The most special moment in a tennis player’s career comes when they win a Grand Slam title. There are four of these prestigious tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. The Australian Open and the US Open are played on hard courts, while the French Open and Wimbledon are held on clay and grass courts.

A Grand Slam tournament lasts two weeks, with players battling against each other to make history. Players who have won these tournaments have achieved not only ranking points and prize money but also grabbed the attention of the media and public.

There have been countless players who have lifted Majors but only a few have achieved greatness. In the last two decades, we have seen Grand Slam records tumble thanks to the Big 3 of tennis (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer) and Serena Williams, who have set the benchmark for men’s and women’s tennis.

List of players with the most Grand Slam titles in tennis history

Pete Sampras- 14

When Pete Sampras retired after winning the 2002 US Open, he not only left a lasting legacy but at that time, it was impossible to imagine that any player shortly would challenge what he left behind.

He was considered the greatest of all time in the 1990s thanks to the records he broke during his 14-year-long career. Many consider Sampras to be one of the best players on grass and serve-and-volley players in the history of tennis.

With 64 career titles, Sampras stands ninth in the Open Era list. His 14 Majors include seven titles at the Wimbledon.

Chris Evert- 18

‘The Ice Maiden’ of tennis, Chris Evert, never succumbed to a defeat in the first or second round of a Grand Slam tournament. After turning professional in 1972, Evert carved out an impressive career as she went on to win a Major from 1974 to 1986 and called time on her career with 18 singles and three doubles in Grand Slam events.

It was at the 1971 US Open where a 16-year-old hogged the limelight for the first time. She won her first Major at the 1974 French Open nearly three years later.

She was tough to beat on the slow clay courts where her baseline game was highly effective. At the French Open, she lifted seven titles, most by any woman.

Martina Navratilova- 18

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova dominated in the 1970s and 1980s. The player with the most singles and doubles titles in the history of tennis, Martina Navratilova is regarded as the greatest singles, doubles, and mixed doubles player.

Since the beginning of the Open Era, no player has won more singles tournaments than the Czech–American legend. In her decorated singles career, the tennis legend has lifted 18 Grand Slam titles. Her overall Grand Slam tally of 59 titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles is second only to Margaret Court’s 64.

In her career that spanned nearly four decades, Navratilova, after her win at the 2006 US Open mixed doubles, became the then-oldest player to win a Major. Apart from the 18 singles titles, Navratilova has also won 31 doubles and 10 mixed doubles in Grand Slam events.

Helen Wills- 19

Helen Wills never played in the Open Era but was a dominating force in the 1920s and 1930s. She became a sensation in 1926 when Suzanne Lenglen edged the American in the Match of the Century at Cannes.

She was on a 161-match winning streak from 1927 until 1933, during which time she added 14 of her 19 Grand Slam singles titles to her trophy cabinet.

Along with her 14 Major singles, Wills also won nine doubles and three mixed doubles in Majors. She also had an incredible 398–35 win-loss record in singles.

Roger Federer- 20

Roger Federer became the first player in men’s tennis to win 20 Majors in singles after his victory at the Australian Open in 2018. However, it was his last Major, as two years later, he called time on his remarkable career.

He has set some remarkable records that are not easy to beat. Those 20 Grand Slam titles were part of the 103 singles titles, making him the player with the second most singles titles. More than the records, the playing style of the legend from Basel has mesmerized generations of fans and players.

Federer dumbfounded his opponents with his aesthetically pleasing game. His elegant and refined playing style made tennis more popular and Federer became a beloved athlete almost everywhere.

In an emotionally charged atmosphere at The O2 Arena in London, Federer joined forces with Rafael Nadal for doubles and bade his farewell to the game. Even after his retirement, his popularity doesn’t seem to wane.

Steffi Graf- 22

The first and only player to win the Golden Grand Slam, Steffi Graf dominated in all Grand Slam events from 1982 until her retirement at the of 30 in 1999. During those 17 years, Graf added 22 Grand Slam titles to her cabinet, four of which came in 1988.

