The 10 Greatest French Tennis Players of All Time
Top 10 Greatest French Tennis Players - Classic Legends and Modern Icons
France’s tennis history stretches from the elegance of Suzanne Lenglen and the Four Musketeers to the modern power and flair of Caroline Garcia.
The country has produced pioneers, crowd-pleasers and champions who changed the face of the sport. But who are the greatest French tennis players of all time? The Sporting Blog tells all…
Gaël Monfils was known for his speed, improvisation and serve. Image credits: Centro Reservas
Our list of the greatest French tennis players gathers together five men and five women whose achievements hold up in any era. Each mini bio highlights career-defining moments and the numbers that matter most, such as major titles, finals and total tour trophies.
We’ve used the latest data, including Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) databases, Grand Slam archives, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Our aim isn’t nostalgia, but a clear snapshot of the best in French tennis, including icons on clay, grass and hard courts. Why do these names still anchor conversations about excellence, style and enduring influence across generations?
The Top Male Tennis Players in France
1. René Lacoste
He won seven major singles titles
He helped to launch France’s Davis Cup golden era
He won Wimbledon in 1925 and 1928
Cool under pressure and meticulous in preparation, René Lacoste was the tactician of the Four Musketeers, a name given to the top French tennis competitors of the 1920s and 1930s.
He won seven major singles titles: the French Championships in 1925, 1927, and 1929; Wimbledon in 1925 and 1928; and the US Championships in 1926 and 1927.
He also helped launch France’s Davis Cup golden era and later became an equipment innovator and global sports brand founder. For pre-Open era greatness and enduring influence, Lacoste’s résumé is peerless among French men.
2. Yannick Noah
He is the last Frenchman to win a Roland-Garros singles title
He achieved 23 career tour titles in singles
He reached a career-high of world No. 3
The charismatic heartbeat of French tennis in the 1980s, Noah remains the last Frenchman to win a Roland-Garros singles title (1983). He captured 23 career tour titles in ATP singles.
Noah’s ATP profile confirms his 23 titles and career-high No. 3 ranking, while his Hall of Fame page details a sustained top-10 presence.
Noah’s blend of athleticism, serve-and-volley craft and cultural impact made him a national icon.
3. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
He won 18 career singles titles
He reached the Australian Open final in 2008
He reached a career-high of world No. 5
Few matched Tsonga’s swagger and power! The ATP confirms 18 career singles titles, including two Masters 1000s and a peak of world No. 5.
From the best female tennis players to the top tennis players in Argentina, check out our tennis blog for more!
He reached the Australian Open final in 2008, falling to Novak Djokovic (2008). Explosive serves, forehands and fearless net rushes made him a danger on every surface.
4. Gaël Monfils
He has achieved 13 ATP singles titles
He is the oldest ATP Tour champion at 38 years old
He is known for his speed, improvisation and serve
Monfils pairs elastic defence with highlight-reel offence. According to ATP, he has 13 ATP singles titles and, at 38 years and four months, he became the oldest ATP Tour champion by winning Auckland 2025.
Two major semifinals and multiple week-in, week-out deep runs show staying power behind his showmanship. Monfils’s speed, improvisation and improved serve extended his prime across surfaces.
Monfils’s trophy count validates consistency; the Auckland record underscores longevity rarely seen among pure athletes of his style.
5. Henri Leconte
He won nine ATP singles titles
He was the singles runner-up at Roland-Garros in 1988
He is known for his singles and doubles success
Left-handed flair and touch defined Leconte, who owns nine ATP singles titles and was the Roland-Garros singles runner-up in 1988.
ATP’s bio recounts his Paris run and doubles success. When healthy, Leconte could dismantle opponents with incredible feel and variety.
The Top Female French Tennis Players
6. Suzanne Lenglen
She is known for her elegant movement and attack
She achieved 21 major titles in singles and doubles
She dominated at Wimbledon and the French Championships
The game’s first global superstar, Lenglen dominated the 1920s with balletic movement and attacking instincts.
She amassed 21 major titles across singles and doubles — an era-defining haul documented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame — while Wimbledon’s own history canonises her status as “La Divine”.
Lenglen professionalised training, popularised modern footwork, and turned women’s tennis into a marquee spectacle. Her singles dominance at Wimbledon and the French Championships laid the cultural foundation for France’s enduring love affair with the sport.
7. Amélie Mauresmo
She won 25 WTA singles titles and two majors
She won Wimbledon in 2006
She became a coach after her retirement
A complete all-court player with variety and steel, Mauresmo won 25 WTA singles titles and two majors: the Australian Open 2006 and Wimbledon 2006.
Her slice backhand, forehand changes of pace and net instincts translated across surfaces. Alongside her 2006 success, she also achieved year-end No. 1 form and multiple season titles.
After retirement, Mauresmo coached at the highest level and became tournament director at Roland-Garros. This demonstrates an influence that extends beyond the court. Her legacy in French tennis is both athletic and institutional.
8. Mary Pierce
She won two major singles titles - the Australian Open and Roland-Garros
She finished her career with 18 WTA singles titles
She reached multiple Grand Slam finals
Pierce fused first-strike power with fearless baseline geometry. According to the WTA, she won two major singles titles — the Australian Open 1995 and Roland-Garros 2000. She finished with 18 WTA singles titles.
Her 2000 Paris run, where she also lifted the women’s doubles trophy, remains a touchstone for French fans. Multiple Slam finals and consistent Tier I/Premier success reflect a career that went well beyond teenage promise, with the Paris crown validating her as a true home-soil champion.
9. Marion Bartoli
She won eight WTA singles titles
She reached multiple Premier finals
She is remembered for her craft and courage
Built on ingenuity and grit, Bartoli’s two-handed strokes on both sides and meticulous preparation culminated in Wimbledon 2013 singles. She was France’s modern zenith on grass!
Bartoli retired with eight WTA singles titles, plus multiple Premier finals, all earned with relentless return pressure and clever patterns.
Her Centre Court triumph, delivered without dropping a set in the final, sealed a story of persistence over flash. Bartoli’s legacy is proof that craft, courage and preparation can conquer even the sport’s most storied stage.
10. Caroline Garcia
She has multiple Grand Slam doubles titles
She has 11 WTA singles titles
She has achieved wins at Roland-Garros and the US Open
A modern standard-bearer for aggressive French tennis, Garcia is a WTA Finals singles champion (2022) and a multiple Grand Slam doubles champion, with marquee wins at Roland-Garros and the US Open in women’s doubles.
Her first-serve pop and forehand strike create quick-point pressure on faster courts, while improved movement boosts results on clay.
With 11 WTA singles titles and a proven record in big-arena night sessions, Garcia bridges France’s historic shot-making flair with today’s power-based, first-strike realities on tour.
The Greatest French Tennis Players of All Time - Key Takeaways
French tennis spans every style and storyline. Together, these 10 players shaped how France plays and watches tennis, creating memories that stretch from the pre-Open era to today’s tour.
If you’re tracing the sport’s heritage in France, start with these names. Their results and legacies still set the standard!
