The exact roots from where tennis originates are unclear, however, it is plain to see that it has grown into a truly global sport. With
spanning three continents - Europe, North America, and Australia - professional tennis certainly throws this into relief. However, like any sport, passion for tennis is not distributed equally across the world, with some countries having a higher proportion of fans than others. As of 2023, the
was Spain, with nearly a third of the Spanish population following the sport regularly.
Who are the best tennis players in the world currently?
The last 20 years have been a golden age for professional tennis, especially in the men’s game. With Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, men’s tennis experienced a period of dominance unprecedented in its longevity and scale. The triumvirate of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, known otherwise as the “Big Three”, all occupy the top three spots in the
ranking of men’s players with the most Grand Slams won, with Djokovic having moved into the top spot following his win at the 2023 French Open. Although Federer retired in 2022, and Nadal and Djokovic are entering the latter stages of their careers, promising young stars such as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner offer glimpses into what the future holds for men’s tennis, with both often seen near the top of the
ATP rankings. Meanwhile, women’s tennis in the modern era is synonymous with the name of the Williams sisters. Despite Serena coming agonizingly short of matching Margaret Court’s
record of Grand Slams won before retiring in 2022, her stature remains, and she was voted the
most popular women’s tennis player worldwide in 2023. Currently, Iga Świątek is the dominant force in women’s tennis having won four Grand Slams by the age of 22, which is reflected in the Pole often topping the
WTA rankings.
From grassroots to Grand Slam: how many people play tennis around the world?
Without a thriving grassroots level, no professional sport can hope to grow. In the United States, this is not presently a concern, with
tennis participation among the U.S. public on the rise and over 20 million players recorded in recent years. Across the Atlantic, the sport is also in a healthy state, with several of the
top tennis-playing nations in Europe recording an increasing number of tennis players between 2018 and 2022. Among these nations, the
European countries with the highest share of tennis players in 2022 were France and Switzerland, both having over seven percent of their respective populations playing the sport. With an increased interest in tennis also comes the desire to engage with the sport in ways that do not just involve playing it. One form this takes is sports betting, with tennis ranking high in the list of
preferred sports to bet on in the U.S. as of July 2023. Meanwhile, 60 percent of
tennis fans in the United Kingdom bet on the sport at least once a month as of January 2024.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
