Left-Handed Tennis Players (ATP & WTA List)

Left-handed tennis players have often had a unique advantage on the professional tour.

Because most players are right-handed, facing a left-handed opponent often requires adjusting return positions, rally patterns, and serve strategies.

Some of the greatest players in tennis history — including Rafael Nadal, Martina Navratilova, and John McEnroe — played left-handed.

Below you can see the top left-handed players on the ATP and WTA tours today.

Top Left-Handed ATP Players (Top 100 Rankings)

The following table shows left-handed tennis players currently ranked inside the ATP Top 100, along with their ranking and country.

As of the latest ATP rankings, 13 left-handed players are ranked inside the Top 100, representing roughly 13% of the top men’s professional tennis players.

Top Left-Handed WTA Players (Top 100 Rankings)

The following table lists left-handed players currently ranked inside the WTA Top 100, along with their ranking and country.

There are 12 left-handed players currently ranked inside the WTA Top 100, representing roughly 12% of the top women’s professional tennis players.

Famous Left-Handed Tennis Players in History

Down through the years, there have been a number of excellent tennis players who were left-handed that found great success on the men’s and women’s tours, with many winning multiple grand slam titles.

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal is widely regarded as the most successful left-handed player in the history of men’s tennis.

The Spanish star built his legendary career on a powerful left-handed forehand, incredible physical endurance, and unmatched dominance on clay courts.

Nadal won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record 14 French Open championships at Roland Garros, earning him the nickname “King of Clay.”

His heavy topspin forehand, especially when hit cross-court into a right-handed opponent’s backhand, became one of the most effective tactical weapons in modern tennis.

Over the course of his career, Nadal also spent over 200 weeks ranked world No. 1 and won 92 ATP titles, cementing his place as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

John McEnroe

John McEnroe may be more famous for his angry outbursts on the court, but he had a hugely successful playing career with 16 grand slam titles (7 in singles and 9 in doubles), and helped the US win 5 Davis Cup titles.

Jimmy Connors

Jimmy Connors was another successful American leftie who had an amazing career on the ATP tour that stretched from the early 1970s until his retirement from the game in 1996 at the age of 43.

In total, he won eight major titles over the course of his career including five US Opens, two Wimbledon championships, and one Australian Open.

Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Martina Navratilova currently holds the record for most major titles won by a single player at 59 major titles including 18 singles titles, 31 women’s doubles titles, and 10 mixed doubles titles.

Rod Laver

Rod Laver is one of the greatest players in tennis history and the only player to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam twice (1962 and 1969).

The Australian left-hander won 11 major singles titles and was known for his powerful serve and all-court game.

Why Left-Handed Tennis Players Have an Advantage

Left-handed tennis players often have a small but noticeable advantage on the court because most opponents are right-handed.

Since only around 10–12% of people are left-handed, many players grow up practicing primarily against right-handed opponents.

As a result, facing a left-handed player can require tactical adjustments that opponents are less familiar with.

One of the biggest advantages comes from serve angles, as a left-handed player can naturally generate slice serves that move wide on the ad court, pulling a right-handed opponent off the court and opening up space for the next shot.

This pattern has been used very effectively by players such as Rafael Nadal and John McEnroe throughout their careers.

Left-handed players also benefit from different rally patterns.

For example, a left-handed forehand cross-court typically goes into a right-handed opponent’s backhand, which is often the weaker wing for many players.

This creates natural tactical pressure during baseline exchanges.

Finally, because left-handed opponents are relatively rare on the professional tour, many players simply have less experience playing against them.

The unusual spin, serve direction, and shot patterns can disrupt timing and strategy, giving left-handed players an additional competitive edge.

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