5 most one-sided head-to-head records between World No. 1s ft. Serena Williams-Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer-Andy Roddick
When one imagines a rivalry between two players who have attained the World No. 1 ranking at some point, it is often expected to be competitive. Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal's three-way rivalry was a close affair, with plenty of twists and turns over the years.
Chris Evert and Martina Navaratilova captured the attention of fans all over the world with their compelling rivalry. With 80 matches between the two, and 60 of them being finals, it was a memorable occasion whenever these two faced off.
However, there are always some exceptions. A few players have stamped their authority over another player who was supposed to be their peer. With that in mind, here's a look at the most lop-sided rivalries between World No. 1 players:
#1 - Roger Federer vs Andy Roddick (21-3)
Federer and Roddick both turned pros within a year of each other and captured their maiden Major title one after the other as well. The former tasted Grand Slam glory for the first time at Wimbledon 2003, and the latter matched him a couple of months later at the US Open.
Roddick was the first to ascend to the top of the rankings in November 2003, and three months later he was replaced by Federer at the top. However, their rivalry leaned in the Swiss' favor right from the start as he won their first four matches. The American snapped the losing streak at the Canadian Open 2005.
Roddick wouldn't one-up his rival for another three years after that, and lost 11 matches during this time. He secured his second win in this match-up at the Miami Open 2008, and came up short time after time after that. He came quite close to beating Federer in the Wimbledon 2009 final, and led by two sets to one, but suffered a heartbreaking loss in five sets.
Their final meeting took place at the Miami Open 2012, and Roddick nabbed his third win over Federer in a three-set tussle. That would also be his final season on the tour, and he retired after his fourth-round loss at the US Open. The Swiss, meanwhile, remained on tour for another decade. This is the most dominant head-to-head he has against a fellow World No. 1.
#2 - Serena Williams vs Maria Sharapova (20-2)
Two of tennis' most recognizable names commenced their rivalry in 2004. Williams won their very first encounter at the Miami Open with ease. They met for the second time in the Wimbledon final later that year, and the American was expected to come out on top as the two-time defending champion.
However, a 17-year-old Sharapova stunned Williams and the world to claim her maiden Major title. She took the lead in their rivalry after beating her in the final of the WTA Finals to end the year on a high. Many had predicted that the Russian would dominate this match-up for years to come, and that the American's time had come to pass.
Williams had other plans and made the naysayers eat their words. Sharapova never won another match against her after her two wins in 2004. After 2005, the Russian pushed her rival to three sets only on two occasions, once in 2008, and then in 2013. Their final match took place at the US Open 2019 and the American won 6-1, 6-1 in the first round.
Despite Sharapova's accomplishments and record against other players, she simply wasn't a match for Williams. Their most lopsided match took place at the London Olympics 2012, when they fought for the gold medal. The American won 6-0, 6-1 in 62 minutes. Even though the outcome became predictable over the years, their matches were a matter of interest for everyone.
#3 - Pete Sampras vs Jim Courier (16-4)
Sampras and Courier were the flagbearers of men's tennis in America in the 1990s. The former was the first to win a Major, and nabbed the same at the US Open 1990. However, the latter leapfrogged him over the next few years, and when he won his fourth at the Australian Open 1993, his rival was still stuck at one.
However, that year proved to be the turning point as Sampras would later claim his next two Majors at Wimbledon and the US Open. He beat Courier in the final of the grasscourt Major as well. This would mark the beginning of his era, and he was the best player in the world for the next decade.
The two crossed paths 20 times, and Courier never managed to register back-to-back wins over Sampras. The former never got the better of the latter in a final either. The 14-time Major champion faced some tough rivals over the course of his career, but his record against his fellow American, who also topped the rankings, remains one of his most impressive feats.
#4 - Monica Seles vs Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (20-3)
Seles had Sanchez Vicario's number right from their very first meeting, and was only 15 years old when she beat her for the first time in 1989. She would later defeat the Spaniard in two Major finals over the years, the first of which was at the French Open 1991.
Seles racked up nine straight wins before Sanchez Vicario put an end to the losing skid at the Canadian Open 1992. The former would defeat the latter in the US Open final a month later.
They two didn't meet again until 1996 as the unfortunate stabbing incident sidelined Seles for nearly three years. However, she dominated Sanchez Vicario the moment she returned to the tour and won their next four matches. The Spaniard got her revenge at the French Open 1998, and beat her younger rival in the final to capture her fourth and final Major title.
Seles didn't lose to Sanchez Vicario after that, and wrapped up her playing days with a six-match unbeaten run against her older rival. Their head-to-head could've been even more one-sided if not for the tragic attack on the nine-time Major champion.
#5 - Stefan Edberg vs Thomas Muster (10-0)
To remain undefeated against a fellow World No. 1 player is an achievement very few players can boast about. Edberg is one of them, and he never lost a match against Muster, beating him on all 10 occasions that they met. He also won six of those matches in straight sets.
Edberg had already established himself as a force to be reckoned with, and Muster was the young upstart making a name for himself. The latter secured wins over other leading players of the era, including Sampras, Courier, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, and Boris Becker, among others.
However, Muster couldn't find a way to unravel the challenge posed by Edberg. He does have a win over the Swede by means of a walkover at the Australian Open 1989, though that isn't counted as a win or a loss for either player. Thus, the Austrian concluded his career winless against one of his main rivals with a completely one-sided record.