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Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Top player Andy Murray is the only men's player to have won two singles gold medals. But there are others as well who hold the notable distinction of winning medals in the Olympics.

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Payal Debnath
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Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Andy Murray has the most Olympic medals in Tennis history as he is the only man to win two Olympic singles golds at London 2012 and Rio 2016. Image- Rolling Stone

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While winning a Grand Slam is the dream of every tennis player, having an Olympic medal has its own significance. Every tennis player has a dream of making a mark in the Olympics. And what better way to do it than to win a medal. Top player Andy Murray is the only men's player to have won two singles gold medals. But there are others as well who hold the notable distinction of winning medals in the Olympics. Let's take a look at those players who have the most Olympic medals in Tennis history.

Also Read: The Era of the Big Four: Tracing the Dominance and Twilight of Tennis Titans

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

1. Andy Murray

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Andy Murray has the most Olympic medals in Tennis history as he is the only man to win two Olympic singles golds at London 2012 and Rio 2016. At the London Olympics in 2012, he beat Roger Federer in the final. Four years later in Rio, Brazil, he overcame Juan Martin del Potro to pick up his second gold medal. Murray is the only man in history to have won Olympic Gold and the US Open in the same calendar year, as well as the third man to hold the gold medal and two majors on different surfaces after Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal. Apart from that, Murray also won a silver medal in the mixed doubles, playing with Laura Robson in the 2012 London Games.

2. Stefan Edberg 

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Former Swedish tennis player Stefan Edberg holds the second position in the list of most Olympic medals in Tennis history.  At the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where tennis was a demonstration sport, Edberg won the men's singles gold medal. Four years later, at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, tennis became a full medal sport and Edberg won bronze medals in both the men's singles and the men's doubles. He won all the Grand Slams twice with the exception of the French Open,  in which he did make it to the final once in 1989. Edberg was one of the best players in the world during the late 80s and early 90s, winning 6 singles Grand Slams and spending a considerable amount of time ranked World No. 1. His rivalry with Boris Becker is one of the most memorable in tennis history, and the two contested 3 consecutive Wimbledon finals from 1988 to 1990.

3. Miloslav Mecir

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

When tennis was re-introduced in the Olympics at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Czech Republic's Miloslav Mecir beat top-seeded Swede Stefan Edberg in the semi-finals and then defeated second seeded American Tim Mayotte in the final to win the gold medal. However, Mecir never won a Grand Slam. His best performances was being runner-up performances at the 1986 US Open and the 1989 Australian Open. Many top players used to cite Mečíř as the one player they most enjoyed watching because of his beautifully simple style and touch. Mecir was known as the "Swede Killer" for the success that he had against Swedish players, especially Mats Wilander.

4. Marc Rosset

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Prior to the arrival of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, Marc Rosset was by far the best tennis player to have come out of Switzerland. During his career, Rosset won the Men’s Doubles title at the 1992 French Open partnering fellow countryman Jakob Hlasek and a few months later, created a major upset by winning the gold medal at the singles tournament of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics where he defeated top seed Jim Courier in the third round and fourth-seeded Goran Ivanisevic in the semi-finals before defeating Spaniard Jordi Arrese in a tough five-setter final. However, Rosset never laid his hands on a Grand Slam singles title. The closest Rosset ever came to winning a Grand Slam was during the 1996 French Open where he reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual runner-up Michael Stich in straight sets.

5. Andre Agassi

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Andre Agassi won his gold medal on home soil in his one appearance at the Olympics, in Atlanta 1996. Agassi is one of three tennis players in history to have completed the Golden Slam, winning all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic singles gold. The other two are Beijing 2008 men's champion Rafael Nadal, and Steffi Graf, Agassi's wife, who won all five titles in an unmatched 1988 season. Agassi was also the first man to win all four singles majors on three different surfaces (hard, clay, and grass). Apart from that, he is an eight-time major champion and runner-up in seven other majors.

Also Read: ATP Tour records: Most titles in tennis career (men's)

 

6. Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Russian former world No. 1 tennis player Yevgeny Kafelnikov won a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He outlasted Germany's Tommy Haas in five sets to win gold. Yevgeny won two Grand Slam singles titles; the 1996 French Open and the 1999 Australian Open. He also won four Grand Slam doubles titles, and is the most recent man to have won both the men's singles and doubles titles at the same Grand Slam tournament. 

7. Nicolas Massu

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Nicolas Massu made history during the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. This Chilean tennis player, ranked ninth in the world at his best, won the first gold medal for his country in doubles with Fernando Gonzalez, the first double gold medallist in tennis in the modern era. After that, he won gold in singles after defeating American Mardy Fish in the final. He came to that tournament with nobody expecting him to get even one medal, as he had never won a tournament on a hard court and he had never won a doubles tournament before.

8. Rafael Nadal

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

Rafael Nadal is often regarded as one of the most accomplished and celebrated professional tennis players in the sport's history. He won the gold medal in singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in the doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Nadal holds a place alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the famous "Big Three," who collectively dominated men's tennis for nearly two decades. He has 22 men's singles Grand Slam titles, which include 14 victories at the French Open, two Wimbledon titles, four US Open triumphs, and two Australian Open championships. His dominance at the French Open is particularly remarkable, earning him the nickname "The King of Clay". 

Also Read: Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam Finals in Men's Tennis

9. Alexander Zverev

Most Olympic medals in Tennis history

At Tokyo 2020, Alexander Zverev became the first man to win Olympic men's singles tennis gold for Germany.  He upset world number one Novak Djokovic, who had been on course for a 'Golden Slam', in the semi-finals before beating Karen Khachanov to become the first German men's singles Olympic champion in history, and the first to reach the podium since Tommy Haas won silver at Sydney 2000. Zverev has won 21 ATP Tour titles in singles and two in doubles, and contested a major final at the 2020 US Open.

Andy Murray Rafael Nadal Alexander Zverev Andre Agassi Olympic Medal Olympic