Only 5 tennis players in the world won the Grand Slam in singles. How it was?

Grand Slam tournaments are the four biggest tennis tournaments that are held annually. They include the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. However, in the entire history of tennis, the Grand Slam has been successful only for a few athletes.

Don Badge - 1938

Young Budge, who grew up in Oakland, loved European and American football even before he started to play tennis. Being already a professional tennis player, he played for the United States in the Davis Cup, from 1935 to 1938, winning 25 of 29 matches, and in 1937 led the US team to the first title after more than ten years. Just in the early thirties journalists started using the term "Grand Slam" in relation to the victory in all four major tennis tournaments at once - by that time nobody could do that. Higher and more powerful than most of his rivals, Budge became the first tennis player to use blows backhand not as a defense, but as an attack. In 1937, Budge won Wimbledon and the US Open, and in 1938, repeated his achievement, but only this time adding to it also the victory in two other major tournaments, thereby becoming the first holder of the Grand Slam in tennis history.

Maureen Connolly - 1953

Connolly was born in San Diego and started playing tennis at the age of 10 years, and by 15 years has won more than 50 tournaments. In 1951, just before her 17th birthday, she won her first major tournament, the US Open. After winning just two tournaments in 1952, Maureen hired one of Harry Hopman's best tennis coaches to prepare her for the competition. And in 1953 it gave its result - Connolly won all four major tournaments one by one, becoming the first woman to own the "Grand Slam". In 1954, Maureen on her horse was returning home after the competition, when she was hit by a truck, in several places having broken her right leg. Since 1951, Connolly has played in nine Grand Slam tournaments - and won all nine, setting a record 50-0. Maureen planned to resume her career, but the injury was too difficult, so she had to announce the retirement in 1955.

Rod Leaver - 1962 and 1969

Leiver's parents were tennis players, so the boy went in their footsteps. He played in the Australian outback until he was seen by Harry Hopman. He won his first Grand Slam tournaments already in 1959, but only in doubles. The following year, he managed to win the singles at the Australian Open. But already in 1962 he did something phenomenal - he won not only four major tournaments, becoming the third owner of the Grand Slam in history, but also won in a number of other tournaments, including championships in France, Germany and Italy, winning one more A rare trophy. After that, Leiver won in other tournaments, but flashed again in 1969 - he again won all four major tournaments, becoming the first and currently only tennis player who was able to win the Grand Slam twice in his career.

Margaret Court - 1970

For the first time Margaret, who, like Rod, resembled Australia, won a major tournament at the age of 18 in 1960. Like Maureen Connolly, Court was left-handed, but she was trained to use her right hand, since then it was considered reasonable in tennis (only later left-handed tennis players began to appear). Margaret continued successful performances, winning five more victories in the Australian Championships, thereby creating a record - six wins in a row. She is still the record holder for the number of Australian Open championships won - she has 11. She also added seven American wins and five wins in the French championships, as well as one Wimbledon. He was won in 1970 - it was then that Margaret became the owner of the Grand Slam. In 1970, in total, she played in 27 different tournaments and won out of them at 21.

Steffi Graf - 1988

German legend Steffi Graf became the last tennis player to win the Grand Slam. Her first major title she won in 1987 - it was the French Open. The following year, at the age of 19, Graf was able to achieve the incredible, winning the Grand Slam. However, this is not all - just a few weeks Earl won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Seoul - which means that she became the only holder of the Golden Grand Slam in history. After that, the Count continued to dominate the world arena in tennis, winning over her career in the amount of 22 major tournaments and even more small ones. In 1999, exhausted by injuries, Steffi announced the completion of her professional career. And in 2001 she married another legend of the tennis world, Andre Agassi.

Serena Williams

In 2015, tennis player Serena Williams was one step away from inscribing her name in history. At the beginning of the year she won at the Australian Open, then won the victory in France, having already achieved a major breakthrough - the last time two inaugural championships in a row tennis players won only in 2001. Then followed Wimbledon, which Serena also won. There was only the US championship, but here Williams lost in the semifinals, and not being able to become the sixth athlete, who won the Grand Slam. And, unfortunately, it is unlikely she will have it already - Serena is 34 years old, and this is an impressive age for tennis. Already at the Australian championship Serena became the oldest winner in history. However, many years ahead, many talents, so fans only have to wait with bated breath, when someone shoots.