Top 10: Who are the best current ATP grass court players by win percentage?
Grass court season has begun, anticipation for Wimbledon is building. There feels fewer grass specialists than ever in the ATP these days, though.
The race for Novak Djokovic’s’ calendar Grand Slam is well underway and little it seems can stand in his way. Here at Tennishead, we take a look at the best active grass court players out there and who statistically has the best record to upend Djokovic’s reign at the top.
So, just who among the current active players have the best win percentage records on grass?
Note: Minimum 50 matches. Figures taken from Ultimate Tennis Statistics and correct as of 16 June, 2023.
Feliciano Lopez – 62%
Spaniard Feliciano Lopez has a surprising entry at number 10 with a statistically impressive grass court win rate from a typically clay orientated background. The former world No. 12 has won four grass court titles, the most recent at Queens in 2019. He has also reached the quarter finals at Wimbledon three times. Falling in the rankings, it seems like the 41-year-olds time on grass could be coming to an end.
Daniil Medvedev – 66%
World No. 3, Daniil Medvedev has never reached beyond round four at Wimbledon and is openly vocal that he finds the surface the most difficult. Despite this, the Russian still has a surprisingly good record on the grass and reached two grass court finals last Summer. Medvedev was also subject to the ban of Russian and Belarussian players in UK tournamnets last year so was unable to compete at the most notable grass court events.
The 27-year-old has not had the best start to the season and was knocked out in his opening grass court ATP tournament this week. Last year’s finalist at the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships
was beaten in three sets by Adrian Mannarino in the second round at the Dutch event.
John Isner – 66%
A thunderous serve which catapults even faster on the grass places the 6ft 10in American on our list at number eight. The current world No. 101 has four grass court titles to date but it is his notable Wimbledon runs which stand out.
A man no stranger to going the distance in matches, Isner holds the record for the longest tennis match in history. He prevailed after 11 hours across 3 days with a 6–4, 3–6, 6–7, 7–6, 70–68, win in the first round in Wimbledon in 2010.
His best Grand Slam run also comes from the grass where he reached the semi-final at Wimbledon in 2018. Not one to favour a quick victory, he reached the semi-final by pulling through another epic battle which was the fourth longest tennis match in history.
Nick Kyrgios – 66.67%
Last years Wimbledon finalist and youngest player on our list, is the infamous Nick Kyrgios. With an unexpected run to the final, he lost to Djokovic in a tightly contested four set battle. A stellar talent and a big server, the 28-year-old is frequently producing upsets against top 10 players. His big service game performs well on grass and reached last year’s semi-finals on the surface at Stuttgart.
Making a return to action this week for the first time this year, the world No. 25 suffered a defeat to China’s Wu Yibing in the opening round at Stuttgart. He will be hoping to build up match time ahead of his first Grand Slam this year.
Richard Gasquet – 66.97%
Next up is two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Richard Gasquet with an impressive Grass court record. The 36-year-old French man holds three titles on grass. The first of which was achieved in Nottingham in 2005, the most recent in the Netherlands in 2018.
Gasquet’s success on the fastest surface seems far from over as he advanced to the quarter final of the Stuttgart open in Germany this week, defeating world no. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas and securing a notable 600th career win.
Roberto Bautista Agut – 69.59%
Another Wimbledon Semi finalist who has an impressive statistic of winning close to 70% of his matches on grass and favours the speedy surface to all others, is Spain’s own Roberto Bautista Agut.
The 35-year-old has frequently reached the fourth round of the world’s oldest tennis tournament and has a title from the Netherlands’ grass tournament in 2014. Most recently, the Spaniard reached the final in Mallorca last year, defeating top seed Medvedev enroute. He was narrowly defeated by Tsitsipas in the final in a third set tiebreaker.
Marin Cilic – 71.43%
Fourth on our list is current world No. 65, Marin Cilic. The 34-year-old Croatian was due to return to action this week but has since revealed he will not be a contender for any titles this grass court season as he struggles to return post injury.
The former 2017 Wimbledon finalist, who was defeated by Rodger Federer, has regularly reached the Slams quarter finals. Cilic has three titles on grass and has clinched the prestigious Queen’s Club title in London (not once but twice).
The former world No.3 was hoping to make a return to Wimbledon after having to withdraw last year with a positive Covid-19 test.
Rafael Nadal – 79.17%
The first ‘Big Three’ player to arrive on our list at the very respectable number three on overall grass court form, is no other than Rafael Nadal. He is also the first on the list approaching the 80% match win rate on the surface. Two-time Wimbledon champion and five-time finalist, the Spaniard is one of only three players to have won both Queens and Wimbledon consecutively.
His 2008 triumph at Wimbledon over Rodger Federer was one of the most highly anticipated matches of their rivalry and hailed by tennis critics as the greatest tennis match of all time. The match was one of the most iconic finals in the championships history with Nadal winning the fifth set 9-7 in near darkness.
Nadal has also ruled himself out of the Summer Season so will not be a contender for this year’s title.
Andy Murray – 81.82%
Andy Murray arrives in at number 2 in terms of all round grass court success. The first and only Brit on the list has been crowned Wimbledon champion twice and claimed five Queens club titles.
He first won the Wimbledon title in 2013 as the underdog against Novak Djokovic in straight sets, becoming the first British man to win the title since Fred Perry.
10 years on from the Brits first Wimbledon title, it is uncertain how much longer we will see the 36-year-old battle it out on court. However, it is clear Murray is not bowing out without a fight and is on a mission for success at this year’s Championships. Withdrawing from Roland Garros to focus on the grass court season, the former world No. 1 is marching through challenger events in the run up to his home Grand Slam. Last weeks win at Surbiton has secured him a seeding for this years Wimbledon championships.
Novak Djokovic – 85.83%
Defending and seven-time Wimbledon champion, Novak Djokovic, unsurprisingly has the best grass court record out of the current players on tour. He has defeated Rodger Federer three times to clinch the title and Rafael Nadal once.
His final meeting with Federer at Wimbledon turned into an epic five set battle for the ages. Djokovic emerged victorious where a historic rule change allowed a tie break to be played in the final set. The final was hailed as the match of the decade.
The current world No. 1 will be heading to this year’s championships as a strong favourite while pursuing the highly coveted calendar Grand Slam. It is hard to imagine anyone who can stand in his way.
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