GRAND SLAM

In tennis, the term Grand Slam refers to the accomplishment of winning all four major championships-the championships of Australia, France, Britain (Wimbledon), and the United States-in the same calendar season. The feat has been achieved six times (by five different players). Grand Slam is commonly misused to describe any one of the four major tournaments.

In 1938, Don Budge became the first tennis player to win the four major championships in one year and, thus, capture the Grand Slam. According to Bud Collins' Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia, "The closest anyone had come to a sweep had occurred five years earlier, when Australian Jack Crawford won the first three and faced Fred Perry in the final of the U.S. Championships. It was on the eve of the match that the big four were christened with the term Grand Slam. 'If Crawford beats Perry today,' wrote John Kieran of The New York Times, a keen bridge player, 'it would be something like scoring a Grand Slam on the courts, doubled and vulnerable.' As it turned out, Crawford, fatigued after almost five months on the road, came within one set of achieving the first Grand Slam before falling to Perry."

Since Budge, four other singles players have accomplished the Grand Slam. Maureen Connolly of San Diego became the second-ever-and first woman-in 1953, and Australian Rod Laver followed in 1962 as an amateur and again in 1969 when the Slams first became open to all competitors. In 1970, Margaret Smith Court made the second female Slam, and Steffi Graf became the fifth player to claim a Grand Slam in 1988. Graf's accomplishment is sometimes referred to as the "Golden Slam" since she also won the gold medal in women's singles at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

In doubles, the Grand Slam was first achieved by Australians Frank Sedgman and Ken McGregor in 1951; by Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver of the United States in 1984; and in mixed doubles by Australians Margaret Smith (Court) and Ken Fletcher in 1963. Maria Bueno (1960), Owen Davidson (1967) and Martina Hingis (1988) each won a personal Slam in doubles with two partners.

Australian Lew Hoad is the only other singles player besides Jack Crawford to have had the opportunity to win the Grand Slam at the US Open and fail to do so. In 1956, after winning the Australian, French and Wimbledon championships, Hoad entered the U.S. National Championships, but lost to Ken Rosewall, the No. 2 seed, in the final, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.

GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONS

Singles
1938   Don Budge, United States
1953   Maureen Connolly, United States
1962   Rod Laver, Australia
1969   Rod Laver, Australia
1970   Margaret Smith Court, Australia
1988   Steffi Graf, Germany

Doubles
1951   Frank Sedgman and Ken McGregor, Australia
1984   Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver, United States
1960   Maria Bueno (with two partners), Brazil
1998   Martina Hingis (with two partners), Switzerland

Mixed Doubles
1963   Margaret Smith and Ken Fletcher, Australia
1967   Owen Davidson, Australia (with two partners)

CAREER GRAND SLAM

The term "Career Grand Slam" has been used to refer to the accomplishment of winning each of the four major championships during a player's career. Below is the list of five men and nine women who have achieved the "Career Grand Slam" and the last major they won to complete the set.

Men's Singles (5)
Fred Perry, England (1935 French Championships)
Don Budge, United States (1938 French Championships)
Rod Laver, Australia (1962 U.S. Championships)
Roy Emerson, Australia (1964 Wimbledon)
Andre Agassi, United States (1999 French Open)
Roger Federer, Switzerland (2009 French Open)

Women's Singles (9)
Maureen Connolly Brinker, United States (1953 French Championships)
Doris Hart, United States (1954 U.S. Championships)
Shirley Fry Irvin, United States (1957 Australian Championships)
Margaret Smith Court, Australia (1963 Wimbledon)
Billie Jean King, United States (1972 French Open)
Chris Evert, United States (1982 Australian Open)
Martina Navratilova, United States (1983 US Open)
Steffi Graf, Germany (1988 US Open)
Serena Williams, United States (2003 Australian Open)

THREE-QUARTER SLAMS

While there have been only two occasions where a player attempted to capture the Grand Slam at the US Open and failed, several players won the US Open to claim three of the four major championships in the same calendar year. Below is a list of times when a player won three Grand Slam events in a season:

Men's Singles (10 times by 9 men)
1933   Jack Crawford, Australia (Australian, French, Wimbledon)
1934   Fred Perry, England (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1955   Tony Trabert, United States (French, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1956   Lew Hoad, Australia (Australian, French, Wimbledon)
1958   Ashley Cooper, Australia (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1964   Roy Emerson, Australia (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1974   Jimmy Connors, United States (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1988   Mats Wilander, Sweden (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
2004   Roger Federer, Switzerland (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
2006   Roger Federer, Switzerland (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
2007   Roger Federer, Switzerland (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)

Women's Singles (16 times by 8 women)
1928   Helen Wills Moody, United States (French, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1962   Margaret Smith, Australia (Australian, French, U.S.)
1965   Margaret Smith, Australia (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1969   Margaret Smith Court, Australia (Australian, French, U.S.)
1972   Billie Jean King, United States (French, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1973   Margaret Smith Court, Australia (Australian, French, U.S.)
1983   Martina Navratilova, United States (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1984   Martina Navratilova, United States (French, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1989   Steffi Graf, Germany (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1991   Monica Seles, Yugoslavia (Australian, French, U.S.)
1992   Monica Seles, Yugoslavia (Australian, French, U.S.)
1993   Steffi Graf, Germany (French, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1995   Steffi Graf, Germany (French, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1996   Steffi Graf, Germany (French, Wimbledon, U.S.)
1997   Martina Hingis, Switzerland (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.)
2002   Serena Williams, United States (French, Wimbledon, U.S.)