The Legacy of Tennis: A Look at the Success of Tennis Families in the Sport

Bob Bryan (L) and his brother Mike Bryan celebrating after winning the 2014 US Open doubles title (Reuters)

The world of tennis has seen numerous family dynasties where talents multiply among brothers, generating a rich heritage in the sport. From the top of the ATP rankings to doubles winners, these stories highlight family influence and legacy. Successes in Grand Slams and persistence in the elite categories illustrate the dedication and shared effort in the pursuit of glory on the courts.

Novak Djokovic and his brother Marko together (Instagram)

Novak Djokovic continues his undisputed dominance in the tennis world as number 1 in the ATP rankings, a position he has firmly maintained over the past two seasons. His success contrasts with the more discreet career of his brother Marko Djokovic, who, despite having won a Future tournament, has not achieved victories at the upper levels of the ATP circuit in the four matches played. Both brothers have been a couple in some doubles tournaments, highlighting the opportunity for Marko to play alongside his older brother.

Marko Djokovic is not the only one in the family pursuing a career in tennis. Djordje Djokovic, at 16 years old, is also dedicated to this sport with the hope of reaching the elite of world tennis in the near future. Djordje’s progression is promising, given his brother Novak’s track record of success. This family development in tennis reflects a high level of dedication and professional aspirations.

Novak Djokovic has set multiple records in professional tennis, establishing himself as one of the most outstanding players in history. At the end of 2023 he added his seventh Masters Cup title by beating Jannik Sinner, becoming the tennis player with the most trophies in this tournament, surpassing Roger Federer’s six crowns. Djokovic won this title in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023. He has also finished as world number one eight times at the end of the season, an absolute record. In 2023, he received this honor for the eighth time, surpassing Pete Sampras’ six occasions.

The Serbian also holds the record for most Grand Slam titles, with 24, equaling Margaret Court. In 2023, he won the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open, although he lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz. Roger Federer, with 20 titles, and Rafael Nadal, with 22, are far from reaching it.

In addition, the winner of 98 titles, he became the oldest US Open champion last year at 36 years and three months, surpassing Ken Rosewall’s record from 1970. He is the only player to have won at least three times each. one of the four Grand Slams: 10 at the Australian Open, 7 at Wimbledon, 4 at the US Open and 3 at Roland Garros.

He has also played in 36 Grand Slam finals, winning 24. Only Roger Federer (31) and Rafa Nadal (30) come close. He has won three of the four Grand Slams in the 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023 seasons, although never all four in the same year. In addition, Djokovic is the only tennis player to have won all nine Masters 1,000 tournaments, at least twice each.

Finally, Djokovic is the leader in titles among active tennis players in the Open era, accumulating 98 trophies, only surpassed by Federer (103) and Jimmy Connors (109), both already retired.

Andy Murray and Jamie Murray together in a 2017 Davis Cup match. That year they won this prestigious tournament for a team representing their country Great Britain (Reuters)

Andy Murray and his older brother, Jamie Murray, stand out in the world of tennis. Jamie, in particular, has achieved notable success in the doubles discipline, including a Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2007, where he partnered Serbian Jelena Jankovic.

Together, they have won two ATP titles in the doubles category, one at the ATP 500 tournament in Valencia and another at the Tokyo tournament, in the same category.

Jamie Murray has won 32 titles and became number one in the world in the doubles discipline. Andy Murray, for his part, has won 46 trophies, including three Grand Slams: two at Wimbledon and one at the US Open, in addition to 14 Masters 1000s and two gold medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. These achievements have allowed both Scottish brothers to maintain a strong presence in the international tennis elite. Furthermore, these two brothers have shared the 2017 Davis Cup champion team with their country Great Britain, entering the history of their nation forever.

Andy Murray has been part of the group called by the press as the “Big Four,” also made up of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, the three best tennis players in history, according to many specialists in the field. Murray was able to compete with these three galacticos and reach the summit of tennis, when he was number one in 2016.

