Can You Name These Classic Tennis Stars?

SPORTS

By: Gavin Thagard

7 Min Quiz

Image: Seven Network

About This Quiz

For a sport that dates back hundreds of years, it was only at the beginning of the 20th century when the sport really started to gain international recognition, as players from all over the world began competing in some of the biggest events in the history, such as the Olympic Games. Thanks to the publicity surrounding these high-profile matches, tennis players were able to establish themselves as household names, which helped not only their individual recognition but also the growth of the sport.

Tennis players established themselves as stars in a variety of ways — some through prowess, and some through their outrageous personality. Some also revolutionized the way the game was played, by bringing either power or new strategies to the court. But most importantly, they won, especially at the major tournaments where the pressure was the highest.

Are you going to have what it takes to name all of the tennis stars who won on the biggest stages? This quiz covers everyone from Grand Slam winners to gold medalists, so you'll have to sort them all out to get a high score. When you're ready, find out if you can volley your way through this quiz.

This tennis player had one of the most dominant serves in the game when he played. Who is he?

Few tennis stars get to leave the game on their own terms, as most of them continue to push for more championships even after their prime has passed. Pete Sampras, however, went out a champion, winning his final match at the 2002 US Open to take home his 14th Grand Slam singles title.

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A star on the tennis court for over 30 years, who is this?

Martina Navratilova was dominant in both singles and doubles tennis throughout her lengthy career, holding the No. 1 spot in both divisions for at least 200 weeks. She held that No. 1 position for five consecutive years in singles and three consecutive years in doubles.

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Can you identify this tennis star who reached the No. 1 ranking on several occasions?

In both the singles and doubles categories, Serena Williams has been dominant on the tennis court. She holds a total of 39 Grand Slam titles, with a majority of them coming as a singles competitor.

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Are you familiar with this star who won eight Grand Slam titles?

Though he didn't rack up as many titles as some of the other tennis stars, Andre Agassi was able to win at a multitude of tournaments during his career. In fact, he's the only male player to ever achieve a Career Golden Slam and to win at the ATP Tour World Championships.

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What's the name of this star who has one of the greatest resumes in the history of tennis?

While most competitors have one or two courts they star on, Steffi Graf was consistently great at every Grand Slam tournament. She won all four Grand Slam tournaments at least four times in the singles division, which included a Golden Slam in 1988 where she won all four tournaments and an Olympic gold medal.

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Do you recognize this tennis star who's been competing for titles since 2001?

To go along with his personal career, Rafael Nadal is also a two-time gold medalist at the Olympic Games as a representative of Spain. He won his first gold medal in the 2008 singles in Beijing and his second in the 2016 doubles in Rio de Janeiro.

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How well do you know this tennis star who racked up win after win throughout her career?

Chris Evert was one of the greatest champions in the history of tennis, winning 157 career titles. She always performed well in Grand Slam tournaments, reaching the singles finals a record 34 times.

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Name this tennis player who's recognized as one of the earliest stars in the game?

One of Billie Jean King's most famous matches came in 1973 when she competed against a male competitor, Bobby Riggs. Known as the "Battle of the Sexes," King won the matchup in three sets, which is often considered a turning point for women's tennis.

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Power is the calling card for which tennis star shown here?

Venus Williams is often overshadowed by her sister, Serena, but she's actually one of the greatest tennis players to ever take the court in both singles and doubles. She has a total of 21 Grand Slam titles and has been ranked No. 1 in both divisions.

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Aggression is the key to this tennis star's success. Who is he?

Novak Djokovic finally completed a Career Grand Slam in 2016 by winning the French Open. Djokovic had previously won all three other Grand Slam events the year before, which gave him a non-calendar year Grand Slam as well.

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Does this controversial tennis legend have a familiar face?

John McEnroe performed his best at the US Open and at Wimbledon, the only two major tournaments where he won titles. He actually holds the single tournament record at Wimbledon for winning percentage and the most combined singles and doubles titles at the US Open.

