However, during the 1970s and 80s, there was one player who stood out: Jose Higueras. A former top 10 player, he captured 16 ATP singles titles and reached the doubles final at Roland Garros.

In the 1960s and 70s, Spanish men’s tennis was dominated by three central figures: Gimeno, Santana, and Orantes. Higueras emerged in the next generation, a young talent from Andalusia who came ready to challenge the top players of the era, including Guillermo Vilas, Yannick Noah, Jimmy Connors, and Ivan Lendl, among others.

Higueras’ remarkable career and unique playing style

Jose Higueras was born in 1953 and turned professional by 1973. His playing style was notoriously challenging for opponents of his era. Known for his incredible stamina, Higueras was a master at wearing down rivals, relying on consistent, low-risk shots that often forced errors from his opponents.

Many of the top players of the 1970s and 80s preferred to avoid facing him, knowing they could be in for a long, grueling match—especially on clay, his favorite surface.

Higueras’ career spanned from 1973 to 1986. During that time, he claimed 16 ATP singles titles—15 on clay and one on hard court—and reached a career-high world ranking of No. 6 in 1983. In doubles, he won three titles and reached the 1978 Roland Garros final alongside Manuel Orantes, ultimately falling to Americans Gene Mayer and Hank Pfister.

Retirement and coaching elite players

After retiring from professional tennis, Higueras turned his focus to coaching, guiding some of the biggest names in the sport. Among his pupils were Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Carlos Moya, Guillermo Coria, and Sergi Bruguera. In 2008, he also worked with none other than Roger Federer, though their partnership was relatively short-lived.

His time with Federer and why he left

By 2008, Roger Federer was already the world’s top player, well on his way to becoming a legend. Ahead of the European clay-court season and with the goal of winning Roland Garros for the first time—a tough task at the time with Rafael Nadal in the mix—Federer brought in Jose Higueras to assist him during that part of the year.

Higueras helped Federer capture the title in Estoril, reach the final in Monte Carlo, and suffer a surprising first-round loss in Rome. Despite some uncertainty in their relationship, they continued working together. At Roland Garros, Federer ultimately fell in the final to Nadal.

Their partnership lasted only a short time, as Higueras was soon approached by the USTA (United States Tennis Association). In a 2024 interview with Punto de Break, he recalled: “When Federer won the 2008 US Open, the USTA guaranteed me an 8–10 year period to develop the plan I wanted, so I stopped working with Federer”.

When asked why he made that choice, Higueras explained: “Up to that point, I love tennis, ha. I thought that in that role I could impact a lot more people, especially kids and coaches, and that’s why I did it. That lasted about 6–7 years, which is when a whole new generation of players came through. Two years ago I finished with them”.

His years with the USTA

When Patrick McEnroe took the reins at the USTA, he offered Jose Higueras a key role, even though Higueras was already working with the organization independently.

“When I was working with Federer in 2008, Patrick McEnroe called me and explained that he had been given the director position. He then offered me responsibility for the development program. At first, I said no. I knew perfectly well how the USTA works—I had been cooperating with them since 1989, but always independently,” Higueras said.

Higueras’ current focus

After stepping down from his USTA role, Higueras shared with Punto de Break what he is currently focused on and what he hopes for the future. “The only thing I would like to continue doing, as much as I can, is fighting to make tennis increasingly accessible to more people, especially children, creating more opportunities for those who dream of this sport,” he explained.

“At the peak of my program, we reached more than 45,000 kids. Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz… they all came through the program at age 12. We would go to California, spot a kid who was playing well, contact their coach, and start working with them. This is the part of tennis I enjoy the most,” the Spanish coach concluded.

Alcaraz cruised through the first set against the Italian, winning 6-1, though the second set proved more challenging. After several long games, Alcaraz closed it out 6-4, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Andrey Rublev.

