The much awaited Australian Open starts today as the 2017 season begins to pick up some traction. With new talent beginning to find its way to reach the top, the experienced guns are certainly getting a run for their money.
With history being rewritten at every step of the way, let us take a moment to remember the players who have excelled beyond expectations in Melbourne over the years. Their names have been inscribed in the record books, who were (and still are) a formidable force on the tennis circuit.
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#1 Andre Agassi
Former world number 1 Andre Agassi is one player who has outclassed every other player in the Australian Open. While many may argue that Novak Djokovic is the player who deserves to be named first, his winning percentage in Melbourne is still lower than that of the American’s, even though it’s by a slight margin.
Agassi first played in the Australian Open back in 1995, and the then 24-year-old won the tournament in his very first attempt. The Australian Open title was the first of the four that he would eventually move on to win in the course of his career.
His last Grand Slam win in Melbourne came back in 2003, when he defeated Rainer Schuttler 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. Even though he has retired from the circuit, his winning percentage in Melbourne is at an astonishing 90.57, with a win tally of 48-5.
#2 Novak Djokovic
The next name on the list is that of the Serbian’s, who has been the most successful player in Melbourne over the years. Having broken every major record, Djokovic has shown no signs of stopping.
The world number 2 has won the Australian Open six times, and is currently the two-time defending champion. In fact, in this decade alone, he has won the tournament five times already, with the exception of 2010 and 2014, where he was the quarterfinalist.
However, the mark of a true champion lies in his immense persistence and determination. Djokovic’s past victories portray that very characteristic, with four of those six championships wins coming in four sets or more, against the likes of Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal.
He is still just 29 years old and has got a lot of flair left in him. His win tally at the moment is at 57-6, with a win rate of 90.48 percent.
Even though he has been dethroned from world number 1 spot, the points difference between him and Murray isn’t that huge for him to regain the title back.
#3 Roger Federer
No list of tennis players is complete without the mention of the Swiss maestro Roger Federer.
He is believed to be the greatest of all time by many professionals and tennis enthusiasts around the world. His record at Australian Open is a humble one at the moment. Federer peaked in his career between 2004-2009, when he won three titles there, along with a runner-up title. He also won a title in 2010, after which he only reached the semifinal.
His endurance and resolve is commendable, as the 35-year-old is still going strong. From 2004 to 2010, he reached 23 consecutive semifinals in Melbourne. Last year, he reached the semifinal and he’ll be keen on repeating the same feat again and surpassing it.
#4 Monica Seles
Moving on to ladies half, former world number 1 Monica Seles has been undoubtedly one of the most successful ladies in the Australian Open. Even though she won only nine titles in her career, four of which were in Melbourne, she still remains one of the most prominent names, remembered alongside the likes of Steffi Graff and Martina Navratilova.
Moreover, she also holds the unbroken record of 33 consecutive wins in Australian Open from 1991-99. In addition to this, she won the Australian Open and French Open simultaneously, from 1990 to 1993 season.
Seles participated in the tournament only eight times, while abstaining on the other occasions. When she retired, her win-lose tally was at 43-4, with a win rate of astonishing 91.48 percent.
#5 Serena Williams
The next lady on this list is Serena Williams. While she is considered to be one of the greatest female tennis players, her record at Melbourne doesn’t match that of Seles’, at least in terms of win rate.
Nonetheless, the world no. 2 holds a pretty amazing record – six singles titles at Melbourne, which is yet to be broken. Another feat which the American has at Melbourne came in 2007, when she became the champion as an unseeded player – an achievement which only Chris O’Neil has been able to achieve.
There is a saying that records are made to be broken. But given the high standard of such records, it will be interesting to see which player ends up smashing these feats.
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