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Do you know this tennis star who racked up multiple career Grand Slam singles titles as a teenager?

Monica Seles almost earned a Grand Slam in 1992, but she couldn't get a victory at Wimbledon after making it to the finals. Finishing her career in 2008, Wimbledon was the only major tournament where Seles wasn't able to get a win.

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Can you identify this tennis legend who wiped the floor in the singles division during his prime?

Still an amateur at the time, Rod Laver had one of the best years of his career in 1962 when he completed a Grand Slam by winning all four major tournaments. It was his first win at both the French Open and US Open, both of which he would win again later in his career.

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This former star from the United States always showed up at the US Open. Who is he?

Turning pro in 1972 and retiring in 1996, Jimmy Connors played in a total of 1,556 matches with 1,274 wins, both men's singles records. He's also first in the Open Era with 109 titles, making Connors one of the most accomplished tennis stars ever.

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When it comes to accolades, there's not a tennis player more decorated than which star shown here?

No male tennis player in the history of the game has held the No. 1 ranking longer than Roger Federer. First reaching the No. 1 spot in 2004, Federer has held that position for 310 weeks total, including 237 consecutive weeks.

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The 1980s were dominated by which tennis legend depicted in this image?

Ivan Lendl won seven of his eight Grand Slam singles titles in the 1980s, winning his final major tournament in 1990. Throughout the '80s, he was also ranked No. 1 for 270 weeks, establishing himself as arguably the best player of the decade.

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The International Tennis Hall of Fame wouldn't be complete without which former legend depicted in this image?

Bjorn Borg had some of the toughest matches of his career in the finals of the US Open, in which he appeared four times. Borg lost each time, twice to Jimmy Connors and twice to John McEnroe.

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Known for breaking down some major barriers for black players in tennis, who is this?

Arthur Ashe competed in over 1,400 singles matches in his career, compiling a record of 1085-337. Those matches added up to 76 singles titles accompanied by wins at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

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Name this tennis legend who found success on the court at an early age?

Though he wasn't known for competing in doubles, Boris Becker won the only gold medal of his career in doubles at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Representing Germany, Becker and Michael Stich defeated Wayne Ferreira and Piet Norval out of South Africa in the finals.

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How well do you know this Russian tennis star who reached No. 1 in 2005?

In 2012, Maria Sharapova completed a Career Grand Slam by winning the French Open, making her the only Russian player to accomplish the feat. She's also the only female from Russia to hold the No. 1 position in singles, which she reached in 2005.

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The Belgians will forever be proud of which tennis star shown here?

In 2003, Kim Clijsters reached the No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles. That year, she won the French Open and Wimbledon in doubles and reached the finals at the French Open in singles, helping establish herself as a star in the sport.

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Can you identify this tennis star who won nearly 80 percent of her professional singles matches?

Between 1998 and 2000, Lindsay Davenport won three titles at three different major tournaments: the US Open, Wimbledon and the Australian Open. In the finals of those tournaments, she proved her greatness by never losing a set.

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What's the name of this tennis star who had the best season of her career in 1997?

Martina Hingis could have left her place on tennis history had she won the 1997 French Open, the only tournament she didn't get a victory at that year. Ranked No. 1 at the time, she lost the French Open to Iva Majoli in two sets.

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Are you familiar with this tennis star who entertained fans with his volleying skills?

Without a strong serve, Stefan Edberg turned to his volley to win matches against elite competitors. He often even used a slow serve to his advantage, as it gave him more time to attack the net and pressure his opponent.

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Can you recognize this tennis star who was known for her incredible reach?

No tennis star has more Grand Slam titles under their belt than Margaret Court, who holds 64 total. She won 24 of those as a singles competitor, which is also a record, but 13 of those titles were acquired before the Open era.

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One of the most skilled players to ever take this court, who is this?

The single-handed backhand is a tough move for tennis players, as most prefer to use both hands, but Justine Henin was a master with it. She used it effectively throughout her career to cover the entire court, one of the reasons she won 525 singles matches.

