Ireland may not yet have a Grand Slam champion in the modern era, but a new generation of Irish players is making steady progress on the ATP and WTA Tours.
In this article, we look at the top Irish tennis players in 2026, including Michael Agwi and Celine Simunyu, as well as Irish-born Grand Slam champions from the sport’s early years such as Joshua Pim and Mabel Cahill.
Michael Agwi is currently the number 1 male Irish tennis player on the men’s tennis tour with an ATP ranking of 757 in the world.
Michael Agwi is one of six Irish players who have an official ATP ranking, with the other being Peter Buldorini (993), Conor Gannon (1001), Ammar Elamin (1428T), Freddy Murray (1894), and Cian Maguire (2223T).
On the WTA Tour, Celine Simunyu is the number 1 Irish player playing on the WTA Tour with a world doubles ranking of 1433.
As at June 2026, Celine Simunyu was the only Irish female player with a ranking in singles or doubles on the WTA Tour.
| 🇮🇪 Top Irish Players (June 2026) | ATP Rank | WTA Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Agwi | 757 (Singles) | – |
| Celine Simunyu | – | 1,433 (Doubles) |
Rankings shown are tour rankings checked in June 2026 and may change weekly.
The main Tennis Ireland Rankings as well as the ranking for Irish Juniors and Seniors are available to view on the Tennis Ireland Tournament Software website.
Irish Grand Slam Winners – Men’s Singles
To date, Willoughby Hamilton (1890 Wimbledon), James Cecil Parke (1912 Australian Open), and Joshua Pim (1893 and 1894 Wimbledon) are the only Irish-born tennis players who have claimed a grand slam title in men’s singles.
| Year | Player | Grand Slam | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | Willoughby Hamilton | Wimbledon | William Renshaw (GBR) | 6–8, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1893 | Joshua Pim | Wimbledon | Wilfred Baddeley | 3–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1894 | Joshua Pim | Wimbledon | Wilfred Baddeley | 10–8, 6–2, 8–6 |
| 1912 | James Cecil Parke | Australian Open | Alfred Beamish (GBR) | 3–6, 6–3, 1–6, 6–1, 7–5 |
Irish Grand Slam Winners – Women’s Singles
Lena Rice was the first Irish-born woman to win a grand slam title when she claimed the title at the 1890 Wimbledon.
A year later Mabel Cahill would win the first of her two US Open singles titles.
Mabel Cahill would later be included in the International Tennis Hall of Fame and to this day is the only player in the Hall of Fame who was born in Ireland.
| Year | Player | Grand Slam | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | Lena Rice | Wimbledon | Blanche Bingley Hillyard (GBR) | Walkover |
| 1891 | Mabel Cahill | US Open | Ellen Roosevelt | 6–4, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3 |
| 1892 | Mabel Cahill | US Open | Elisabeth Moore | 5–7, 6–3, 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 |
Irish Players at Wimbledon
Irish born players had great success in the early days of Wimbledon, with Willoughby Hamilton (1890), Joshua Pim (1893 and 1894), and Lena Rice (1890) all winning the Wimbledon singles titles.
In the open era, there has been less success, with Conor Niland (2011) being the last player from Ireland to make it to the main draw of the singles, where he lost in five sets to Adrian Mannarino in the first round (6-4, 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 4-6).
If Conor had defeated Mannarino, he would have faced Roger Federer in the second round but unfortunately, it was not to be.
Future of Irish Tennis
While Ireland continues to develop its tennis infrastructure, the current crop of players such as Michael Agwi and Celine Simunyu are showing that the next generation of Irish talent has plenty of promise.
With increased support from Tennis Ireland and more international exposure, the future of Irish tennis looks bright.
FAQ
Who is the highest-ranked Irish male tennis player?
Michael Agwi is currently the highest-ranked Irish male tennis player on the ATP Tour.
Who is the highest-ranked Irish female tennis player?
Celine Simunyu is currently the leading Irish female player listed on the WTA Tour.
Has an Irish tennis player ever won Wimbledon?
Yes. Irish-born players Willoughby Hamilton, Joshua Pim and Lena Rice all won Wimbledon singles titles in the 1890s.
Has Ireland ever had a Grand Slam tennis champion?
Yes. Irish-born Grand Slam singles champions include Willoughby Hamilton, Joshua Pim, James Cecil Parke, Lena Rice and Mabel Cahill.
Who was the last Irish player to play singles at Wimbledon?
Conor Niland played in the Wimbledon men’s singles main draw in 2011, where he lost to Adrian Mannarino in five sets (4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4). If Niland had won the match, he would have played Roger Federer in the second round.