Who was the first tennis player to win all four Grand Slams?

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4 years ago

British tennis player Fred Perry became the first tennis player to win all four Grand Slams when he attained the feat in back in 1935. (Getty Images)

The honour of winning all four Grand Slams during a player’s career is technically referred to as a ‘Career Grand Slam’

Former World No.1 from Britain, Fred Perry was the first tennis player to win all four Grand Slams.

Perry achieved this rare feat, which is technically known as ‘Career Grand Slam’, at the age of 26 at the 1935 French Open. He also remains the only British player to have attained this rare honour.

Second-seeded that year, Perry defeated Gottfried von Cramm 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 in the final to win the men’s singles tennis title at the 1935 French Championships.

British tennis player Fred Perry became the first tennis player to win all four Grand Slams when he attained the feat in back in 1935. (Getty Images)

The most recent player to win four Grand Slams in his/her tennis career was Serbian Novak Djokovic. The current World No.1 reached this feat back in 2016 after overthrowing Andy Murray in the 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in the summit clash of the French Open.

This was also Djokovic’s first Major title at the clay-court event. In total eight men and nine women have achieved the “Career Grand Slam”. Since the establishment of the Open Era back in 1968, five men and six women have attained all four Grand Slams in their playing career.

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic is the last player to have won all four Grand Slams. (Getty Images)

Here’s a detailed list of all men and women’s singles champions, who have won all four Grand Slams and the last major they won to complete the set.

Men’s Singles (8)

Fred Perry, England (1935 French Championships)

Don Budge, United States (1938 French Championships)

Rod Laver, Australia (1962 U.S. Championships) – The Australian great achieved the feat a second time when he won during the Open Era in 1969. Laver, defeated fellow Australian Tony Roche in the US Open final to hold this rare honour twice.

Australian tennis great Rod Laver became the first men’s player to win a ‘Career Grand Slam’ twice in his playing career. (Getty Images)

Roy Emerson, Australia (1964 Wimbledon) – He is the only male player to have completed a Career Grand Slam (winning titles at all four Grand Slam events) in both singles and doubles.

Emerson also joined Laver in being the second male player to have completed a double career Grand Slam. He achieved this rare feat by partnering alongside Laver in the 1971 Wimbledon doubles final.

Andre Agassi, United States (1999 French Open)

Roger Federer, Switzerland (2009 French Open)

Rafael Nadal, Spain (2010 US Open)

Novak Djokovic, Serbia (2016 French Open)

Women’s Singles (10)

Five women (Court, Evert, Navratilova, Graf, Williams) achieved at least two Career Grand Slams, three women (Court, Graf, Williams) have achieved three Career Grand Slams and Steffi Graf is the only player to achieve four Career Grand Slams.

Maureen Connolly Brinker, United States (1953 French Championships)

Doris Hart, United States (1954 U.S. Championships)

Shirley Fry Irvin, United States (1957 Australian Championships)

Former World No.1 Steffi Graf is the only tennis player to win all four Grand Slams four times in the history of the sport. (Getty Images)

Margaret Smith Court, Australia (1963 Wimbledon)

Billie Jean King, United States (1972 French Open)

Chris Evert, United States (1982 Australian Open)

Martina Navratilova, United States (1983 US Open)

Steffi Graf, Germany (1988 US Open)

Serena Williams, United States (2003 Australian Open)

Maria Sharapova (2012 French Open)