Former tennis player Jill Craybas believes Serena Williams deserves to be ranked above Novak Djokovic in the group of greatest stars in tennis history.
"I think Serena could be at the top of the all-time list because she has 39 Grand Slams," Craybas said on the recent ATP Tennis podcast. The former six-time WTA champion believes that her doubles record is what sets her apart from other tennis legends, including Novak Djokovic.
Serena (right) chats with Djokovic at the Miami Open many years ago. Photo: ESPN
Serena has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, one short of Margaret Court's record. The American also has 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and two mixed doubles titles. She has also won four Olympic gold medals and has been world number one for 319 weeks. Including doubles, Court is the most decorated player, with 19 Grand Slam doubles titles and 21 mixed doubles titles. She has also won the WTA Finals twice, out of a total of 192 career titles.
"When you talk about numbers, why not add them up," Craybas said. "For the men, like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, they play doubles very little. Of course they can win more doubles Grand Slams. If you talk about titles, Serena and Court are the best."
Djokovic is the most successful male tennis player with 24 Grand Slam titles. He is also the longest-serving world number one in history, having spent more than 400 weeks. The Serbian has a total of 98 singles titles, five less than Federer and 11 less than record holder Jimmy Connors.
Another plus for Serena, said Craybas, an American tennis player, is her off-court influence. "In terms of her quality of play and her popularity, Serena is one of those people who transcends tennis. People who don't watch tennis know Serena. She's smart, savvy, and successful off the court," she said.
Serena retires in September 2022 as the highest-earning female tennis player of all time – $94 million. She ends her nearly two-decade career with 73 singles titles and a total net worth of nearly $300 million – among the 100 richest women on the planet.
Vy Anh
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