Tennis/Catalogs/Famous players

This is a supplement to the article about Tennis and to the articles about the individual players.

Under construction: this will be a list of famous players, in chronological order. Although other players will also be included, this list will, at a minimum, include all players who have ever been considered to be the World No. 1 player or Co-No. 1 for an entire year.

Male

Name	Biographical	Technique	Record
			Event	S	D	MD	Wins
William Renshaw (William Charles Renshaw) Info: Called Willie	Nationality: British Birth: January 3, 1861, Leamington, England Death: August 12, 1904, Swanage, England	Right handed Class: Amateur only Strength:Agressiveness; serve and overhead smash	Grand Slam	7	5		12
			Davis Cup			teams	wins
			World #1 player	Played before rankings; also before Davis Cup was initiated
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Was the younger, by 15 minutes, to his twin, Ernest Renshaw, also a Wimbledon singles champion; together they won Wimbledon doubles 5 times
Tony Wilding (Anthony Frederick Wilding)	Nationality: NZ Birth: October 31, 1883, Christchurch, New Zealand Death: May 9, 1915, near Neuve Chapelle, Pas de Calais, France	Right handed Class: Amateur only Strength:Hit his drives with great pace and overspin; defense and baseline play	Grand Slam	6	5		11
			Davis Cup	15-6	6-3	6 teams	4 wins
			World #1 player	1913
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Joined the Royal Marines in World War I, rose to Captain; along with the American Joe Hunt, probably the most prominent tennis player ever killed on active service
Maurice McLoughlin (Maurice Evans McLoughlin) Info: Called Red or The California Comet	Nationality: American Birth: January 7, 1890, Carson City, Nevada Death: December 10, 1957, Hermosa Beach, California	Right handed Class: Amateur only Strength:"Cannonball" serve; overhead smash; volleying Weakness:Retired at 29, perhaps worn out from his violent on-court exertions	Grand Slam	2	3		5
			Davis Cup	9-4	3-4	4 teams	1 wins
			World #1 player	1914
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: The first of the great serve-and-volley attackers
Richard Williams (Richard Norris Williams) Info: Known variously as Richard, Dick, and R. Norris	Nationality: American Birth: January 29, 1891, Geneva, Switzerland Death: June 2, 1968, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania	Right handed Class: Amateur only Strength:Took ball on the rise using the Continental grip, going for winners on every shot; unbeatable when his game was "on" Weakness:Extremely erratic, could lose to much inferior players	Grand Slam	2	3	1	6
			Davis Cup	6-3	4-0	6 teams	5 wins
			World #1 player	Was the U.S.A. No. 1 in 1916, when there were no world rankings because of World War I
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Was a Titanic survivor, nearly had his legs amputated after being rescued from the near-freezing waters.
Bill Tilden (William Tatem Tilden, Jr., changed to William Tatem Tilden II in the 1910s) Info: Called Big Bill	Nationality: American Birth: February 10, 1893, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Death: June 5, 1953, Los Angeles, California	Right handed Class: Amateur through 1930; thereafter a touring professional Strength:"Cannonball" serve; all-court game; speed and court coverage; intelligence and analytic ability to change strategy and tactics during matches Weakness:Initially, his backhand; possibly his overhead smash	Grand Slam	10	6	5	21
			Davis Cup	25-5	9-2	11 teams	7 wins
			World #1 player	1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1931, second most to Pancho Gonzales
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Beat Karel Koželuh before 14,000 in his professional debut at Madison Square Garden on February 18, 1931; thereafter toured for many years against other top professionals. Served two periods of incarceration near Los Angeles for morals charges involving underage males Davis Cup info: On 7 consecutive winning teams, 1920 through 1926, still a record
Bill Johnston (William M. Johnston) Info: Called Little Bill	Nationality: American Birth: November 2, 1894, San Francisco, California Death: May 1, 1946, San Francisco, California	Right handed Class: Amateur only; retired from competition in 1927 Strength:Topspin forehand drive hit shoulder-high with a Western grip; volleying from the service line Weakness:Backhand, which he hit with the same face of the racquet as his forehand; occasional physical fraility	Grand Slam	3	3	1	7
			Davis Cup	14-3	4-0	8 teams	7 wins
			World #1 player	1919
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Died of tuberculosis at age 51 Davis Cup info: On 7 consecutive winning teams, 1920 through 1926, still a record
Karel Koželuh (Karel Koželuh)	Nationality: Czech Birth: March 7, 1895 Death: April 27, 1950	right handed Class: Professional only, first as a coach, then as a touring pro	Grand Slam
			Davis Cup			teams	wins
			World #1 player	Never played amateur tournaments or Davis Cup matches
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: The American tennis player Vinnie Richards described Koželuh as "Seamy-faced, cadaverous-looking and, in general, resembled a cigar-store Indian;" was killed in an automobile crash outside Prague at age 55
Gerald Patterson (Gerald Leighton Patterson) Info: Sometimes called The Human Catapul in Australia because of his hard serve	Nationality: Australian Birth: December 17, 1895, Melbourne, Australia Death: June 13, 1967, Melbourne, Australia	Right handed Class: Amateur only Strength:Very hard serve, both flat and twist; smash; volleying; forehand	Grand Slam	3	5	1	9
			Davis Cup	21-10	11-4	6 teams	1 wins
			World #1 player	1919
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Won the Military Cross with Australian army in World War I; nephew of diva Dame Nellie Melba