The World No. 2 is virtually unstoppable, having won 27 of his last 28 matches, with his only loss coming to Sinner in the Wimbledon final. Included in that stretch is a 14-match winning streak in Masters 1000 events—a streak dating back to 1990 when the format was introduced.

During that run, Alcaraz captured titles at both the Monte-Carlo and Rome Masters. With that achievement, he becomes only the third player in history to win 14 consecutive matches at Masters 1000 events, joining Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz on his strong performance against Nardi

The five-time Grand Slam winner was clearly superior to his opponent, who had entered the main draw as a lucky loser. Alcaraz wrapped up the first set in just 27 minutes, seemingly setting the stage for a straightforward night.

However, Nardi fought back in the second, taking a 4-2 lead, but Alcaraz responded and eventually claimed the set after 80 minutes of play. Reflecting on his performance, Alcaraz called it his best showing of the tournament so far.

“I think this match was the best so far for me in this tournament,” Alcaraz said during his on-court interview. “At the beginning of the tournament, I just really wanted to get better every day, after every practice and every match. I think I’m doing it, which I’m really proud about. I’m just really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved”.

Alcaraz is enjoying a stellar season, currently holding a 51-6 record and winning titles at the ATP 500 in Rotterdam, Masters 1000 events in Monte-Carlo and Rome, Roland Garros, and the ATP 500 at Queen’s Club. He now aims to capture the Cincinnati Open for the first time in his career, which would give him eight career titles at events awarding 1,000 points.

To make the final, Shelton navigated a brutal path—taking down two top-10 opponents in back-to-back matches. He first defeated World No. 10 Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals, then powered past World No. 4 Fritz to punch his ticket to the title match.

At just 22 years and 291 days, Shelton became the youngest American to defeat top-10 opponents in both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of a Masters 1000 event since Pete Sampras did it at the 1992 Cincinnati Open.

And that wasn’t the only slice of history. Shelton also became the youngest American to reach a Masters 1000 final since Andy Roddick did it in Toronto in 2004, when he was 21. Now ranked No. 7 in the world, Shelton will face Karen Khachanov in the final as he looks to secure his first Masters 1000 title and the third title of his ATP career.

Shelton reflects on his game: ‘There are a lot of things to be proud about’

After his semifinal victory over Fritz, Ben Shelton expressed excitement over the strides he’s made in his game throughout the Canadian Open. The 22-year-old has dropped just two sets across five matches en route to the final.

“I’ve seen so many big improvements in my game this week, that’s what I’m most happy about, how I’m executing, how little I’m hesitating, how I’m returning,” Shelton said. “There are a lot of things to be proud about and beating two top 10 guys back to back is huge for me”.

Sampras was known for his aggressive serve-and-volley game, featuring a booming serve, precise shot-making, and dominance at the net. Agassi, in contrast, thrived from the baseline, excelling with his exceptional return, strategic point construction, and trademark two-handed backhand. Their contrasting approaches led to some of the most iconic clashes in tennis history.

When it comes to career prize money, Sampras earned $43,280,489, while Agassi brought in $31,152,975, according to ATP’s official records. Both enjoyed careers spanning more than 15 years and collected dozens of titles.

However, prize money in their era was far lower than today’s standards. Much of their wealth also came from major endorsement deals rather than just on-court earnings.

Head-to-head: Sampras vs Agassi

Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi met 34 times in ATP-sanctioned tournaments, with Sampras holding the upper hand in their rivalry, 20–14. Their first meeting came in 1989 in Rome, while their final clash took place in the 2002 U.S. Open final—a match that also marked the last Grand Slam title of Sampras’ career.

In Grand Slam finals, the head-to-head leaned even more heavily toward Sampras, who won four of their five championship encounters (4–1). Interestingly, despite their fierce rivalry, the two joined forces to help the United States capture Davis Cup titles in both 1992 and 1995.

