The Top 5 Greatest Tennis Rivalries of All Time
Tennis has given us some of the most thrilling sports rivalries of all time. The one-on-one nature of tennis leads to epic battles between the game’s biggest stars. Here are the 5 greatest tennis rivalries in the history of the sport:
- Borg vs McEnroe
The ice-cool Swede Bjorn Borg against the fiery American John McEnroe couldn’t be more different in playing style and temperament. Their contrasting games and personalities made for electric viewing in the late 70s and early 80s. This rivalry defined Wimbledon and the early days of professional tennis. McEnroe ended Borg’s run of 5 straight Wimbledon titles in a classic 1981 final, but Borg leads their head-to-head 7-7.
- Evert vs Navratilova
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova met a staggering 80 times from 1973 to 1988. Their rivalry enthralled tennis fans across those 15 years. Evert held a early lead in their head-to-head, but Navratilova later dominated, winning 43 of their 80 encounters. The two brought out the best in each other and demonstrated the power of sports rivalries to motivate competitors.
- Sampras vs Agassi
This battle of contrasting styles and personalities was the biggest rivalry in men’s tennis throughout the 1990s. Sampras with his clinical serve-and-volley game against the flamboyant Agassi with his flowing groundstrokes. Though Sampras dominated their head-to-head 20-14, Agassi regularly limited his slam counts. Their competitive matches gave tennis dramatic and abiding memories.
- Federer vs Nadal
Perhaps no rivalry has spread across eras quite like Federer-Nadal. They’ve faced each other 40 times from 2004 to present, including in 9 grand slam finals. Nadal leads their head-to-head 24-16. The aggressive Federer against the relentless Nadal has been a stylistic and generational clash for the ages. It has given men’s tennis a dream rivalry to succeed Sampras-Agassi.
- Serena vs Venus Williams
Venus and Serena Williams redefined women’s tennis as sisters and rivals throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Despite their close personal bond, once on court their matches were fueled by true competitive fire. With Serena leading their head-to-head 18-12, this sisterly rivalry delivered some of the most gripping matches in recent tennis history.
While there have been many great tennis rivalries, these five stand out as the greatest. Their contrasting styles, epic clashes, and pure competitive spirit captured fans’ imaginations and brought out the very best tennis from the legends of the sport.