Jacques Brugnon (Jacques Brugnon) Info: Called Toto; was also one of the iconic French Four Musketeers tennis players	Nationality: French Birth: May 11, 1895, Paris, France Death: March 20, 1978, Paris, France	Right handed Class: Amateur only as a player; for a while was a teaching professional in California Strength:Doubles -- was the doubles specialist of the Musketeers; "A player of rare stroke variety and delicacy of touch."	Grand Slam	10	2		12
			Davis Cup	4-2	22-9	11 teams	6 wins
			World #1 player
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Oldest and smallest of the Musketeers; nearly made the finals of the 1926 Wimbledon championship, having 5 match points in the semi-finals against Bob Kinney without winning any of them Davis Cup info: On 6 consecutive winning teams, from 1927 through 1932, but actually played in only 4 of them
Jean Borotra (Jean Robert Borotra) Info: Called The Bounding Basque (le Basque bondissant in French); was also one of the iconic French Four Musketeers tennis players	Nationality: French Birth: August 13, 1898, Domaine du Pouy, in the Basque Pyrenees country near Biarritz, France Death: July 17, 1994, Arbonne, France	Right handed Class: Amateur only Strength:Attacking game and volleying; skillful gamesmanship; a great indoor player who won the French indoor title 12 times, the British 11, and the U.S. 4	Grand Slam	4	9	3	16
			Davis Cup	19-12	17-6	17 teams	6 wins
			World #1 player
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Always wore a blue beret during his matches; intensely disliked by Bill Tilden, the consummate showman, master of gamesmanship, and show-off — Tilden considered Borotra to be a show-off "a charlatan, the greatest faker in tennis history"; "Borotra [Tilden wrote] was what passes for 'typically' French. That is to say, he had all the charm, warmth, glamour and insincerity which is Paris." Davis Cup info: On 6 consecutive winning teams, from 1927 through 1932;
Ray Casey (Raymond John Casey)	Nationality: American Birth: February 15, 1900, San Francisco, California Death: January, 1982, Palo Alto, California	Left handed Class: Amateur into the 1940s, then became a successful tennis coach Strength:Very hard serve, one of the fastest in the world at the time Weakness:Lack of mobility compared to many other top players	Grand Slam
			Davis Cup			teams	wins
			World #1 player	Never had a national ranking because he played exclusively on the West Coast
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Was sometimes mistakenly called "Roy" Casey in New York Times articles; most famous pupil was Bob Lutz
Henri Cochet (Henri Jean Cochet) Info: Called The Ballboy of Lyons, also The Magician; was also one of the iconic French Four Musketeers tennis players	Nationality: French Birth: December 14, 1901, Lyons, France Death: April 1, 1987, St. Germain-en-Laye, France	Right handed Class: Amateur until 1934; had an undistinguished professional career; reinstated as an amateur in 1945 Strength:Taking the ball on the rise to make volleys and half-volleys; overhead; successful shots from apparently impossible positions; winning matches that apparently had been lost Weakness:"A weak serve, he seldom bothered to lob, and he had a backhand which Tilden characterized as 'a little too cramped and defensive.' "	Grand Slam	7	5	3	15
			Davis Cup	34-8	10-6	11 teams	6 wins
			World #1 player	1928, 1929, 1930
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: The only one of the Four Musketeers who turned professional
René Lacoste (Jean René Lacoste) Info: Called The Crocodile, mostly in France, or The Alligator, mostly in the United States; there are differing explanations for the origin of his nickname; was also one of the iconic French Four Musketeers tennis players	Nationality: French Birth: July 2, 1904, Paris, France Death: October 12, 1996, St. Jean-de-Luz, France	Right handed Class: Amateur only Strength:Relentless backcourt returning; passing shots and lobs Weakness:Fragile health; retired in 1929 at age 25	Grand Slam	7	3		10
			Davis Cup	32-8	8-3	6 teams	2 wins
			World #1 player	1926, 1927
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: For many years his polo shirts with the crocodile logo on the breast have been sold worldwide; developed the first successful metal racket, the Wilson T2000, used by Jimmy Connors; his daughter, Catherine Lacoste, won the U.S. Open gold title in 1967
Fred Perry (Frederick John Perry)	Nationality: British Birth: May 18, 1909, Stockport, Cheshire, England Death: February 21, 1995, Melbourne, Australia	Right handed Class: Amateur through 1936, then a touring professional through the mid-1940s Strength:Extremely good footwork and great speed; played an all-court attacking game dominated by a superb forehand that, with a Continental grip, took the ball on the rise Weakness:An "underslice" backhand; was perceived as being selfish, sarcastic, and egotistical; Jack Kramer says that as a professional Perry frequently gave less than 100% in his matches, not caring whether he won or lost	Grand Slam	8	2	4	14
			Davis Cup	34-4	11-3	6 teams	4 wins
			World #1 player	1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1941
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Father was a Labour Party member of the House of Commons; Perry was a table tennis champion before taking up tennis Davis Cup info: Led Great Britain to 4 consecutive wins; Great Britain has never won since
Ellsworth Vines (Henry Ellsworth Vines, Jr.) Info: Called Elly	Nationality: American Birth: September 29, 1911, Los Angeles, California Death: March 17, 1994	Right handed Class: Amateur until 1933, then a touring professional through 1939 Strength:Tremendously hard serve and forehand, both hit flat with no spin, "murderous" overhead, good volleying Weakness:Very erratic, played with no margin of safety when hitting shots	Grand Slam	3	2	1	6
			Davis Cup	13-3	0	2 teams	0 wins
