Navratilova’s record stands the test of time

Tennis is inherently a gladiatorial game, making it one of the hardest sports to sustain long winning streaks. For a select few, however, a rhythm of victory has become the norm. Find out who has the longest winning streak in tennis and why some prefer certain events.

Who has the longest winning streak in tennis?

It’s worth noting that professional tennis can be divided into multiple eras – each with its own nuances and playing styles – so picking out the longest winning streaks requires some contextualization.

In the Open era – since 1968 and beyond, when tournaments allowed professionals and amateurs to compete against each other – numerous greats came and went.

3. Ivan Lendl – 44 games

The inscrutable Ivan Lendl is perhaps best known to modern tennis fans as Andy Murray’s coach and is credited with channeling his aggression towards Grand Slams after coaching the Scot for five years.

The Czech American is himself an eight-time Slam champion and is widely regarded as the “Father of modern tennis” after popularizing a style of play that emphasized topspin-heavy forehands and baseline power tennis.

Although he only managed to win a major six years into his professional career, his formative years were perhaps his most fruitful on the way to 94 singles titles.

September 1981 began a 44-game winning streak that saw him claim titles in Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Basel, Vienna and Cologne before Pedro Rebolledo ended his purple patch in Argentina in 1982.

2. Björn Borg – 49 games

Arguably the most influential figure in modern tennis – Björn Borg – inevitably ends up on this list after achieving continuous victories for almost half a century.

The eleven-time Grand Slam winner had already won six of his titles when this unprecedented series in men’s tennis began. In In March 1978, his dominance in the preliminary rounds of the Davis Cup gained momentum and was finally broken in the US Open final of the same year against Jimmy Connors in one of 50 matches.

During this time, the “Ice Man” won silver medals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon as well as four other singles titles.

1. Martina Navratilova – 74 games

This film should stand the test of time – no man or woman could come close to matching Martina Navratilova’s breathtaking streak that spanned most of 1984.

The 18-time Grand Slam winner not only has the longest winning streak in professional tennis, but also in the previous season posted the best professional season winning percentage of 98.8% in 1983 after going 86-1.

Recalling the incredible run of success in 2023, she said: “You almost forget how to lose. I had a lot of confidence because I knew I didn’t have to play my best and I could still win – against anyone. I just had to play…normally.”

During the nearly year-long run, Martina won the French Open and the US Open and won all seven of her matches at Wimbledon in straight sets – eventually losing to her eternal rival Chris Evert in her bid for a seventh consecutive Australian Open title.

Who has the longest winning streak in the ATP Tour era?

It is also worth dividing these winning streaks into the pre- and post-ATP Tour periods, as tennis equipment, nutritional and health practices, and the overall pace of the game have changed drastically since the early 1990s.

The all-time Grand Slam record holder, Novak Djokovic He also holds the record for the longest winning streak in the ATP Tour era, having mastered 43 tackles in 2010 and 2011. As a result, he won titles at the Australian Open, the Dubai and the Miami Masters.

As for the WTA, Iga Swiatek surpassed the great Serena Williams in 2022 The five-time Slam winner amassed a 135-day, 37-game winning streak; the longest in the 21st century.

It’s official: Iga Swiatek has the longest winning streak of the century. pic.twitter.com/Odnu2Y8pia

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) June 28, 2022

Longest winning streaks at any Grand Slam

Wimbledon

Gentlemen – Björn Borg & Roger Federer – 41 games

Ladies – Martina Navratilova – 47 games

French Open

Gentlemen – Rafael Nadal – 39 games

Ladies – Chris Evert – 29 games

Australian Open

Gentlemen – Novak Djokovic – 33 games

Ladies – Monica Seles – 33 games

US Open

Gentlemen – Roger Federer – 40 games

Ladies – Chris Evert – 31 games