The race to who will end their career with the most tennis Grand Slams has elicited an ongoing debate which is also used to determine the best player in the game.
With four slam tournaments up for grabs in a calendar year, players have a chance to ramp up their tally at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open, and the US Open.
We bet you already have a couple of names at the top of your head, so who, male and female, has won the most tennis Grand Slams?
1. Margaret Court – 24 Grand Slams
Court is considered one of the best tennis players in the game. She holds the tennis Grand Slams record with 24 and is the female tennis player with the most Grand Slams. Court played professional tennis between 1960 and 1977.
She won the Australian Open 11 times, the French Open five times, Wimbledon three times, and the US Open five times. Court was also successful in the doubles and the mixed doubles.
However, in recent times, Margaret Court has drawn criticism for her off the wall remarks than plaudits for her achievements.
2. Serena Williams – 23 Grand Slams
The wait continues for the American international, who last won a major in 2017 in Australia and has recently been in four finals and lost all of them.
Considered to be one of the finest tennis players, she ranks second in this list of women players with the most tennis Grand Slams. She still has the chance to equal Court, but whether Serena can go one better, it’s anyone’s guess.
3. Steffi Graf – 22 Grand Slams
The German international completed her career with 22 Grand Slams, which makes her the third female player with the most tennis Grand Slams.
Graf is also among the few players to have achieved the golden slam. She won six French Opens, five US Opens, seven Wimbledons, and four Australian Opens.
4. Rafael Nadal – 22 Grand Slams
Currently, Rafael Nadal has the most tennis Grand Slams on the men’s tour. He has won 22, 14 of them from the French Open alone.
That said, he can’t afford to be comfortable as Novak Djokovic is breathing down his neck in second with 21 Grand Slams.
5. Novak Djokovic – 21 Grand Slams
The Serb is the most successful player at the Australian Open, with nine singles titles. He’s never lost a final at the Aussie and was the favorite for a 10th before he was deported after failing to meet COVID-19 regulations.
Nonetheless, Djokovic is the youngest of the three and, barring injuries, has a chance to finish his career with the most slams.
6. Roger Federer – 20 Grand Slams
The Swiss maestro trails this race with 20 slams. In 2009, he broke Pete Sampras’s 14 Grand Slam title-record, earning the title of the greatest male tennis player.
However, injuries have slowed him down and allowed Djokovic and Nadal to catch up. That said, never count Federer out, as he’s proven multiple times that he can rise above difficult circumstances. The chase is still on.
7. Martina Navratilova – 18 Grand Slams
Martina Navratilova is the most successful female player on the grass court. To date, she’s won the greatest number of Wimbledon singles titles with 9.
The Czech-American player was also victorious on the hard and clay courts. She won three Australian Open titles, two French Opens, and four US Open titles.
8. Chris Evert – 18 Grand Slams
Chris Evert featured in more Grand Slam singles finals than any other player, having played 34. She also holds the record for winning the most French Open singles finals with seven titles.
Evert was a dynamic player and also thrived on the grass and hard courts. She won six US Opens, three Wimbledon titles, and two Australian Opens. In total, Evert featured in 56 Grand Slam singles tournaments.
9. Pete Sampras – 14 Grand Slams
When Sampras achieved his 14th grand slam title in 2002, no one would have predicted that his record then would ever be overshadowed. However, the big three, starting with Roger Federer in 2009, came along and dwarfed his feat.
Sampras won five US Open titles, seven Wimbledon titles, and two Australian Open titles. Unfortunately, he retired, having not won any titles on clay.
10. Roy Emmerson – 12 Grand Slams
Emmerson might not be the biggest name in tennis, but his achievements can never be forgotten. He is one of the most successful Australian players, having clinched his 12th title in 1967 at the French Open.
He won his home Grand Slam six times, two Wimbledon titles, two US Open Championships, and two Rolland Garros titles.