John McEnroe and Peter Fleming
Peter Fleming once said that the best doubles pair in the world was “John McEnroe and anyone.” It was classic self-deprecation from Fleming, who partnered with his childhood friend to stunning effect. The two Americans won seven Grand Slam titles – three Wimbledon’s and four US Opens – seven season-ending Masters and a total of 54 doubles titles together. McEnroe’s serve and volley brilliance was well matched by Fleming’s power and at times, the pair were almost unbeatable. McEnroe was one of the few men to be world No 1 in both formats of the game and Fleming maintains doubles helped improve his partner’s singles.
Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver
If McEnroe and Fleming were almost unbeatable, for a long time, no one got near Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver, who dominated the women’s game in the 1980s. They won 74 titles together, including 20 Grand Slams and in 1984, they won the Grand Slam of all four majors in the same calendar year. Between 1983 and 1985, the pair won 109 matches in a row and won the year-end Finals 10 times. Lefty-righty, like McEnroe and Fleming, they complimented each other perfectly.
Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge
Mark Woodforde, a red-headed left-hander, joined forces with right-handed Todd Woodbridge to become one of the all-time great combinations. The two Aussies, each good enough to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, were fast, sharp and nerveless under pressure as they claimed 11 slams together, including six Wimbledon’s, five of them in a row, cementing their place in Australian tennis folklore alongside some of the all-time greats.
Serena Williams and Venus Williams
The Williams sisters won 30 grand slam titles in singles between them but were almost as successful when they teamed up on the doubles court. The sisters were not traditional doubles players in terms of style, but they were just too good for everyone, overpowering their opponents and often knocking them off court. They won 14 slams together over a 17-year span, not to mention three Olympic gold medals in a row, in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan
Mike and Bob were twins who lived, breathed and slept in each other’s company for most of their careers. On the court, they were an energetic, unstoppable force, their chest-bump celebrations a trademark of their play. Off it, they were close but like all brothers, they fought and on one occasion, the pair got into a fist-fight after a match at Wimbledon. But they won 16 slams together and because they were so recognisable and spoke so well in press, they almost single-handedly kept doubles in the public consciousness at a time when few top singles players competed.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
When Roger Federer made the decision to retire at the Laver Cup in 2022, he phoned his old pal, and long-time rival, Rafael Nadal, to ask if he’d be able to join the team and play doubles with him. Nadal was carrying an injury but made it there anyway, much to the delight of the crowds. The two men had shared a court so many times in their careers, but this was the first time on the same side of the net. The American team of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe had not read the script though, saving match point before claiming the win.
Serena Williams and Andy Murray
In 2019, seven-time women’s champion Serena Williams and Andy Murray formed a surprise pairing in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon. Murray was back at Wimbledon five months after having a metal hip inserted, while Williams was trying to win her eighth Wimbledon and equal the all-time slam record of 24. The pair laughed and joked their way through two rounds but lost out in round three, much to the fans' disappointment.
Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals
In the 1960s and 1970s, tennis was changing, and Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals were at the heart of it. The pair were instrumental in the creation of the WTA in 1973 and in the battle for equal prize money and while King was the figurehead, Casals played an integral part. What’s more, they still found time to be one of the best doubles pairings of all time, winning seven slams together and countless other tournaments.
Steffi Graf and Gabriela Sabatini
In 1988, Graf and Sabatini were rivals on the singles Tour, although in truth, Graf was a class above that year as she won the “Golden Slam” of all four Grand Slam titles and the Olympic gold medal. But the pair were also occasional doubles partners, reaching three French Open finals. When they teamed up at Wimbledon in 1988, they brought real glamour and glitz to the doubles event and they won the title, the only Grand Slam doubles title of Graf’s glittering career.
John McEnroe and Jonas Bjorkman
At the grand old age of 47, McEnroe had been retired for 14 years when he was asked by Jonas Bjorkman if he would play with him at an event in San Jose. It was like McEnroe had never been away, still sharp at the net, still arcing the serve away from the returners. Bjorkman was the best player on the court throughout the week and the pair marched all the way to the title. “I’d quite like to play some more,” McEnroe said.
John Newcombe and Tony Roche
Another iconic Aussie righty-lefty combination, Newcombe and Roche won Grand Slam titles as amateurs and then again as professionals when the Open era began in 1968. With Newcombe’s booming serve and Roche’s soft hands at the net, they were a formidable partnership, winning 12 Grand Slam titles together, including five at Wimbledon between 1965 and 1974.