Brothers Bob Bryan (right) and Mike Bryan celebrating after winning doubles gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Reuters)

Bob and Mike Bryan, recognized as the most successful couple in the history of world tennis, announced their retirement from professional sports in 2020, after 25 years of experience. The American twins cap their careers with an impressive record of 119 doubles titles.

Born in California, the Bryan brothers began their sporting career in 1995 during the US Open, when they were only 17 years old. Since then, they have accumulated 1,108 ATP victories and have won 16 Grand Slam titles, 39 Masters 1000s, four Masters Cups, a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a Davis Cup. In addition, the Bryans spent 438 weeks as leaders in the ATP world rankings.

Mike Bryan also captured two Grand Slam titles alongside Jack Sock in 2018, after Bob Bryan temporarily stepped away from the sport due to a hip injury.

Serena Williams beat her sister Venus in the final of the 2017 Australian Open (Reuters)

Serena and Venus Williams are notable tennis players on the women’s circuit and in tennis in general for their dominance that spanned more than a decade. The sisters managed to maintain a consistency that seems unattainable in current women’s tennis, due to the difficulty of the same player remaining at the top for more than two years.

Since 1997, Venus and Serena Williams began playing together in doubles and managed to win 22 titles in total, including 14 Grand Slams. Their first major doubles trophy was won at the French Open in 1999, when Venus was 18 years old and Serena was 17.

In addition to their achievements in Grand Slams, the sisters have also won three gold medals at the Olympic Games: in Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

The Williams won four consecutive Grand Slam titles in doubles from Wimbledon 2009 to Roland Garros 2010, which led them to be the number one player in doubles on June 7, 2010. Likewise, two weeks later, on June 21, 2010 , Serena took first place in the singles rankings, with Venus in second place.

In their total careers, the sisters have won six Wimbledon tournaments, four Australian Opens, two US Opens and two French Opens. They have never lost in a Grand Slam final.

Tennis player Alexander Zverev poses with his trophy together with his brother Mischa Zverev during the German athlete of the year awards (Reuters)

Alexander Zverev, German tennis player, has accumulated 22 titles throughout his career, including six Masters 1000 and reached second position in the world in 2020. He also reached the final of the 2020 US Open, in which he was defeated by Dominic Thiem .

Together with his brother, Mischa Zverev, they achieved two titles in doubles: one at the ATP 500 in Acapulco in 2019 and another at the ATP 250 in Montpellier in 2017. These achievements highlight the couple’s ability to compete at a high level in tournaments. international.

Mischa Zverev has achieved four doubles titles throughout his career and reached number 25 in the world ranking. These figures reflect an outstanding career on the ATP circuit, establishing himself as a relevant player in the doubles category.

These are the Cerúndolo brothers (Quique Cano)

The Argentinians Francisco and Juan Manuel Cerúndolo are brothers who have shown that sporting talent can be shared between family members. Francisco, currently ranked 23rd in the ATP ranking, and Juan Manuel, ranked 178th, have made their presence known in the international tennis arena.

Francisco Cerúndolo has won two championships so far, while Juan Manuel Cerúndolo stood out by winning the ATP 250 title in Córdoba in 2021. In 2022, Juan Manuel became among the 100 best players in the world, although his current ranking has descended.

John and Patrick during the Laver Cup (Reuters/Andrew Boyers)

John McEnroe and his brother Patrick McEnroe have left a notable mark on the world of tennis. John, known for his temperament on the court and skill, reached number 1 in the world, accumulating 77 titles, including 7 Grand Slam titles. Patrick, meanwhile, was crowned in the Sydney tournament, became number 28 in the world and was the last captain of the American team to lift a Davis Cup.

The impact of both brothers on tennis has not gone unnoticed. John McEnroe, with a career full of successes and controversial moments, stood out not only for his victories, but for his style of play and charisma. For his part, Patrick McEnroe, although not as accomplished as his older brother, had a respectable career that culminated in his role as captain of the American Davis Cup team, leading the team to victory in 2007, an achievement significant in his career.

2024-05-25 13:36:00
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