Tallest ATP Tennis Players in History
Tennis is a physically demanding sport, and height is often viewed as a key factor in success. It is well-known that taller players have a greater reach and can hit the ball more powerfully than their shorter counterparts. Throughout the history of tennis, some of the tallest players in the sport have made a huge impact on the ATP circuit.
Who are the Tallest Players in the ATP?
The tallest current ATP player is the 6’10” Ivo Karlovic from Croatia. Karlovic has been a part of the ATP tour since 2002 and is the only player to ever reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament at that height. He has had a successful career, reaching the top 50 in the world in 2012 and winning seven ATP titles.
Right behind Karlovic is the 6’9″ Kevin Anderson of South Africa. Anderson has been a part of the ATP tour since 2006 and has reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the world. Anderson is one of the most successful tall players in the sport, having won 11 ATP titles and reaching the finals of the US Open in 2017.
The other two players on the ATP tour who are 6’8″ are American John Isner and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Isner has been a part of the ATP tour since 2007 and has won 11 ATP titles and reached the top 10 in the world in 2012. Tsonga has been a part of the ATP tour since 2004 and has won 16 ATP titles and reached the top 10 in the world in 2011.
Top Tallest Players in the Open Era
The tallest player in the Open Era of tennis is 6’10” Croatian Goran Ivanisevic, who played from 1988 to 2004. Ivanisevic won 22 ATP titles and had a career-high ranking of No. 2 in the world. His most notable achievement was winning the 2001 Wimbledon Championships, becoming the first wildcard entry to ever win a Grand Slam tournament.
The other tallest players in the Open Era are 6’9″ American Michael Chang, 6’8″ Swede Magnus Norman and 6’7″ Australian Pat Rafter. Chang had a successful career, winning 34 ATP titles and reaching the top 5 in the world in 1996. Norman won 15 ATP titles and reached the top 5 in the world in 2000. Rafter won 14 ATP titles and reached the top 5 in the world in 1999.
Tallest Tennis Players of All Time
The tallest tennis player of all-time is 6’11” American Reilly Opelka, who is currently playing on the ATP tour. Opelka has won three ATP titles and reached the top 50 in the world in 2018.
Why are Tall Players so Successful?
Tall players have certain advantages in tennis, such as a longer reach and the ability to hit the ball with more power. Taller players also have a better serve, as they can generate more power and hit more accurate serves.
Tall players also have an advantage in net play, as they can cover more of the court and have a better angle to hit volleys. Tall players can also move around the court more quickly and cover more ground, which can be a key factor in winning points.
Famous Tall Players
Throughout the history of tennis, some of the tallest players in the sport have made a huge impact on the ATP circuit. Some of the most famous tall players include:
- Goran Ivanisevic: 6’10” Croatian who won 22 ATP titles and won the 2001 Wimbledon Championships.
- Michael Chang: 6’9″ American who won 34 ATP titles and reached the top 5 in the world in 1996.
- Magnus Norman: 6’8″ Swede who won 15 ATP titles and reached the top 5 in the world in 2000.
- Pat Rafter: 6’7″ Australian who won 14 ATP titles and reached the top 5 in the world in 1999.
- Reilly Opelka: 6’11” American who has won three ATP titles and reached the top 50 in the world in 2018.
Shortest Tennis Players
In contrast to the tallest players, the shortest players in the ATP are much shorter. The shortest current ATP player is 5’7″ Argentine Diego Schwartzman, who has been a part of the ATP tour since 2013 and has reached the top 30 in the world.
The other shortest players in the ATP are 5’9″ American Tennys Sandgren, 5’8″ German Alexander Zverev and 5’7″ Frenchman Richard Gasquet. Sandgren has been a part of the ATP tour since 2011 and has won three ATP titles. Zverev has been a part of the ATP tour since 2013 and has won 14 ATP titles and reached the top 10 in the world in 2017. Gasquet has been a part of the ATP tour since 2003 and has won 16 ATP titles and reached the top 10 in the world in 2007.
Shortest Tennis Players of All Time
The shortest tennis player of all-time is 5’6″ Argentine Guillermo Vilas, who played from 1972 to 1987. Vilas won 62 ATP titles and reached the top 5 in the world in 1975.
Why are Short Players so Successful?
Short players have certain advantages in tennis, such as being able to move around the court more quickly and having a better angle to hit shots. Short players also have an advantage in net play, as they can cover more of the court and have a better angle to hit volleys.
Short players also have the ability to hit the ball with more spin and accuracy, which can be a key factor in winning points.
Famous Short Players
Throughout the history of tennis, some of the shortest players in the sport have made a huge impact on the ATP circuit. Some of the most famous short players include:
- Guillermo Vilas: 5’6″ Argentine who won 62 ATP titles and reached the top 5 in the world in 1975.
- Diego Schwartzman: 5’7″ Argentine who has been a part of the ATP tour since 2013 and has reached the top 30 in the world.
- Tennys Sandgren: 5’9″ American who has been a part of the ATP tour since 2011 and has won three ATP titles.
- Alexander Zverev: 5’8″ German who has been a part of the ATP tour since 2013 and has won 14 ATP titles and reached the top 10 in the world in 2017.
- Richard Gasquet: 5’7″ Frenchman who has been a part of the ATP tour since 2003 and has won 16 ATP titles and reached the top 10 in the world in 2007.
Conclusion
Tall and short players have both had success on the ATP tour throughout the history of tennis. Height is often seen as an advantage in the sport, as taller players have a longer reach and can hit the ball with more power. Short players, on the other hand, have the ability to move around the court more quickly and hit the ball with more accuracy and spin.
The tallest player in the Open Era of tennis is 6’10” Croatian Goran Ivanisevic, while the shortest player of all-time is 5’6″ Argentine Guillermo Vilas. The tallest current ATP player is the 6’10” Ivo Karlovic from Croatia, and the shortest current ATP player is 5’7″ Argentine Diego Schwartzman.
No matter their height, some of the greatest players in the history of tennis have made a huge impact on the ATP circuit.