Tennis
Who is the Best Olympic Tennis Player? A Data-Driven Ranking
Although not necessarily a part of the Grand Slam circuit, tennis at the Olympics still holds a special place on the calendar. It really is a chance for players to adorn their national colours and compete for a chance to secure a medal saturated with prestige. A gold medal will always be a career-defining achievement, but who is the best Olympic tennis player of all time?
Sir Andy Murray opening the court in his name at The Queen's Club
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the Greatest Olympic Tennis Players
We combine two major data points to establish this question. Firstly, the SB Score – a statistical measure of Olympic medal hauls weighted by value:
- Gold (50%)
- Silver (30%)
- Bronze (20%)
And second, Industry Insights – analysis from 10 top tennis and sports media sources, measuring how frequently each player is mentioned in discussions of Olympic tennis legends.
Industry Insights
| Source | Reginald Doherty | Vincent Richards | Andy Murray | Laurence Doherty | Charles Winslow | Nicolás Massú | Rafael Nadal |
| Olympics Official Site – “Most Decorated Tennis Players” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| ATP Tour News – “Murray’s Unique Olympic Feat” | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tennis.com – “Ranking the Best Olympic Moments” | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Wikipedia – “Tennis at the Summer Olympics” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bleacher Report – “Ranking Modern Olympic Tennis Greats” | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Last Word on Sports – “The Olympic Tennis GOATs” | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| UbiTennis – “Nadal’s Golden Slam” | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tennishead – “Andy Murray: Britain’s Olympic Hero” | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reddit r/tennis – “Best Olympic Player” Poll | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| EssentiallySports – “Comparing Olympic Legacies” | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Mentions | 3 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
SB Score
| Player | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total Medals | SB Score |
| Reginald Doherty | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1.000 |
| Vincent Richards | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.813 |
| Andy Murray | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.813 |
| Laurence Doherty | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.688 |
| Charles Winslow | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.688 |
| Nicolás Massú | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.625 |
| Rafael Nadal | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.625 |
SB Market Index
| Rank | Player | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | Andy Murray | 0.813 | 10 | 8.163 |
| 2 | Rafael Nadal | 0.625 | 8 | 6.525 |
| 3 | Nicolás Massú | 0.625 | 6 | 4.925 |
| 4 | Reginald Doherty | 1.000 | 3 | 2.600 |
| 5 | Laurence Doherty | 0.688 | 3 | 2.538 |
| 6 | Vincent Richards | 0.813 | 2 | 1.763 |
| 7 | Charles Winslow | 0.688 | 2 | 1.738 |
Andy Murray: The Modern Olympic King
Andy Murray is a player with arguably among the strongest Olympic legacies in history. He sits at the summit of our SB Market Index with an almost perfect combination of medals and industry recognition.
He has two Olympic gold medals for singles tennis as well as a silver medal for mixed doubles. He is the only player to ever win a back-to-back men’s singles gold medal. Does this cement his legacy as the greatest?
The Global Icons: Rafale Nadal and Nicolas Massu
Rafa Nadal is another player with an incredible Olympic history. His singles gold medal in 2008 was consolidated by a doubles gold in 2016. These achievements allowed him to secure a career gold slam; an achievement shared only with a select few players throughout tennis history.
For Nicolas Massu, his two gold medals in 2004 (singles and doubles) came as a complete surprise and essentially solidified his position as a national treasure in Chile. He is the only player to ever achieve this – does that justify a claim for the greatest?
The Historical Pioneers: The Doherty Brothers
Before the dawn of the open era, the Doherty brothers (Reginald and Laurence Doherty) were dominant figures in the sport. Between them, they have five gold medals and two bronze medals.
Granted, a lot of their success came in the early 1900s, the advent as it were of tennis at the Olympics, but their achievements remain significant for the environment we now enjoy today. Reginald dominates the SB Scores of all players on the circuit. Nevertheless, our SB Market Index seems to prefer the modern players, placing the Doherty’s behind the likes of Nadal, Murray and Massu.
Conclusion on Olympic Tennis Greatness
Olympic history is filled with legends and various moments of domination. However, what is key is ensuring you marry the modern impact with historical legacy and statistical achievement. Through all of this, Andy Murray comes through as the best Olympic tennis player.
Murray’s record alongside the recognition he receives secures his place as our overall Olympic tennis champion.
Ryan Liberty is an experienced sports writer whose articles have featured in some of the biggest sports publications in South Africa. With a strong understanding of all major sports and an in-depth understanding of betting, Ryan consistently delivers insightful content. He's also known for his ability to break down complex topics into engaging, reader-friendly pieces.