The legendary career of Pete Sampras

Before the era of the “Big Three” in men’s tennis, Pete Sampras was the all-time Grand Slam leader with 14 major titles—winning the Australian Open twice, Wimbledon seven times, and the U.S. Open five times. Beyond his Grand Slam success, Sampras spent many years as the ATP’s world No. 1 and amassed an impressive total of 64 career titles.

Andre Agassi’s remarkable journey

Andre Agassi competed professionally from 1986 to 2006. Over two decades, he captured 60 ATP titles, including eight Grand Slams. Agassi also won the Olympic gold medal in singles at the 1996 Atlanta Games and helped the United States win three Davis Cup titles. Today, he remains connected to tennis, working both as a broadcaster and in a coaching role for rising star Holger Rune.

Marat Safin reached the summit of world tennis on September 10, 2000, at just 20 years old and barely three years into his professional career. In that short time, he had already shown flashes of his immense talent, earning wins over icons like Andre Agassi and Gustavo Kuerten.

His true breakout moment came at the 2000 US Open. That year, Safin delivered a spectacular season, with titles in Barcelona, Mallorca, and Canada—culminating in a commanding victory over Sampras in the final Grand Slam of the season. He followed that with more titles in Tashkent, St. Petersburg, and Paris.

Before his 21st birthday, Marat was officially World No. 1. Not only that—he became the youngest player in history to achieve it, a record later broken by Lleyton Hewitt and Carlos Alcaraz.

“For my background, from where I am coming from, becoming a professional was already good enough,” the Russian star said in a recent interview with the official ATP Tour website. “Top 100 was already good enough. Top 10 is even incredible. But No. 1, that’s why it was a little bit shocking.”

The downside of being the best, according to Safin

After reaching the top of the ATP Rankings at the end of 2000, Marat Safin held the No. 1 spot for a total of nine weeks across three different stints, finishing in April 2001. That stretch gave him a clear view of the pressures and drawbacks that come with being in the spotlight.

“Everyone wants to beat you because it’s like, you’re No. 1 or No. 2 in the world, and everybody else wants to kick my (expletive) because, ‘Who is this youngster that became No. 1 in the world? We need to put him down’,” Marat explained.

Safin had a short career

After reaching the top so early, Safin’s career didn’t follow a traditional arc. For years, he tried to climb back to the top, but recurring physical issues made it difficult for him to regain his peak form. As a result, he retired in 2009 at the age of 29.

“I didn’t like playing tennis,” Safin admitted in a 2020 interview with ESPN Tennis. “I was tired of this world. I got bored. I had no motivation and was losing to unknown players. If you can’t beat guys like Federer, Djokovic, or Nadal, then what’s the point of being there?”

Today, however, Marat has a more positive outlook on his years as a professional tennis player. “I’m proud of it, of all the things I’ve done. You learn more from the mistakes than the winning situations, but it was a beautiful journey for sure. I think this is the most important thing.”

On his path at Roland Garros, Ben defeated Lorenzo Sonego and advanced past Hugo Gaston via walkover in his first two matches. Then on Friday, he beat World No. 167 Matteo Gigante 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to secure a place in the round of 16, where he will face either Carlos Alcaraz or Damir Dzumhur.

That victory made Shelton the fourth-youngest American player to reach the fourth round at all four Grand Slam tournaments at least once. His best performances so far have come at the US Open and the Australian Open, where he reached the semifinals in 2023 and 2025, respectively. At Wimbledon 2024, he made it to the fourth round.

Ben reached this milestone at just 22 years and 7 months old. Only three players from the United States had accomplished the same feat at a younger age. The youngest was Pete Sampras, who completed it at Wimbledon in 1992 at 20 years and 10 months. The others were Jim Courier (US Open 1991, 21 years and 9 days) and Aaron Krickstein (Wimbledon 1989, 21 years and 10 months).

