982-2002 when Pete Sampras won 14 titles, Lendl won 8, Matts Wilander had 7 and Andre Agassi won 7 of his 8 grand slams.
Men 1982-2002 = 84 Grand Slams
| Pete Sampras | 14 | 16.7% |
|---|---|---|
| Ivan Lendl | 8 | 9.5% |
| Andre Agassi | 7 (of 8) | 8.3% |
| Matts Wilander | 7 | 8.3% |
| Total | 36 | 42.9% |
| Others | 48* | |
| Including Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg with 6 titles each |
It is the champion women of 1960-1980 and 1978-1999 who come closest matching the dominance of the reigning male greats.
From 1978-99 the top seven women won 83 per cent of the 88 grand slam titles on offer. Graf won 22 titles, Navratilova notched 18, Chris Evert won 11 of her 18 titles and Monica Seles took out 9. Those four alone won 68 per cent of the titles on offer.
Women 1978-1999 = 88 Grand Slams
| Steffi Graf | 22 | 25% |
|---|---|---|
| Martina Navratilova | 18 | 20.5% |
| Chris Evert | 11 (of 18) | 12.5% |
| Total | 51 | 58% |
| Others | 37* | |
| *Including Monica Seles with 9 and Martina Hingis with 5 |
Likewise from 1960-80 when Court won 24 titles, Billie Jean King took out 12 grand slams and Evert won 11 of her eventual 18 titles, the top three had a winning rate of 56 per cent. If you throw in Evonne Cawley and Maria Bueno’s 7 grand slams each, the top five players won 72.5 per cent of the titles on offer.
Women 1960-1980 = 84 Grand Slams
| Amateur and Professional | ||
|---|---|---|
| Margaret Court | 24 | 28.6% |
| Billie Jean King | 12 | 14.3% |
| Chris Evert | 11 (of 18) | 13.2% |
| Total | 47 | 56% |
| Others | 37* | |
| *Including Evonne Cawley and Maria Bueno with 7 titles each. |
Let’s not forget the Williams sisters. Serena (23 grand slams) and Venus (7) between them won more than a third of the major titles on offer between 1997 and 2017, with Serena alone having a win rate of 27 per cent.
Women 1997-2017 = 84 Grand Slams
| Serena Williams | 23 | 27.4% |
|---|---|---|
| Venus Williams | 7 | 8.3% |
| Justine Henin | 7 | 8.3% |
| Total | 37 | 44% |
| Others | 47* | |
| *Including Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis with 5 titles each |
So in summary, Court and Djokovic with 24 grand slam titles remain the players with the most majors, followed by Serena (23) and then Nadal and Graf (22 each).
If Djokovic wins his 25th slam at Melbourne Park later this month, he will rightly be ranked – as many current players already consider him – the greatest of all time.
“I’m happy I can say I got a win over the GOAT,” was how Australian world No.10 Alex de Minaur felt after beating Djokovic in the quarter-finals of the United Cup in Perth in early January.
Michael Osborne has been a journalist for more than four decades including 35 years with the national news agency Australian Associated Press, rising from junior reporter to Editor.
He was AAP Editor for 11 years and served four years as Head of Sport and Racing. He was also posted to London and Beijing as AAP’s Bureau Chief and Foreign Correspondent.
He has worked at six Olympics and five Commonwealth Games, covered tennis grand slams, golf majors, international cricket, rugby world cups and numerous sporting world championships. He also co-ordinated and managed AAP’s teams and coverage at three Olympic Games in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
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