			World #1 player	1932, 1935, 1936, 1937
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Lost interest in tennis and at 28 became a professional golfer; won one professional golf tournament and reached the semi-finals of the 1951 PGA championship.
Don Budge (John Donald Budge)	Nationality: American Birth: June 13, 1915, Oakland, California Death: January 26, 2000, Poughkeepsie, New York	Right handed Class: Amateur through 1938, then a touring professional through the early-1950s Strength:Universally considered to have had the greatest backhand of all time, at least until Ken Rosewall; very powerful serve; powerful all-court game; also considered to be a great doubles player Weakness:Hurt his shoulder during military service, which eventually rendered his overhead less effective	Grand Slam	6	4	4	14
			Davis Cup	19-2	6-2	4 teams	2 wins
			World #1 player	1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: In 1938 was the first man to achieve the singles Grand Slam by winning the four major tournaments: Australian, French, United States, and Wimbledon championships
Bobby Riggs (Robert Larimore Riggs)	Nationality: American Birth: February 25, 1918, Los Angeles, California Death: October 25, 1995, Leucadia, California	Right handed Class: Amateur through 1941, then a touring professional for a few years after World War II Strength:Return of serve; lob; dropshot; passing shots; overhead smash; court coverage; all-round defensive game; calm temperament Weakness:Smaller than many of his opponents such as Budge and Kramer, and not as powerful, but no noticeable weaknesses	Grand Slam	3	1	2	6
			Davis Cup	2-2		2 teams	2 wins
			World #1 player	1941, 1946, 1947
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Played women's champion Billie Jean King in "The Battle of the Sexes" in 1975, a match televised worldwide; was notorious as a highly successful hustler in both tennis and golf, particularly after his retirement from top-level tennis; generally thought of as a defensive player, but had a fine serve and volley and frequently played a very agressive game
Frank Kovacs (Frank Kovacs) Info: called Frankie; also The Clown Prince of Tennis	Nationality: American Birth: 1919 Death: 1990	Right handed Class: Amateur through 1941, then an occasional touring professional for a number of years after World War II Strength:His best shot, says Kramer, was "a hard, angled backhand crosscourt, but he could never figure out how to set it up so he could take advantage of it." Weakness:"Kovacs had picture strokes, but the reason he could never win anything is because he didn't have any idea how to go about winning. He never had a set plan for a match. Hell, he never had a set plan for a shot. He could sort of decide what to do with it halfway through the stroke."	Grand Slam
			Davis Cup			teams	wins
			World #1 player
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Known for his on-court eccentricities, such as chewing tennis balls; one source says that as of October, 1951, Kovacs held a remarkable 14-3 lead over Jack Kramer, the world's best player, in their head-to-head meetings, which is difficult to credit; his cousin was the entertainer Ernie Kovacs.
Pancho Segura (Francisco Olegario Segura) Info: called Segoo	Nationality: Ecuadorian/American Birth: June 20, 1921, Guayaquil, Ecuador	right handed Class: Amateur through 1947, then a touring professional for two decades Strength:Two-handed forehand, which Jack Kramer once called "the greatest single shot ever produced in tennis"; exceptional quickness; lob; dropshot Weakness:Relatively ordinary backhand; over-reliance on his forehand	Grand Slam
			Davis Cup			teams	wins
			World #1 player	1950, 1951, 1952
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: Small and bandy-legged, suffered from hernias, malaria, and rickets as a child; according to Kramer, probably played "more matches against top players than anyone in history"; never won any major amateur titles but was, for 3 years, the World Co-No. 1 as a professional
Jack Kramer (John Albert Kramer)	Nationality: American Birth: August 1, 1921, Las Vegas, Nevada	Right handed Class: Amateur through 1947, thereafter a touring professional and promoter Strength:Serve; second serve; volley; overhead; forehand; ability to pace himself and play "percentage tennis"; also considered to be a great doubles player Weakness:no noticeable ones except physical infirmities, particularly in his back, that eventually curtailed his career	Grand Slam	3	6	1	10
			Davis Cup	6-0	1-2	3 teams	2 wins
			World #1 player	1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: The first great player to use serve-and-volley with every point; an important tennis figure in four separate categories: as a player; as a promoter of the professional tour; as a powerful advocate for Open Tennis; as a broadcaster and tennis spokesman
Frank Sedgman (Frank Arthur Sedgman) Info: Called Sedge	Nationality: Australian Birth: October 29, 1927, Mont Albert, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia	Right handed Class: Amateur through 1952, thereafter a touring professional for many years Strength:Superb fitness; exceptional quickness, particularly at the net; fine serve and a great volley; also considered to be a great doubles player Weakness:According to Jack Kramer, his slice backhand, plus an inability to win at the very highest level "because he couldn't keep the heat on."	Grand Slam	5	9	8	22
			Davis Cup	16-3	9-0	4 teams	3 wins
			World #1 player
			National #1 player	{{{national rank years}}}
Trivia: The first of the great post-War Australians who went on to nearly dominate world tennis for three decades; competing first against Jack Kramer, then Pancho Gonzales, was probably the greatest player ever not to be ranked as World No. 1; in 1953 may have been the first professional to earn more than $100,000 in a single year.