Shelton reflects on his achievement

This year marks Ben Shelton’s third appearance at Roland Garros, and it’s clearly his most successful one to date. In 2023, he lost in the opening round to Lorenzo Sonego, and in 2024, he made it to the third round after defeating Hugo Gaston and Kei Nishikori, before falling to Felix Auger-Aliassime.

“It’s my first time being in the second week here at the French, the only Slam where I hadn’t been in the second week yet. I couldn’t be more happy with doing that today,” he said in Friday’s post-match press conference following his win over Matteo Gigante, according to the official ATP Tour website.

Considering he advanced through the second round without playing due to Hugo Gaston’s walkover, the wait felt long for Ben. “It was very different having five days off between my first and third rounds,” he said. “I was thinking about going home to the US for a few days to relax, but I stayed here and I’m really looking forward to being in the second week.”

How are the other American players doing?

In addition to Ben Shelton, three other American players remain in contention at the French Open. World No. 12 Tommy Paul has already secured his spot in the round of 16, where he will face Alexei Popyrin on Sunday. Frances Tiafoe did the same on Friday after defeating fellow American Sebastian Korda. Meanwhile, Ethan Quinn will play on Saturday against Tallon Griekspoor in hopes of also reaching the fourth round.

Ivanisevic turned professional in 1988, winning his first title that year in doubles alongside Rudiger Haas. He followed that up with a breakout performance in 1989, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open as a wildcard entrant.

One of the standout moments in his early ATP career came at Roland Garros, where he stunned German tennis legend Boris Becker in the first round. That victory marked the beginning of Ivanisevic’s rise as a key figure in international tennis.

The Croatian’s first singles title came in 1990 at the Hamburg Open, and he also contributed to Yugoslavia’s victory in the World Team Cup. Ivanisevic’s quest for greatness continued, and it all culminated in 1992 when he made his first Wimbledon final, a defining moment in his career.

Ivanisevic’s first Wimbledon final

For Ivanisevic, winning Wimbledon wasn’t an easy journey. The Croatian finally clinched the title after falling short three times previously, including a heartbreaking loss to Andre Agassi. Along the way, Ivanisevic had to overcome tennis legends like Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, and Stefan Edberg. However, a few mistakes in crucial moments kept him from achieving his goal, until his breakthrough year.

Despite the absence of a major title, Ivanisevic’s consistent performances helped him solidify his place as the world’s No. 2 player. His remarkable run at Wimbledon in 1994, where he reached the final only to lose to Sampras, played a significant part in his rise.

The decline and his only Grand Slam victory

Between 1999 and 2001, Ivanisevic struggled with a series of debilitating injuries, which hindered his career. However, in 2001, he made a stunning comeback at Wimbledon, entering the tournament as a wild card, ranked No. 125 in the world.

That year, Ivanišević shocked the tennis world by capturing his lone Grand Slam title. He triumphed over the likes of Carlos Moya, Andy Roddick, and Marat Safin. In a gripping final, Ivanisevic defeated Australian Patrick Rafter, securing his first and only Wimbledon title, ironically, towards the twilight of his career.

Sampras vs. Ivanisevic

Ivanisevic faced Sampras 18 times in his career, with the American leading their head-to-head 12-6. This rivalry remains memorable for Ivanisevic, especially since Sampras defeated him in two of the four Wimbledon finals Ivanisevic reached.

Becker vs. Ivanisevic

Ivanisevic also had a memorable rivalry with German legend Boris Becker, who edged out Ivanisevic 10-9 in their head-to-head record. Besides their Roland Garros encounter, Ivanisevic won 5 of their 19 consecutive matches between 1997 and 1998. Despite this, Becker triumphed in all three of the Grand Slam finals the two players contested.

Ivanisevic’s coaching career with Djokovic

After retiring from competitive tennis in 2004, following a brief hiatus from 2002 to 2004 due to injury Ivanisevic transitioned to coaching. After a short stint playing soccer in Croatia, he began his coaching career in 2013.

