With the Australian Open getting underway in Melbourne, it’s an exciting time for tennis fans. The first Grand Slam of the year always gives an insight into which players could dominate in any given year, and 2023 is no exception, with many paying close attention to Novak Djokovic as he makes his return to the tournament after last year’s fiasco.
With tennis fans already sizing up the Australian Open 2023 betting odds, it’s a good time to take a look back at the best performing players of years gone by. So, without further ado, here are the most successful players in the history of the Australian Open men’s singles.
Novak Djokovic (nine titles)
Novak Djokovic stands clear the top of the list with a mammoth nine titles, and he’ll be looking for the magic number ten in 2023. The Serbian has risen to become the standout hard-court player of all time, and his many successes in the Australian Open are proof of that.
His first victory came in 2008, when he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final, and eight further triumphs have followed, including a run of five in six years between 2011 and 2016, and three in a row between 2019 and 2021. He will go down in history as a legend of this particular Grand Slam event.
Roger Federer (six titles)
Not too far behind Djokovic is Roger Federer, who enjoyed plenty of success at the Australian Open over the years. The Swiss won six Melbourne titles in all, capturing his hearts of the Australian crowd time and time again.
Federer’s first success came in 2004 when he beat Marat Safin in straight sets, and perhaps his crowning moment was the 2017 final, where he overcame his great rival Rafael Nadal in a five-set thriller.
Andre Agassi (four titles)
American tennis star Andre Agassi won as many Australian Open titles as he did US Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles combined, proof that he enjoyed this Grand Slam like no other. Agassi was a player who paved the way for the likes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, and he deserves to be remembered as one of the true greats of Australian Open history.
Agassi’s first title came in 1995, when he defeated Pete Sampras in four sets to lay claim to the trophy. He then won two Australian Opens on the spin in 2000 and 2001, before notching his fourth in 2003.
Mats Wilander (three titles)
One of the dominant players if the 1980s, three of Mats Wilander’s seven Grand Slam titles came at the Australian Open, and although the Swede could never get his hands on the Wimbledon crown, he is still regarded as one of the sport’s true greats.
He first got his hands on the Australian Open trophy in 1983, defeating Ivan Lendl comfortably in straight sets. Wilandersuccessfully defended his title a year later, this time overcoming South African Kevin Curren in the final, before completing the hat-trick in 1988 after a five-set epic against Pat Cash.
