Serious Leisure

The tennis world measures success by counting up a player’s overall number of titles. Specifically, grand slam championship titles carry the most weight. Obtaining victory at any of the four major venues marks a player as a life-long champion in the sport of tennis. It is not so unusual then that the best in the game are recognized for their repeated success at these major tournaments. Roger Federer is the best of them, boasting an amazing 16 slam title wins. The closest player behind him is Sampras, but even he wasn’t able to dominate the competition like Federer has. Federer is the exception though, most players will be lucky to even make a deep run at a major tournament once in their entire career. Winning a major title takes a level of skill and dedication that few tennis professionals can put together.

Past Tennis Champions

Retired tennis champions make up the majority of the leader board. Somewhat recent fan favorites that hold high places in the ranks are names like Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. These two American champions created a rivalry that brought their era of tennis to a new level. Sampras found more success, winning 14 different slam titles, but Agassi wasn’t so far behind with 8 of his own. Agassi, while failing to win as many slams, managed to find victory at the French Open, a feat that Sampras was never able to manage. This made Agassi the first man in history to win the Olympic gold along with all four slam titles.

Active Grand Slam Competitors

Today’s tennis is fueled by the rivalry of the top three players. Federer and Nadal stand as veterans, but the up and coming Djokovic has made strides to establish himself as a real competitor. These three players have made it their business to shut the door on any other player’s chances at grand slam victory. At this point it seems like the only way anyone else will be able to win a title is if Federer retires, Nadal gets injured, and Djokovic is absent.

These three famous tennis players are at wildly different stages of their careers. Federer is nearing the end of his career at 30 years old, but he can still compete for titles. He is no longer the dominant force he once was. Nadal is a veteran in his mid twenties and it’s easy to forget how long he has been doing this. His success came early at only 17 years old, and in tennis years he has seen it all. Djokovic is the youngest of the bunch, bringing a new vigor and energy to the competition that has been missing.

Of all the active players Roger Federer is the one with the most titles and the ability to get more. His game is one that relies on timing and finesse rather than overly intense movement. He is quick and nimble, but unlike Nadal he doesn’t torture his body every single point. His very play style is an efficient and conservative effort, one that lends to a long and fruitful career that has rarely been troubled by injuries. If Federer can keep his game in top form for a few more years it’s likely that he can add at least one more slam title to his resume.