• Jack Crawford 22 March 1908
• Gottfried von Cramm 7 July 1909
• Pancho Gonzales 9 May 1928
• Ken Rosewall 2 November 1934
• Lew Hoad 23 November 1934
• Rod Laver 9 August 1938
• Arthur Ashe 10 July 1943
• John Newcombe 23 May 1944
• Jimmy Connors 2 September 1952
• Björn Borg 6 June 1956
• John McEnroe 16 February 1959
• Boris Becker 22 November 1967
• Andre Agassi 29 April 1970
• Pete Sampras 12 August 1971
• James Blake 28 December 1979
• Juan Carlos Ferrero 12 February 1980
• Lleyton Hewitt 24 February 1981
• Roger Federer 8 August 1981
• Rafael Nadal 3 June 1986

Female

• Helen Wills Moody (USA) 10-6-05
• Althea Gibson (USA) 8-25-27
• Margaret Court (Australia) 7-16-42
• Billie Jean King (USA) 11-22-43
• Virginia Wade (England) 7-10-45
• Evonne Goolagong Cawley 7-31-51 (Australia)
• Martina Navratilova (Czechoslovakia/USA) 10-18-56
• Chris Evert 3-21-54
• Tracy Austin (USA) 12-12-62
• Steffi Graf (Germany) 6-14-69
• Monica Seles (Yugoslavia/USA) 12-2-73
• Inmaculada Concepción ("Conchita") Martinez (Spain) 4-16-72
• Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (Spain) 12-18-71
• Mary Pierce (Canada/USA) 1-15-75
• Jennifer Capriati (USA) 3-29-76
• Lindsay Davenport (USA) 6-8-76
• Amélie Mauresmo (France) 7-5-79
• Venus Williams (USA) 6-17-80
• Martina Hingis (Switzerland) 12-30-80
• Serena Williams (USA) 12-26-81
• Justine Henin - (Belgium) 6-1-82
• Kim Clijsters (Belgium) 6-8-83
• Maria Sharapova (Russia) 4-19-87

Sources

• Big Bill Tilden, The Triumphs and the Tragedy, by Frank DeFord, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1976, ISBN 0-671-22254-6
• Total Tennis, The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia, edited by Bud Collins, Sport Classic Books, Toronto, 2003
• The Game, My 40 Years in Tennis, by Jack Kramer with Frank Deford, G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1979, (ISBN 0-399-12336-9