His first major success came with Marin Cilic, leading him to a US Open title. Ivanisevic continued his coaching journey with Tomas Berdych and Milos Raonic before reaching the pinnacle of his career with Novak Djokovic in 2019. Under his guidance, Djokovic captured 18 titles, including nine Grand Slam victories, making Ivanisevic one of the few people in tennis history to win Wimbledon both as a player and as a coach.

Kuerten turned professional in 1995, and it quickly became clear that he was destined for greatness. Just two years after entering the pro circuit, he made waves by capturing his first Roland Garros title, an achievement that stunned reporters and the tennis world alike.

However, the immense fame and expectations that came with his success began to take their toll in 1998. Kuerten suffered a setback, losing to Marat Safin at Roland Garros. Even Brazilian journalists left France feeling disheartened by the defeat. The pressure he faced, which had been building from the outset of his career, wasn’t always the motivating force it was made out to be.

Despite this difficult setback, Kuerten remained determined. In 1999, he bounced back and broke into the ATP Top 5. That same year, he claimed two ATP Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and Rome, bringing him closer to the No. 1 spot in the world.

In 2000, Kuerten achieved the pinnacle of his career by reaching the No. 1 ranking after winning Roland Garros, the ATP World Tour Finals, and the ATP Masters 1000 in Hamburg. Though he didn’t fare as well in the other Grand Slam events, failing to advance past the third round, his dominance on the clay courts cemented his place among tennis’ elite.

Kuerten vs. Agassi

One of the players that he faced from the top 5 at that time was the American Agassi. With a 4-7 record, the Brazilian couldn’t beat in specific moments of his career Agassi, as there were multiple matchups between both tennis legends in the ATP World Tour.

However, the only final that Kuerten beat Agassi was in 2000, when the Brazilian became champions at Tennis Masters Cup, winning in three sets 6-4. Before that, in the same year, Kuerten defeated Agassi at Miami ATP Masters 1000 by 6-1; 6-4.

Kuerten vs. Federer

Despite the Suisse player was starting his career when he faced the Brazilian star, Kuerten had a difficult time with Federer. It was in 2002, when the two tennis legends faced at Hamburg ATP Masters 1000 in the quarterfinals. Federer beat 6-0; 1-6; 6-2 Kuerten, who already won that tournament in 2000.

The other two times they faced in a tournament were at 2004 Roland Garros and 2003 Miami ATP Masters 1000. They were in the same round of 32, in which Kuerten demonstrated his experience.

Kuerten vs. Sampras

In three games they faced each other, Sampras had the lead with 2-1 record and the most important matchup between then was for the American. It happened at 2000 Miami ATP Masters 1000 in an intense match with 6-1; 6-7 (2); 7-6 (5); 7-6 (8).

The only game that Kuerten could beat Sampras was in 2000. At Tennis Masters Cup the Brazilian showed his best performance and defeated Pete in three sets: 6-7 (5); 6-3; 6-4. He became champion in that tournament after defeating Agassi in the final.

After 13 years playing in the World Tour, Kuerten retired at 32 years old. He recorded 20 titles according to the ATP, three of them in Roland Garros, won 358 games and lost 195, and won 9 titles in doubles. That career made him one of the best Latin American players in tennis history, and for some, the best of the best.

Lleyton Hewitt began his professional career in 1998 and quickly showcased his exceptional talent. That same year, he became the youngest player ever to win an ATP tournament, defeating Jason Stoltenberg in the final of the 1998 Next Generation Adelaide International. At the time, he was just 16 years old.

However, his rise didn’t stop there. Three years later, at just 20, he achieved another major milestone in his career. After defeating Patrick Rafter at the Nitto ATP Finals in Sydney, Hewitt became the youngest player to ever hold the No. 1 ranking, a record he held for over two decades until Carlos Alcaraz surpassed him at 19 years old in 2022.

