Famous Tennis Heroes For many years, the game of tennis has provided a lot of thrills and entertainment to millions of people worldwide. The sport has evolved from a game, which was characterized by finesse and precision, to one that is dominated by power and speed. Without a doubt, five of the greatest tennis players of the classic and modern era will have to include players like Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, and Andre Agassi. These players all dominated the game of tennis at one time or the other and between them, they have won no fewer than 46 Grand Slams. They have also won several hundreds of singles titles between them. Their achievements, as well as the global appeal they were able to create for the game of tennis, is what makes them stand out from the crowd. In many ways, these tennis greats were similar in terms of the confidence and grit they displayed on court. It must be said though that in terms of personality, they could not be more different. Without a doubt the greatest tennis legend of the five named is Pete Sampras, because of the 14 Grand slams he won during the course of his career. However, today’s star tennis player, Roger Federer, looks set to break that record. This tennis hero has an immense potential to become the greatest player the game has ever seen. As for Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, and John McEnroe, they have gone down in history as arguably the most naturally talented star tennis players of all time. For more information about these tennis legends, visit: http://www.time.com/time/archive/collections/0,21428,c_tennis,00.shtml and http://www.tennislovers.com/index2.htm?Content/stars.htm. What makes them the best? Starting with Andre Agassi, this tennis legend was known for being the best returner of serve the game had ever seen. He was also the showman of the sport and the crowd favorite everywhere he went. He is also the only man to have completed the Grand Slam on all four different surfaces. Jimmy Connors was known for his excellent return of serve and the grit/tenacity he displayed on court. This tennis hero was probably the most dedicated tennis player the game has ever seen. The determination which this 8-time Grand Slam winner showed on court gave him audience appeal. John McEnroe was known also for intensity and determination on court. He is perhaps the chief pioneer of the modern serve and volley game. This tennis hero is still winning tournaments even at the age of 48, as only recently he won an ATP doubles tournament with the Swedish player, Jonas Bjorkman. At present, he has won more singles and doubles titles than the other four tennis greats. Roger Federer is simply the ultimate tennis player, because he has everything in his arsenal. The mesmerizing and sometimes breathtaking play which he produces on court makes him a very unique player. At the moment, because of his utter brilliance and dominance of the sport, some already consider him to be the greatest of all time. There is certainly a lot more to come from this player and only time will tell if he will indeed surpass all the records of the sport. Pete Sampras is the greatest tennis player of all time as far as Grand Slam wins are concerned. This tennis hero is best known for his dominance through out the 1990’s, when he held the number one spot for over six consecutive years. At the moment, the fact that this star tennis player has won more Grand Slams than anyone else further backs him up as the greatest ever. What they have contributed to the Sport? Andre Agassi has been credited with being the first crossover tennis legend. This means that he was the player that made tennis globally popular, even among non-tennis fans. There is no doubt that this tennis legend has been an outstanding ambassador for the sport. His dominance between 1999 and 2000 will be one of the highlights of his illustrious career. Pete Sampras is perhaps the player who started the evolution of tennis into a sport of power, agility, and speed. His explosive style of play is something present-day star tennis players try to emulate. Jimmy Connors was at the forefront of the sport during the late 1970’s to the early 1980’s. His dedication, mental strength, and will to win are also things that many present-day players have incorporated into their game. In the late 1970’s and 1980’s, John McEnroe was best known for bringing more emotion and grit into the sport. This in many ways is what drew the crowds to the game of tennis over the years. Furthermore, the contributions he has made to tennis commentary cannot be overemphasized. As for Roger Federer, the contributions he is currently making in the sport are clear to see in regards to his artistic style of play and dominance.