Australia has been blessed with some of the best tennis players of all time, going back to Rod Laver and continuing with the likes of Lleyton Hewitt.
We look at the players who have had the biggest impact on the sport, and although top 10 lists are always controversial, they belong on the list.
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1. Rod Laver
Rod Laver is widely regarded as the greatest Australian tennis player of all time, and one of the greatest tennis players in history. He won 11 Grand Slam singles titles in his career, including two calendar-year Grand Slams in 1962 and 1969.
Laver’s accomplishments are even more impressive, considering he missed several years of his prime due to the professional-amateur split in tennis during the 1960s.
Laver’s dominance on the court was due to his speed, agility, and precision. He was known for his powerful left-handed serve, his accurate groundstrokes, and his ability to play both defensively and offensively.
His contributions to the sport of tennis have been recognised throughout the world, including a spot in the Tennis Hall of Fame.
2. Margaret Court
Margaret Court is the most successful female tennis player in history, having won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, 19 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, and 21 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She also won the calendar-year Grand Slam in 1970 and is one of only three players in history to achieve this feat.
Court’s style of play was based on her powerful serve and her aggressive net play. Much like Laver, there is a court named after her at Melbourne Park, where the Australian Open is played.
She will forever be one of the most influential players in history.
3. Ken Rosewall
Ken Rosewall is another Australian tennis legend, and one of the greatest players of the 1950s and 1960s. He won a total of eight Grand Slam singles titles in his career, including four Australian Open titles, two French Open titles, and two US Open titles.
Despite his relatively small stature, Rosewall was able to compete with and beat larger opponents through his quick footwork and intelligent shot selection. He is often overlooked on top 10 tennis lists, but Rosewall was a quality tennis player and deserving of his spot at number three.
4. Evonne Goolagong
We said Margaret Court was ‘one’ of the most influential tennis players, simply because Evonne Goolagong had the most influence.
Goolagong is one of the most successful Australian female tennis players of all time, having won seven Grand Slam singles titles, including two Wimbledon titles and four Australian Open titles.
Goolagong’s contributions to tennis and local communities are endless. She has also been an advocate for Indigenous rights and the promotion of tennis in Indigenous communities, which is where her impact was felt the most.
5. Lleyton Hewitt
Lleyton Hewitt is one of the most successful male tennis players in Australian history, having won two Grand Slam singles titles and over 600 matches in his career.
His signature ‘C’mon!” took off with great popularity and now many young tennis players use it to motivate themselves.
A demon on the court, Hewitt would later coach and mentor international tennis teams and be an important part of the young stars coming through the ranks.
6. Roy Emerson
Roy Emerson is a popular name in tennis, having won a total of 12 Grand Slam singles titles in his career. He was known for his powerful serve and his excellent volleying skills, which helped him to dominate on grass courts.
Emerson was also successful on clay courts, winning six French Open titles during his career, which isn’t easy to do for an Australian who isn’t used to clay.
He has also been an active participant in the tennis community, mentoring and coaching young players and promoting the sport throughout Australia, so his on and off-court contributions are why he’s on the list.
7. Pat Rafter
Pat Rafter won two US Open titles and reached the final of the Wimbledon tournament twice. He was known for his serve-and-volley style of play, which made him a formidable opponent on fast surfaces.
Despite not being the name that rolls off the tongue when thinking about Australia’s best tennis players, Rafter was a stud in his day and he attracted big audiences.
8. Frank Sedgman
Frank Sedgman was one of the top Australian tennis players of the 1940s and 1950s, having won six Grand Slam singles titles and 22 Grand Slam doubles titles during his career.
Having six Grand Slam titles on your record is good enough but having an additional 22 doubles titles makes Sedgman one of the more underrated Australian players.
We suggest Googling him and admiring his feats.
9. Ash Barty
Premature retirement stopped Barty’s career. However, what she achieved on the court brought Australian women’s tennis back into the limelight.
Barty held the top ranking for 121 weeks after winning three Grand Slams, including the 2019 French Open, 2021 Wimbledon, and 2022 Australian Open.
She retired to focus on other aspects of life, including playing golf.
10. Nick Kyrgios
We thought long and hard about adding Naughty Nick to our list, but on pure talent, he scrapes in.
Despite the troubled star having never won anything of note, his antics alone makes him a polarising figure.
There’s no doubting his talent and we can only imagine when he would have achieved if he put it to good use.
