Tennis
Best Left-Handed Tennis Player Ever: Nadal, Laver, McEnroe
Tennis never misses an opportunity to idolise its legends. While left-handers are perceived as oddities, they hold a unique advantage over their right-handed counterparts. Whether it be creating new angles on the court with their groundstrokes or being tactically more astute by imparting slice on their serve to the ad side, lefties have become a prominent feature. But who is the best left-handed tennis player ever? Our guide focuses on four southpaw titans that left the biggest mark on the sport — Rafael Nadal, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, and Rod Laver. In many respects, they were the benchmark for other aspiring players in their eras.
Rafael Nadal of Spain/Getty Images
SportsBoom has weighed in on the tennis GOAT debate on lefties. We have waded through the records and used our tried and trusted methodology to provide an unequivocal answer to this burning question.
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the Greatest Left-Handed Players
Our evaluation of the top left-handed tennis legends was scrupulous. We amalgamated a statistical analysis of their Grand Slam final performances with expert and media perception to provide a comprehensive ranking. This heralded the ‘SB Market Index’, a robust, custom-built system where the results were standardised, ensuring they weren’t misinterpreted.
Industry Insights
A curated analysis from the top 10 tennis and sports media sources measures how prominently each player is featured in discussions surrounding the greatest lefty men’s tennis players of all time.
| Source Name | Jimmy Connors | John McEnroe | Rafael Nadal | Rod Laver |
| ATP Tour – “The Best 5 Southpaws in History” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tennis.com – “The 10 Greatest Left-Handers of the Open Era” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wikipedia – Notable left-handed tennis players | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bleacher Report – “Power Ranking the 10 Best Lefties” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tennishead – “Who is the greatest male leftie of all time?” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Last Word on Sports – “Top 5 Left-Handed Men’s Players” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| UbiTennis – Discussion on Left-handed GOATs | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| EssentiallySports – Ranking the Best Left-Handers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| New York Times – Historical Player Profiles | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Reddit r/tennis – Fan Polls on “Best Lefty” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Mentions | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
SB Score
| Player | Grand Slam Finals (W-L) | Total Titles | Finals Win % | SB Score |
| Rafael Nadal | 30 (22-8) | 22 | 73.3% | 1.000 |
| Rod Laver | 17 (11-6) | 11 | 64.7% | 0.697 |
| John McEnroe | 11 (7-4) | 11 | 63.6% | 0.534 |
| Jimmy Connors | 15 (8-7) | 8 | 53.3% | 0.518 |
This score is calculated based on three key Grand Slam final metrics: Total Titles Won (50% weightage), Finals Win percentage (30% weightage), and Total Finals Reached (20% weightage). The raw stats are used to calculate the final ‘SB Score’.
SB Market Index
| Rank | Player | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | Rafael Nadal | 1.000 | 10 | 8.200 |
| 2 | John McEnroe | 0.534 | 10 | 8.107 |
| 3 | Rod Laver | 0.697 | 9 | 7.339 |
| 4 | Jimmy Connors | 0.518 | 8 | 6.504 |
Rafael Nadal: The Undisputed King of the Southpaws
Rafael Nadal’s Grand Slam record was sublime. He wound up with 22 titles, and he was one of the undisputed kings of clay, trousering 14 French Open crowns.
A ferocious competitor, Nadal’s never-say-die attitude helped him stage one of the greatest comebacks in Grand Slam Finals, and his venomous topspin forehand was generated from his tremendous racquet head speed.
The Spaniard, who only retired from tennis last year, possessed incredible athleticism. He soared to the top of our rankings courtesy of his amazing ‘SB Score’ for most Grand Slam titles as a left-handed player and win percentage, as well as delivering a perfect ‘Industry Insights’ mark.
The Legends of the Open Era: McEnroe and Connors
A trailblazer of the 1970s, John McEnroe was one of the best American tennis players of all time. Despite the histrionics he often displayed on court, McEnroe was one of the naturally talented players at the time. He had many weapons in his attacking arsenal that made him one of the kings of grass, including excellent hands for volleying. He tied the lead for ‘Industry Insights’, underlying the way he captured the attention of the media.
However, he arguably met his match in Jimmy Connors, who was equally fiery and controversial. While McEnroe vs Borg is often viewed as one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history, Connors was unapologetic in his approach. His immense competitive drive combined with his pounding, flat groundstrokes, made him an excellent counter-puncher, securing him more ATP Tour titles than any other player.
The McEnroe vs Connors lefty GOAT debate continues to invigorate strong feelings. While Connors’ Grand Slam finals record wasn’t as impressive as that of McEnroe, he still created an enduring legacy as judged by his ‘Industry Insight’ rating.
The Historical Titan: Rod Laver
The only player to achieve the hallowed record of winning the Grand Slam twice, Rod Laver’s career spanned the amateur and Open eras, placing him in a unique bracket.
Known as ‘the Rocket’, Laver was renowned for his attacking instincts, and he paved the way for the future generation. His high ranking across both the ‘SB Score’ and ‘Industry Insights’ reflected the immeasurable impact he had on the game.
Conclusion on the Greatest Left-Handed Player
In summary, while it is a fun exercise pitting Rafael Nadal vs Rod Laver or Jimmy Connors vs John McEnroe against each other, our comprehensive model showed Nadal was the ultimate warrior. His excellent ‘SB Score’ and ‘Industry Insights’ served to confirm his status as the greatest left-handed player.
However, while McEnroe, Connors, and Laver were behind Nadal in the rankings, they shouldn’t be overlooked in the GOAT debate. They all brought their unique styles to the game, and their exploits mean they will continue to be remembered for years to come.
Charles Perrin is a highly experienced sports betting content writer with over six years of working with some of the leading sportsbooks in the UK, including bet365 and William Hill.