That same year, the German legend, who was just 19, made her country proud by taking home the gold medal at the Seoul Olympics. She became only player in tennis history to complete Calendar Year Golden Slam. Widely recognized as one of the greatest players to have played the game, Graff, with 22 Major singles, stands second in the all-time list in the Open Era in women’s tennis.

Known for her versatility, Graf, who spent the most weeks (377) as the No.1 player, is the only player in the history of tennis to have accomplished the Career Grand Slam at least four times.

Rafael Nadal- 22

Most followed tennis player on social media, Rafael Nadal’s legendary career came to an end when Spain lost their quarterfinal tie to the Netherlands at the 2024 Davis Cup. In his illustrious career that spanned over two decades, Nadal battled it out against his two big rivals, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, which were some of the most memorable matches of all time.

Although the ‘greatest of all time’ debate will continue for a long time, no one can question Nadal’s legacy at the French Open. The 14 titles at Roland Garros made him the ultimate ‘King of Clay’.

It was on Parisien clay in 2005 that the Spaniard defeated Mariano Puerta to announce that he came there not just to compete but to rule. With Federer and Djokovic, Nadal forged two of the greatest rivalries in sports, and with 22 Grand Slam titles, he surpassed the Swiss maestro’s tally. But couldn’t chase more titles as injuries forced him to bid his farewell.

Serena Williams- 23

Serena Williams, one of the most decorated players in tennis history, has done it all. From Grand Slam wins in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles to winning four gold medals at the Olympics, Williams has achieved everything.

Williams ended the most remarkable chapter of her in front of the home fans at the 2022 US Open. With 23 Grand Slam singles titles in her trophy cabinet, Williams is the most successful WTA player in the Open Era.

After turning professional in 1995, Williams made her Grand Slam debut at the 1998 Australian Open. She marked a new era in women’s tennis when she claimed her first Major with a straight-set win over Martina Hingis at the 1999 US Open.

Seven of her 23 titles came at the Australian Open, three she clinched at the French Open. At Wimbledon, Williams claimed seven titles, and the rest were at the US Open.

Margaret Court-24

Margaret Court‘s career spanned both amateur and the Open Era but during her 17-year career, the records she has set are quite unmatchable. Her legacy has often been debated but no one could disagree that she had one of the most glorious tennis careers.

From 1960 to 1977, Court won 24 titles in her 29 Grand Slam singles finals, and along with the singles, her 59 doubles and 19 mixed doubles Majors took her tally to an astonishing 64 Majors.

In 1970, Court became the second female player to accomplish the calendar Grand Slam, but overall, she is the only player in history to achieve three calendar Grand Slams (one in singles and two in mixed doubles).

At first, it was considered that no one would come close to her unbelievable record of 24 Majors in singles. Those who attempted to surpass her ended up taking retirement. But now, it’s in danger again, for Novak Djokovic has tied the tally after his victory at the 2023 US Open and one more win will make the Serb the ultimate leader in the all-time list.

Novak Djokovic- 24

Widely regarded as the greatest of all time, Novak Djokovic leads the list with 24 Grand Slam titles and is expected to win more. 10 of his Grand Slams came at the Australian Open, the most in the history of Grand Slam down under. Djokovic holds the record of most prize money won in tennis history along with most weeks as world number 1.

After his win at the 2021 Wimbledon, Djokovic tied the tally with Federer, and in the next couple of years, he etched his name in record books as the player with the most Grand Slam titles in men’s tennis. In the 2023 season, he missed accomplishing the calendar Grand Slam after losing a four-hour, 42-minute battle against Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon.

After an incredible year, Djokovic surprisingly failed to win a Major in 2024 but fulfilled his lifetime goal of winning an Olympic gold medal to complete Golden Slam. Novak Djokovic also became second male player since Andre Agassi to win Career Super Slam (Davis Cup, four Grand Slam tournaments, an Olympic gold medal, and the ATP World Tour Finals).

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