Top five left-handed tennis players of all-time

Rafael Nadal’s dominant hand is right; however, he has achieved the pinnacle of his career as a left-handed player.

Left-handed players are less common in tennis. For the right-handed players, they create problems with their powerful and angular serves. Only 10% of the tennis players are lefties, and they are said to have a serving advantage.

According to statistics, the player with the best winning percentage against left-handers is Rafael Nadal. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has won more than 85 percent of his games against southpaws, as he is a left-handed player himself.

For example, Pete Sampras had trouble against left-handed players; Goran Ivanisevic has always given the 14-time Grand Slam champion a tough challenge on the tennis court. On that note, let’s take a look at the top five left-handed players in tennis history:

5. Jack Draper

Jack Draper‘s place on the list can be debatable over Marcelo Ríos and Goran Ivanišević. However, after the Miami Open, the Briton rose to a new career-high ranking of No. 6, becoming only the second left-handed player to reach the Top 6 on the ATP rankings this century, after Rafael Nadal.

The 23-year-old has recently won the Indian Wells Masters and has performed well on the tour.

Also Read: Top five players with longest reign as first-time ATP World No. 1

4. John McEnroe

One-third of the holy trinity of left-handers in the 1980s, John McEnroe, offered a fancy yet effective style of play. A wizard on grass, the former American tennis star dominated the All England Lawn Tennis Court between 1981 and 1984.

He clashed multiple times against his fellow countryman and southpaw, Jimmy Connors. The two faced each other 34 times on the tour, and McEnroe leads the tally with 20 victories.

3. Jimmy Connors

Jimmy Connors‘ double-handed backhand was, hands down, one of his greatest on-court weapons. However, his ability to smash formidable forehands can’t be discounted.

Connors learned to play tennis from his mother and is the second left-handed player to win the Wimbledon Championships after Rod Laver. Jimmy also holds the record for most singles titles in the Open Era, 109.

Also Read: Top five players with most ATP 1000 Masters final appearances before turning 22

2. Rod Laver

Australian tennis legend Rod Laver is seen as the first very successful southpaw in tennis. A strong left-hander, Laver cruised on the court and smashed powerful groundstrokes.

In addition to his confident, unplayable forehands, he unfurled his opposition’s tactics with topspin. One of a kind, the Aussie is often regarded as the greatest southpaw to get the hang of a tennis racket.

1. Rafael Nadal

The King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, is originally a right-hander. The Spaniard was only eight when his former coach Toni Nadal noticed that his left hand was more powerful than his right when playing tennis.

Nadal used to play double-handed forehands, and when he decided to take up the sport seriously, he became a southpaw. The 22-time Grand Slam champion plays golf and basketball with his right hand.

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