“I think the first time you get there means the most, because no one can take that away from you,” Hewitt said in an interview with the official ATP Tour website. “It is still very much an individual sport, tennis, and being out there at times can get very lonely. But that’s why I think when you’re able to get to the pinnacle of the game and get the most out of yourself, that’s where the satisfaction comes from.”

Hewitt’s secret to being World No. 1

Having been the youngest player to reach the top of the tennis world, Lleyton Hewitt is an expert on what that achievement truly means. “The only way you get the No. 1 ranking is to be unbelievably consistent,” he said.

“Giving 100 percent every time I stepped on the court gave me the best opportunity to compete against whoever it was,” the former Australian star added. “I think that mental toughness really helped.”

Hewitt defeated his idols to reach the top

To get to the top of the ATP rankings, Lleyton Hewitt had to overcome some of the best players of his time. On his way to his first title at the 1998 Adelaide International, he faced one of the stars he admired most. “I had a poster of this guy above my bed in my bedroom. Andre Agassi,” he revealed.

“It was surreal to be walking out on Memorial Drive Centre Court playing one of the absolute greats of the game. I walked on the court trying to be competitive and in the end, I couldn’t have dreamt that I would actually be able to beat Andre,” he said about that match.

In the year he reached World No. 1, Hewitt won his first Grand Slam by defeating Pete Sampras. “All of a sudden I had won the US Open,” he recalled. “Within three months I’m challenging for the No. 1 ranking. It all happened like a whirlwind.” Lleyton would remain the No. 1 player for 75 consecutive weeks.

Sampras also held the ATP World No. 1 ranking for a total of 286 weeks, the third-longest streak in history, surpassed only by Djokovic and Federer. With such a remarkable career, Sampras is more than qualified to weigh in on the debate over the greatest tennis player of all time.

In a 2021 interview with ATP, Sampras wasted no time naming Novak Djokovic as the greatest. “I think what Djokovic has done over the last 10 years, winning Grand Slams, being consistent, and finishing No. 1 for seven years, to me, is a clear sign that he is the greatest of all time,” Sampras said.

“His willingness to change and learn from himself, always striving to get better—I’ve been impressed with his transformation. From being a young, talented athlete who was mentally fragile, to where he is now, it’s been beautiful to watch,” Sampras added.

Sampras on Djokovic’s winning mentality

The former champion also emphasized Djokovic’s remarkable mental fortitude, which has allowed him to maintain a top spot in the sport. “Unlike team sports, in tennis you’re alone,” Sampras explained. “If you fall behind in a match, there’s no one to help you. Your coach can’t tell you what to do.”

“Players need to be well-rounded,” he continued. “I think you need a certain attitude to be No. 1. You want it, and it bothers you when someone else is there instead. Novak has that.”

Dominating in the era of Nadal and Federer

Sampras also acknowledged that Djokovic’s dominance came during a time when two other tennis legends—Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal—were also at their peak, forming the iconic “Big Three” in tennis.

“Finishing seven years at No. 1 adds an extra layer to all the major titles he’s won. But I think he’ll appreciate it even more as he gets older. He achieved it during a time when he dominated two of the greatest players—Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal,” Sampras concluded, praising Djokovic’s accomplishments over the last decade.

Wimbledon has witnessed countless iconic moments and legendary matchups event. The list of champions in the men’s singles during the Open Era is a testament to the sheer talent of these remarkable players. Notably, the upcoming final will feature an exciting showdown between the reigning champion Novak Djokovic and the rising star Carlos Alcaraz.

The history of men’s singles champions at Wimbledon is filled with iconic figures who have left an indelible mark on the sport. Legends like Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer have carved their names into tennis lore with their extraordinary achievements on the hallowed grass courts of the All England Club.

The tournament has witnessed fierce rivalries that have captivated the world, including the epic clashes between John McEnroe and Borg, the encounters between Sampras and Andre Agassi, and the recent duels between Rafael Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer to determine the Wimbledon champions through the years.

Wimbledon Champions in the Open Era by Year