Australia's top-ranked tennis stars since 1990: The 'golden era' that inspired a generation of Aussie stars
Australia's top-ranked tennis players since 1990
Despite its small population, Australia has always punched above its weight in sport.
Tennis is no different.
Since 1990, Australia has had three world No.1s and a raft of others have cracked the top-10 – Alex De Minaur the most recent.
So who are the others that have cracked the top-40? Can you name all of them?
Wide World of Sports has the list.
39. Alexei Popyrin
Sydney's Alexei Popyrin achieved his career-high ranking of 39 towards the end of the 2023 season, marking a career-best year.
The rangy right-hander with a booming serve and big forehand has long been thought to have the potential to be a top 20 player. At the age of 24, he is approaching the prime years of his career.
39. Marinko Matosevic
A cult figure at his home grand slam during the 2010s, big Marinko had a power game capable of putting fear into the sport's very elite.
He reached a career high of 39 in February 2013 and defeated the likes of Milos Raonic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on his best days.
39. Matt Ebden
The South African born Perth based star reached a career high of No.4 in the world in doubles and in October 2018 peaked at 39 in singles.
Despite this relatively lofty ranking, Ebden only reached the third round of a grand slam on one occasion, at Wimbledon in 2018.
38. Liz Smylie
A shining light of Australian tennis, Smylie went pro in the early 80s and her singles career peaked at world No.20.
By the 90s she was past her best but was still a top 50 player in singles, holding a best ranking of 38, and one of the world's best doubles players.
She won two mixed doubles slams in the 90s, one at Wimbledon and the other at the US Open, and was also a doubles finalist at the Australian Open in 1993.
38. Andrew Ilie
A cult figure on the circuit during the late 90s and early 2000s, Ilie was box office on the outside courts of Melbourne Park, making a name for himself for his audacious and powerful groundstrokes and his shirt-ripping celebration.
The bandana-wearing, sometimes combustible figure twice won through to the fourth round of the Australian Open and three times progressed to the third round of the French Open. He achieved his top ranking of 38 in May 2000.
35. Nicole Pratt
Tenacious and pint sized, Pratt punched well above her weight for much of her career, achieving some excellent results from the late 90s to the mid 2000s.
A career highlight was her run to the fourth round at the 2003 Australian Open and her rankings peak was 35 in the world.
34. Anne Minter
After turning pro in 1981, Victorian Anne Minter spent over a decade mixing it with the best in the world, peaking at world No.23 in 1988.
She still had plenty of good tennis in her by the 90s, peaking in that decade with a run to the fourth round of Wimbledon in 1991. She held a highest ranking in the 90s of 34.
33. John Millman
Never considered the most talented player on the tour, Millman made his reputation for being super fit and wearing opponents down with a crafty baseline game that scored him some massive wins on the big stages.
His career highlight was undoubtedly a surprise quarter-final appearance at the 2018 US Open, beating Roger Federer in an incredible fourth round boilover that rocketed him up the rankings. His peak was 33 a couple of months later.
32. Darren Cahill
Better known these days as one of the world's best coaches, Cahill also had a good career as a player, peaking at No.22 in the world back in 1989 before starting a slow slide in the 90s.
His peak ranking in the 90s was 32.
