Top 10 Best Male Tennis Players of All Time

At the moment, Roger Federer is the most accomplished male tennis player ever, although it's impossible to really say he's the most talented. You could easily make the argument that Rafael Nadal is actually better on that count, since Nadal has a clear advantage over Federer in terms of head-to-head, especially in the Slams. The day may also come when Nadal could surpass Federer's impressive mark of 17 Grand Slams.

I'm giving the nod to Federer partly because he dominated tennis so thoroughly and convincingly for about a five-year stretch, a feat that will be nearly impossible to replicate. You might say the competition was a little inferior during most of his prime, but you can only play what's out there. No tennis player was that dominant for such an extended stretch of time.

In his prime, Federer was a machine. His greatest strength, among the many you could name, was his groundstrokes. He could hit the ball at such an angle with tremendous power that it made it nearly impossible for his opponent to stay in the point, especially the longer it went on. But perhaps one of the toughest parts about Federer was that he was almost invulnerable. He almost never beat himself with silly mistakes and unforced errors. Nothing less than your A-game was required to even give you a shot at beating him.

Perhaps best of all, Federer has been a class act in both victory and defeat, on and off the court. He has been a model of sportsmanship that is hard to come by in today's world of sports, especially considering the sad stories with today's athletes almost every time you turn on your TV.

Hats off to you, Fed. Truly one of the greats in all of sports, not just tennis.

Rafa may not be the best, but he is still my favorite tennis player. Just the way he fights on every single point like his life depends on it is inspiring. He doesn't end the points quickly, takes his time, and makes the opponent suffer. Nadal is at both a physical and mental peak that is absolutely jaw-dropping.

Break point? Set point? No problem. He saves them with what is arguably the most badass forehand in tennis history. Nadal makes us live his matches with him. His celebrations, injuries, pains, reliefs - we fight with him all the time. And he has incredible sportsmanship in every situation, win or lose, with great respect for his opponents.

I love Novak. He has been my favorite tennis player for the last 10 years. I have watched every single big match he's played, dedicating hours upon hours to studying his play, memorizing his stats, and waking up at crazy hours of the night to see him play in Slams or Masters 1000s. This man has been my hero. But, in my opinion, he is not the third-best player of all time. Yet.

He could certainly be on his way, but the likes of Laver and Sampras have him beat, with Borg having as good of a peak as him and Lendl and Connors obviously having better longevity.

Still, Djokovic is an amazing player and competitor, and he has proven himself to be one of the all-time greats. He is still in his peak, dominating the game.

This is the only person I ever enjoyed watching play tennis when I was a kid. It was almost unreal how he never seemed to break a sweat and just kept on winning for what I think is the longest record so far. Sampras vs. Agassi matches were the most epic. None of the current crop of players even comes close!

When Pete's game was on, he didn't need groundstrokes to beat his opponents. What about those running forehands, overhead smashes, and crisp volleys? Phew. That underrated backhand. Just look at some of his backhand winners against Becker, Agassi, etc. You will realize that Pete had no weakness. A TRUE PHENOM.

His competition was fierce, as he played several men on this list and usually trumped them. I don't see the current players struggling with the likes of Connors, McEnroe, and Lendl. Nadal is already physically shot at 22. And Borg did it all with a wooden racket.

It only really makes sense to compare players from the same era. Technique, tactics, equipment, rules, and training all move on. While acknowledging that Federer's record is unmatched, Borg was easily the greatest player of his generation.

One of the hardest-working tennis players. Most others just made it on talent, but Ivan worked his butt off.

I loved to see him play. We don't have players of his caliber today. He had a personality that appealed to the public, and he backed it up with the results of his games.

Jimmy Connors was my favorite male tennis player ever. He had a class and style about him that no one else had. I miss watching him because it was always exciting.

He had asthma and still set records, even though he was not a tall player.

People said he complained about calls a bit. But the thing is, he was right most of the time. He had game and provided some great tennis battles over the years.

Pure excellence. Amazing wherever he is on the court. Has one of the best backhands ever. Everybody stops and stands still when he's on court.

One of the greatest ever British sportsmen. Hopefully, more to come from this fantastic athlete.

Now that I've given him that vote, he better win a Grand Slam!

No doubt, as has been said before, but two Grand Slams, bookends to the dramatic changes in tennis, mark the beginning of the Open Era. His longevity matches Federer's - and was achieved at a time without the science, the technology, and the private jets. Think of the greats he played against: Hoad, Rosewall, Gonzales, and Emerson, and he defeated Ashe, Connors, and Borg. I believe he was effectively number one for most, if not all, of the decade from 1960 to 1970.

Two Grand Slams. Interrupted by six years. Laver would have won at least four Grand Slams in his career. It is embarrassing to see him rated 13! I agree with Federer and Nadal, who both have stated Laver is without peer in tennis history.

One of the most fun-to-watch tennis athletes. I mean, who is doing all the crazy shots? Just love his style.

One of the most entertaining players to watch, with amazing and powerful shots!

Very determined! He is not worried about losing. Just plays his best.