Top 9 German tennis players of all time
Germany may be considered as a footballing giant as well as a nation renowned for producing champions in motorsports, but it is also quite proficient in tennis.
Although not at the same level as France, Australia, US or Great Britain when it comes to producing Grand Slam Champions, German tennis players have always tasted considerable success on the tour - be it the ATP circuit or the WTA circuit.
At present, six Germans are ranked inside the Top 100 of the ATP rankings and five Germans are ranked inside the top 100 of the WTA rankings.
Germany has produced eight Grand Slam champions. The first instance of a German lifting a Grand Slam trophy came way back in 1931, and the most recent instance came earlier this year in 2018.
For sake of brevity, we are restricting this slideshow to only include Germans who have been Grand Slam Champions. But an exception is being made for young talent Alexander Zverev who at 21 is already the holder of 3 ATP Masters 1000 titles and 1 ATP Finals trophy.
So without further ado, here is the list of the nine best German tennis players of all time.
#9 Cilly Aussem
Cilly Aussem was the first ever German to win a Grand Slam title - in men's or women's. She did so when she won the prestigious Wimbledon Championships in 1931. That same year she also won the French Open Championships.
Her mentor, coach and mixed doubles partner at the time was American legend Bill Tilden. Together they won the mixed doubles title at the French Open Championships in 1930.
Ausseem was ranked inside the top 10 between 1928 and 194. And in 1930 and 1931, she was the Number 2 ranked player behind the legendary Helen Wills Moody.
The profound influence that Bill Tilden had in her career is worth mentioning. It was Tilden who, having witnessed her talents at a young age, encouraged her father to permit her to travel overseas and pursue the sport earnestly.