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No tennis star sat at the No. 1 ranking longer than which player depicted here?

Prior to the Open era of tennis, Pro Slams were considered the biggest tennis tournaments each year for professional players. Pancho Gonzales was one of the best at these tournaments, finishing his career with 12 Pro Slam titles.

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Is this tennis star, who made her debut at the age of 13, familiar to you?

Jennifer Capriati wasn't even 30 years old when she decided to retire from tennis in 2004, mainly due to injuries. However, she had already established her legacy by then, which was recognized when she made the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2012.

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Do you know this player who could get a win no matter what surface he played on?

Mats Wilander shot to the top of the tennis world in 1982 when he won the French Open unexpectedly at the age of 17. He continued to win major tournaments throughout the '80s, finishing his career with seven major titles.

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The only place this former tennis star couldn't get a win was the US Open, but that did little to hamper her career. Do you recognize her?

Despite not winning the US Open, Evonne Goolagong Cawley competed in the finals of the event four straight years from 1973 through 1976. She played some of the best women in tennis in these finals, including Margaret Court, Billie Jean King and Chris Evert.

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A tennis star who was always on the attack, how well do you know this player?

With one of the most likable personalities in tennis history, John Newcombe proved he wasn't just a great individual star but was also a great team player, winning five Davis Cups as a member of the Australian team. He won the event alongside other great Australian tennis stars like Fred Stolle and Roy Emerson.

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Identify this player who starred in both women's singles and doubles?

Known as the "Barcelona Bumblebee," Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was a Spanish tennis player who was the first person from the country to reach the No. 1 ranking in tennis. She hit that ranking in 1995, coming off a year where she won both the French Open and the US Open.

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Are you familiar with this tennis star who holds Career Grand Slams in both singles and doubles?

Holding a total of 28 major titles, Roy Emerson won every Grand Slam tournament, in both singles and doubles, at least twice in his celebrated career. That makes him the only player to complete a Career Grand Slam in both divisions.

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Perhaps the biggest tennis star from South America, who is this?

Though she was a great singles competitor, Maria Bueno really found success in doubles. Her best year in doubles came in 1960 when she earned a Grand Slam by winning all four major tournaments with two different partners.

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Can you identify this player who relied on his lethal backhand to win matches?

Ken Rosewall went on a tear in the 1971 Australian Open, defeating Arthur Ashe to take home the title. At the event, Rosewall was the first male player to win a major tournament in the Open era without dropping a set.

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One of the earliest stars of the game, what's the name of this tennis legend?

Don Budge was the first tennis player to ever achieve a Grand Slam in a single year, an accomplishment he earned in 1938. Astonishingly, Budge also won two majors the year prior, giving him six Grand Slam titles in a row.

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This American went to England in 1920 to prove Americans could play tennis at the highest level. Who is he?

When Bill Tilden defeated Zenzo Shimizu in the finals to take home the title at Wimbledon in 1920, he became the first American to win the event. He went on to win it the next year and one final time in 1930 before turning pro in 1931.

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Do you recognize this tennis legend who became a global sensation in the 1920s?

First finding success on the tennis court in 1914 at the age of 15, Suzanne Lenglen had to put her career on hold as World War I played out. Returning in 1919, she took the tennis world by storm, winning eight Grand Slam titles by the end of 1926.

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Despite retiring at the age of 20, which tennis star, shown here, was one of the best in the game for a few years?

In 1953, Maureen Connolly became the first woman to earn a Grand Slam in a calendar year by winning all four major tournaments. She won two more Grand Slam events the following year before a horseback riding accident forced her to retire.

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What's the name of this tennis star who proved to be one of the greatest champions in the history of the game?

Helen Wills competed in the 1924 Olympics, the final time tennis was held at the Olympic Games until 1988. In her one appearance at the Olympics, Wills won gold in both singles and doubles, helping establish her place as one of the biggest stars in tennis history.

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