The ATP Champions Tour brings together the best tennis players of their generation, players who are proving that age need not be a factor in determining the top ranking tennis players in the world today. Best of all, the ATP Champions Tour travels around the world, so that fans everywhere can have the opportunity to see these masters of the game
As the ATP Champions Tour continues its exciting 2012-2013 season, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Pat Cash, Mats Wilander and Goran Ivanisevic lead the field in this season’s star-studded lineup. Each of these players has distinguished himself with a career filled with major competition wins.
Here are the top five career achievements for these five players:
John McEnroe
Unquestionably one of the greatest to ever play the game, John McEnroe was ranked number one in the world from 1980-1984. In 1999, he was inducted into the prestigious International Tennis Hall of Fame. His career includes the following highlights:
- Wimbledon wins in 1981, 1983 and 1984
- U.S Open wins in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 198
- Ranked number one in the world for 170 weeks, and number one in doubles for 270 weeks
- Achieved a record 41 singles wins at the U.S. Davis Cup
- Winner of the U.S. World Team Cup in 1984 and 1985
Pete Sampras
Coming on the heels of John McEnroe, champion Pete Sampras is also considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time, with statistics similar to McEnroe’s. His career includes the following highlights:
- Winner of 14 Grand Slam singles tennis titles, with eight won in succession from 1995-2000
- Ranked number one in the world from 1993-1998
- Winner of seven Wimbledon singles championships from 1993-2000
- Winner of five U. S. Open championships from 1990-2002
- Set an ATP Tour record as the first player to surpass 1,000 ace serves in a single season
Pat Cash
Pat Cash began his career in Australia and quickly established himself by winning a number of junior world championships. His professional career includes the following highlights:
- Winner of both the junior Wimbledon and junior U. S. Open championships in 1982
- Youngest player to participate in (and win) a Davis Cup Final
- Ranked as the number one junior player in the world in 1981
- Wimbledon singles championship in 1987
- Winner of the “over-45’s” Wimbledon doubles championship three times, from 2010-2012
Mats Wilander
Swedish tennis star Mats Wilander has achieved a number one world ranking, and has distinguished himself at the world’s major tournaments. His career includes the following highlights:
- Seven Grand Slam singles championships (French Open, U. S. Open, Australian Open) from 1982-1988
- Number one world ranking in 1988
- Wimbledon men’s doubles title in 1986
- Only player in history to win a fourth Grand Slam singles title by the age of 20
- Winner of eight Championship Series (now Masters 1000) championships
Goran Ivanisevic
Croatian champion Goran Ivanisevic is considered by many to have the strongest tennis serve of any player in recent history. His career includes the following highlights:
- Number two world ranking in 1994
- Wimbledon singles title in 2001
- Winner of an Olympic bronze medal in 1992
- Winner of 22 career titles, including Grand Slam titles for the U.S., French and Australian Open championships
- Ranked number one at the end of the ATP Champions Tour in 2005 and 2008
As the ATP Tour continues until its final championship match in summer 2013, the stakes will get higher – and the play action will get more exciting. With players of this caliber, each and every tournament promises to be a thrilling experience that fans will remember for a lifetime.
Author Bio:
Guest post contributed by Charles Smith for How long since a Brit won Wimbledon. Charles is a freelance sports writer with a penchant for all things tennis. His articles mainly appear on sports blogs.