The 10 Best Argentinian Tennis Players of All-Time

Who are the 10 best Argentinian tennis players of all time? It might be difficult for those who consider themselves die-hard fans to name all 10, but it would be almost impossible for the casual tennis fan to do so.

Nevertheless, each one of these individuals has contributed a great deal to the game of tennis through their skill and dedication to the game.

The list below begins at number 10 and goes all the way to number one. While your personal favorite may end up in a different spot than you had hoped, the important thing to remember is that these individuals made a lasting contribution to the sport, something that will be appreciated for many years to come.

It’s worth noting that the players are not ranked by prize money won. Doing so would prove unfair due to the various decades many of these players were active, as well as the fact that two of them are women.

10. Diego Schwartzman (Played 2010- Present Day) (Prize Money: $12,851,790)

In 2020, Schwartzman reached his current high level on the roster of active best tennis players at number eight. In addition, he has won four ATP titles. He’s also one of the shortest players to ever excel in the game, at just 5 feet 7 inches. As a matter of fact, he is the shortest individual to reach a grand slam singles final since 1980.

He is well regarded for his ability to specialize in playing the game on courts with clay surfaces, something that he truly excels at. While he’s definitely capable of holding his own on all types of surfaces, this is the one where his true ability becomes obvious almost immediately.

9. Guillermo Canas (Played 1995-2010) (Prize Money: $5,285,575)

Born in 1977, this individual began making a name for himself as a tennis professional in 2002. Although he had certainly been playing the game for longer than that, this is when he won the Canada Masters. As it turns out, 2002 was a big year for him, as he also reached the quarter-finals of the French Open that same year.

He would return to do the same thing again in 2005 and in 2007. He reached number eight on the greatest active player list, something that he achieved in 2005, the same year that he would reach the semi-final of the French Open for the second time in his career.

8. Gisela Dulko (Played 2001-2012) (Prize Money: $4,246,105)

As a solitary tennis player, Dulko was capable of reaching number 26 on the world roster. That being said, she truly shined in doubles tournaments where she reached number one with her partner, Flavia Pennetta.

During that time, she also won 17 WTA titles. She became even more notable during the 2011 US Open when she and her partner Eduardo Schwank bested several tennis players who were considered at the top of their game.

7. Mariano Puerta (Played 1998-2009) (Prize Money: $1,781,372)

His is the bittersweet story of what could have been versus what actually was. In 2005, he was ranked number nine on the world roster, an achievement that was something to be truly proud of. However, this was the same year that he went to the finals in the French Open, only to end up testing positive for a banned substance.

It was later ruled that he would then be banned from the entire sport for a period of eight years after testing positive. While he had a great deal of ability and clearly loved the sport, most people only remember him for the positive test and the fact that he wasn’t allowed to play for almost a decade after that incident.

6. Guillermo Coria (Played 2000-009) (Prize Money: $5,915,60)

Coria won nine ATP singles and was ranked number three on the world roster in 2004. He also went to the finals of the French Open that same year. Unfortunately, he was eventually defeated after a very lengthy and difficult match.

Sadly, he never achieved the same level of proficiency after the 2004 French Open as he had displayed prior to that game. He eventually retired at the relatively young age of 27, deciding that his tennis career was behind him.

5. David Nalbandian (Played 2000-2013) (Prize Money: $11,114,755)

There is no question that Nalbandian’s best year came in 2005 when he beat another player who was seemingly unbeatable at the time, Rodger Federer. The victory came at that year’s ATP finals, something that Nalbandian was no stranger to. As a matter of fact, he had several other accolades to his name including four grand slam semi-finals, one grand slam final and a handful of other finishes in the top 10.

4. Gaston Gaudio (Played 1996-2011) (Prize Money: $6,066,156)

Oddly enough, Gaudio only finished in the top 10 three times in his entire career. As a matter of fact, he came into the 2004 French Open ranked number 44 on the world roster. However, he also beat the individual that was ranked number three on that same roster at the time, Guillermo Coria.

For this reason alone, he is often remembered among the best Argentinian tennis players to have ever played the game. He may not have been as consistent as some of the other people on this list, but he was definitely capable of delivering on a day when it counted the most.

3. Juan Martin Del Potro (Played 2004-2021) (Prize Money: $25,896,046)

Here you have a player who has seemingly one every accolade possible. That includes winning the Indian Wells Masters, receiving the Davis Cup, and attending the US Open finals twice, one of which he won. He also has several other top-10 finishes to his name. Last but certainly not least, he received both a bronze and silver medal in the Olympics.

2. Gabriela Sabatini (Played 1985-1996) (Prize Money: $8,785,850)

She won The Wimbledon doubles title in 1988, then came back in 1990 to win the US Open. She also went to the finals at the 1991 Wimbledon tournament. Notably, she has no less than 15 grand slam semi-finals to her name, along with two championships. She also won an Olympic silver medal for her efforts.

1. Guillermo Vilas (Played 1969-1992) (Prize Money: $4,923,882)

He won the ATP title in 1974, one of 62 such titles that he would win throughout his career. Vilas also won both the French Open and US Open in 1977. He then went on to win the Australian Open twice, in 1978 and 1979.

As if this weren’t enough, he also has four additional grand slam titles and he finished in the top 10, nine years straight. It’s no wonder that he is almost always thought of as the greatest Argentinian tennis player to have ever lived.

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