What is a Grand Slam in Tennis?

Tennis is a sport that has many tournaments and events throughout the year, but there are four that stand out as the most prestigious and important ones. These are the Grand Slam tournaments, also known as the majors, which are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Winning one of these tournaments is a huge achievement for any tennis player, but winning all four in the same year is the ultimate goal and challenge. This is what is known as a Grand Slam in tennis.

The Origin and Meaning of Grand Slam

The term Grand Slam was first used in 1933 by a New York Times writer, John Kieran, who compared the feat of winning all four major tennis tournaments to a bidding convention in the card game bridge. He wrote that if Jack Crawford, an Australian player who had won the first three majors of the year, could also win the US Open, it would be like scoring a Grand Slam in bridge.

Crawford failed to do so, losing in the final to Fred Perry, but the term stuck and became widely used to describe the achievement of winning all four majors in a calendar year. The first player to accomplish this was Don Budge of America in 1938, followed by Maureen Connolly of America in 1953, Rod Laver of Australia in 1962 and 1969, Margaret Court of Australia in 1970, and Steffi Graf of Germany in 1988. Rod Laver is the only player to have done it twice, and also the only one to have done it before and after the start of the Open Era in 1968, when professional players were allowed to compete in the majors.

A Grand Slam can be achieved in singles, doubles, or mixed doubles, and by men or women. However, singles is considered the most prestigious and difficult category. A player can also achieve a Grand Slam by playing with different partners in doubles or mixed doubles.

The Variations of Grand Slam

Besides the calendar year Grand Slam, there are other variations of the term that are used to describe different achievements in tennis. These include:

• Non-calendar year Grand Slam: This is when a player wins all four majors consecutively but not within the same calendar year. For example, Serena Williams won the US Open in 2014, followed by the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon in 2015. She completed a non-calendar year Grand Slam but failed to win the US Open in 2015 to complete a calendar year Grand Slam.
• Career Grand Slam: This is when a player wins all four majors at any point during their career. For example, Roger Federer won his first major at Wimbledon in 2003, followed by the US Open in 2004, the Australian Open in 2004 and 2006, and finally the French Open in 2009. He completed a career Grand Slam but not a calendar year Grand Slam or a non-calendar year Grand Slam.
• Golden Slam: This is when a player wins all four majors and the Olympic gold medal in singles in the same calendar year. This is considered the most difficult and rarest achievement in tennis. Only one player has ever done it: Steffi Graf in 1988. She won all four majors and then defeated Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina in the final of the Seoul Olympics to complete a Golden Slam.
• Career Golden Slam: This is when a player wins all four majors and the Olympic gold medal in singles at any point during their career. Only four players have ever done it: Steffi Graf (1988), Andre Agassi (1999), Rafael Nadal (2010), and Serena Williams (2012).

The Grand Slam Tournaments

The four Grand Slam tournaments are:

• Australian Open: This is held every year in January at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. It is played on hard courts and is known for its high temperatures and unpredictable weather. It was first held in 1905 and became part of the Grand Slam circuit in 1924.
• French Open: This is held every year from late May to early June at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. It is played on clay courts and is known for its long rallies and physical demands. It was first held in 1891 and became part of the Grand Slam circuit in 1925.
• Wimbledon: This is held every year from late June to early July at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England. It is played on grass courts and is known for its tradition and prestige. It was first held in 1877 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
• US Open: This is held every year from late August to early September at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, USA. It is played on hard courts and is known for its loud crowds and night sessions. It was first held in 1881 and became part of the Grand Slam circuit in 1924.

Each Grand Slam tournament lasts for two weeks and consists of five main events: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. There are also junior, wheelchair, and legends events. The tournaments are overseen by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and award the most ranking points, prize money, and prestige to the players.

The Grand Slam Winners

Here is a list of all the players who have won a Grand Slam in singles, doubles, or mixed doubles in the Open Era (since 1968):