Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, but no Bjorn Borg or Billie Jean King

Grand Slam titles are the pinnacle of a tennis player’s career, and only a few can claim to have won more than one.

Tennis is played year-round, but only four annual tournaments offer tennis stars the opportunity to prove themselves among the sport’s elite.

Wimbledon, the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open are played on different grass or clay courts, meaning it’s rare for one player to dominate at all four Grand Slam events.

However, some elite figures have dominated on the biggest stages throughout their careers and are considered among the greatest of all time.

10. Pete Sampras – 14 times champion

The American, affectionately known as “Pistol Pete,” absolutely dominated the men’s game in the 1990s.

Aged just 19, he won his first Grand Slam when he defeated compatriot Andre Agassi to win the U.S. Open in New York.

Sampras, who retired in 2003 with a record 14 titles, was notorious for his fast serve.

His style favored fast grass courts over clay courts, and he went 7-0 in the Wimbledon final.

Sampras is also the only male player to win three or more consecutive SW19 titles twice in his career.

8. Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova – 18 titles

The two icons of women’s tennis are tied for eighth in Grand Slams, and both have won 18 Grand Slam titles.

They were at their peak in the 1970s and 1980s and played each other in as many as 60 finals.

Their rivalry was one of the fiercest in tennis, with Navratilova leading 36-24 in the final.

Evert dominated on clay, while Czech-American Navratilova dominated at Wimbledon.

7. Helen Wells – 19 titles

The late American’s achievements still stand today, with Wells being hailed as the most dominant tennis player of the 20th century.

Wells became a global icon in the 1920s and 1930s, winning 31 Grand Slams, including 19 singles championships.

From 1927 until her retirement, she played in 17 majors, winning 16 of them, including a legendary 180-match winning streak in the first six years, barely dropping a set.

Her statistics are even more impressive considering that “Little Miss Poker Face” has never played in the Australian Open due to travel issues.

Wells was known for her powerful forehand, which she hit harder than any other woman, and she memorably practiced with men to hone her craft.

6. Roger Federer – 20 titles

Kim Roger will retire due to injury in 2022 after more than 15 years at the helm of the majors.

The Swiss superstar, who turned professional in 1998, is a 20-time Grand Slam winner and eight-time Wimbledon champion.

Five of these All England Club titles were won in consecutive years, but that streak was ended in 2008 in an iconic final against professional rival Rafael Nadal.

Federer is also the junior Wimbledon champion, respected for his graceful backhand slice and universally loved for his graceful sportsmanship.

4. Rafael Nadal and Steffi Graf – 22 titles

Federer’s rival Nadal is one spot above him at the top of both Grand Slams – thanks in large part to his unrivaled performance on clay.

The Spaniard won a record 14 French Open titles, including an incredible 81-match winning streak on clay – the longest winning streak in the Open era.

Nadal has struggled with injuries late in his career, but he is one of only two active players on this list who can add to his Grand Slam record.

Nadal is currently tied for fourth place with German Graf, whose aggressive style revolutionized women’s tennis in the 1980s and 1990s.

In 1988, at the age of 19, she won all four majors and the Olympic gold medal in the same year, becoming the first woman to achieve the Golden Slam.

Graf is also the only player, male or female, to win at least four titles in each of the four Grand Slams.

However, her early retirement at age 30 prevented her from being ranked higher compared to others on the list.

3. Serena Williams – 23 titles

Hailed by many as the greatest player of all time, Williams may not have a Grand Slam record, but he is undoubtedly the greatest trailblazer of all time.

The American put down the racquet in 2022 with a total of 39 Grand Slam titles, including 14 doubles titles with sister Venus.

Williams remained world number one for an incredible 319 weeks, is the highest-paid female athlete in history, and has won just as much acclaim off the court for her charity work and activism.

In 1999, she won her first Grand Slam as a teenager and subsequently set a women’s record in the Open era.

A powerful forehand and ferocious serve made Williams unstoppable in his prime, and he is the only player to achieve a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.

The “Queen of the Court” was one step away from joining the all-time list, but lost her last four Grand Slam finals before retiring.

1. Novak Djokovic and Margaret Court – 24 titles

And now we see it – these two great men’s and women’s tennis players are neck and neck in 24 Grand Slams.

Court’s achievements were largely achieved before the Open era, and he enjoyed astonishing success with 11 wins on Australian soil.

Her dominance also extended to doubles, with her grand slam tally reaching 64 – the most by a female player ever.

In contrast, Djokovic did not win any double titles, but his singles success came during the golden age of men’s tennis, which arguably puts him in a more impressive position.

The Serbian’s legendary triumvirate of Federer and Nadal dominated men’s singles tennis for two decades, winning a combined 66 major singles titles.

From this perspective, from 2004 to 2021, one of the three ended the season as the year-end No. 1 ranking every year, and Andy Murray’s peak period also occurred during the Djokovic era.

The 36-year-old defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets at Flushing Meadows in September to win his 24th Grand Slam singles title.

In addition to his Grand Slam record, he is the only tennis player to win the career Gold Masters – winning all nine active ATP Masters events in one year – which he has done twice.