Grand slam tournaments
The four Grand Slam tournaments are also known under the name of Majors. All in all, there are four tournaments that are considered to take the premier place in the world of tennis.
You can bet on any of these tournaments. Check out top bookies reviews via a betting service to choose the most proper one for you.
The Majors offer the most ranking points and the most luring prize pool.
Besides that, the Grand Slam tournaments are held on the best and biggest fields and attract thousands of tennis fans from all over the world.
Not only that, but Grand Slam betting is also extremely popular among tennis fans who like a thrill.
The tournaments are held separately, each in its time. First, there is the Australian Open in January; it is followed by the French Open in May/June, then comes Wimbledon in June/July, and last but not least is the US Open in August/September.
Each of the tournaments lasts for two weeks and is played on a specific surface: the US and Australian Tournaments are held on hard courts, Wimbledon on grass, and the French on clay.
Wimbledon is the oldest and most prestigious of the Majors, it is followed by the US Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open.
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Historical review
The name of the tournament originates from a family card game, where the “grand slam” means winning all of the tricks.
The possibility of being an absolute champion of all the Majors appeared approximately in 1924-1925 when the members of the International Lawn Tennis Federation claimed that the Australian, French, British, and American tournaments are the four Majors.
Before it finally happened, there were only three events of utmost importance in the world of tennis: the World Covered Court Championships, the World Hard Court Championships, and Wimbledon.
It is worth noting that from 1940 to 1945 the four Majors were interrupted because of the Second World War.
The first Grand Slam of all the four Majors was accomplished by Don Budge, who managed to win all the four men’s singles in 1938.
Further, by the year 2011, only 14 players have completed the Grand Slam. Rod Laver and Margaret Court are among them.
Chronological list of completed Grand Slams
#1
Year
Player
Discipline
Notes
1
1938
Don Budge
Men’s singles
Part of a total of 6 consecutive titles
2
1951
Ken McGregor & Frank Sedgman
Men’s doubles
3
1953
Maureen Connolly Brinker
Women’s singles
Part of a total of 6 consecutive titles
4
1960
Maria Bueno
Women’s doubles
With Christine Truman Janes and Darlene Hard
5
1962
Rod Laver
Men’s singles
6
1963
Margaret Court & Ken Fletcher
Mixed doubles
Part of consecutive titles (Margaret Court 7, Ken Fletcher 6)
7
1965
Margaret Court
Mixed doubles
With Roy Emerson, Ken Fletcher and Fred Stolle – part of 5 consecutive titles
8
1967
Owen Davidson
Mixed doubles
With Lesley Turner Bowrey and Billie Jean King
9
1969
Rod Laver
Men’s singles
Only player to complete the singles’ Grand Slam twice
10
1970
Margaret Court
Women’s singles
Six consecutive titles
11
1983
Stefan Edberg (in junior tennis)
Boys’ singles
Only Junior to complete a Grand Slam
12
1984
Martina Navratilova & Pam Shriver
Women’s doubles
Eight consecutive titles
13
1984
Steffi Graf
Women’s singles
Five consecutive titles
14
1998
Martina Hingis
Women’s doubles
With Mirjana Lučić and Jana Novotná
15
2009
Esther Vergeer & Korie Homan
Women’s wheelchair doubles
Part of 14 consecutive titles for Vergeer with Jiske Griffioen and Maaike Smit
16
2011
Esther Vergeer & Sharon Walraven
Women’s wheelchair doubles
Part of consecutive titles (Vergeer 8, Walraven 7)