Grand Slam tally, Weeks at No. 1, surface versatility, and head-to-head dominance.
Priya RamanSenior Sports Editor
Winner
Novak Djokovic
Overview
The Open Era since 1968 produced tennis golden ages. We ranked legends across Grand Slam singles titles, weeks at World No. 1, surface mastery, and head-to-head records against fellow champions.
Winner spotlight
№1Novak Djokovic holds the most complete resume in tennis history: 24 Grand Slam singles titles, 400+ weeks at World No. 1, winning every Grand Slam at least three times, and holding a winning head-to-head record against both Nadal and Federer.
At a glance
| Pick | #1 Novak Djokovic 24 Grand Slams · 400+ Wks #1 | #2 Rafael Nadal 22 Grand Slams · 14 French Opens | #3 Roger Federer 20 Grand Slams · 310 Wks #1 | #4 Serena Williams 23 Open Era Grand Slams | #5 Steffi Graf 22 Grand Slams · Golden Slam 1988 | #6 Martina Navratilova 18 Slams · 167 Titles | #7 Pete Sampras 14 Grand Slams · 6 Yr-End #1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 9.9 | 9.8 | 9.7 | 9.9 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.3 |
| Build quality | Premium | Excellent | Great | Very good | Good | Good | Fair |
| Battery life | 42h | 36h | 30h | 26h | 22h | 18h | 14h |
| Performance | Outstanding | Excellent | Great | Very good | Good | Good | Fair |
| Value for money | Excellent | Great | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
The list
Ordered by overall score across every test. The “best for” note tells you exactly who each pick is for.
124 Grand Slams, Career Golden Masters, and unshakeable mental strength.
Best overallWhy buy
Keep in mind
2The King of Clay with 14 Roland Garros crowns and relentless topspin.
Clay dominance & heartWhy buy
Keep in mind
3Effortless court elegance, 8 Wimbledon titles, and tennis artistic perfection.
Elegance & WimbledonWhy buy
Keep in mind
423 Grand Slam singles titles dominated with the greatest serve in tennis.
Women's GOATWhy buy
Keep in mind
5Achieved the incredible Golden Slam in 1988 with fatal forehands.
Golden Slam precisionWhy buy
Keep in mind
6Serve-and-volley mastery yielding 167 singles titles and 9 Wimbledons.
Serve & volley dominanceWhy buy
Keep in mind
7Clutch running forehand and devastating first serve dominating grass and hard courts.
90s fast court masterWhy buy
Keep in mind
Deep dive
| Feature | Novak Djokovic | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Serena Williams | Steffi Graf | Martina Navratilova | Pete Sampras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium materials | |||||||
| Active noise cancelling | |||||||
| Wireless charging | |||||||
| Multi-device pairing | |||||||
| App support | |||||||
| Replaceable parts | |||||||
| Water resistance | |||||||
| Carry case |
The verdict
Before you buy
Every device on this list was tested as a daily driver for at least 100 hours — commutes, deadlines, flights and the occasional accidental drop. We measure what the spec sheet hides: real battery life, real comfort, real durability.
Look past the headline spec. Battery claims are fiction until tested; 'premium' materials can still creak. Focus on what you'll do daily — typing, commuting, travelling — and let the 'Best for' notes under each pick steer you.
The winner of our The 7 Greatest Tennis Players of the Open Era ranking is the pick that scored highest across every test — but 'best overall' isn't always 'best for you'. Use the 'Best for' note under each of the seven to match a pick to your budget, your space and your habits. Every entry on this list earned its place; the ranking simply tells you where to start.
Questions
Curation over noise. Most lists publish 20+ entries to look comprehensive; we found that the top seven cover 95% of what anyone actually needs, and anything below that is a compromise we'd rather not recommend.
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