Best Left-Handed Players, Past and Present

Left-handed, can It be an advantage?

Being left-handed is a rarity, with only 10% of people born left-handed. Some of the best tennis players of all time are lefties, however, which begs the question: is it an advantage? We look at what has made the best left-handed tennis players of all-time stand out, and see whether their lefty-ness gives them an edge.

1. Rafael Nadal

The most iconic lefty in the sport is Rafael Nadal. He’s considered by some the greatest player of all time but even if that’s questionable, him being the King of Clay and one of the best-ever is certainly not in doubt.

What made him so devastating was his signature left-handed forehand which did impossible damage on clay and even beyond it. This was by far the most signature lefty forehand with its ruthless banana curl up the line, especially since Nadal plays with the left hand while actually being right-handed.

2. Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova is an iconic tennis player from the late 70s to early 90s. While her legacy might have taken a hit in recent times, at her peak, Navratilova was one of the best lefties in the game. She’s a Hall of Famer and one of the winningest players of all time, having won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 women’s doubles titles, and 10 mixed Grand Slam trophies.

She’s a lefty who was excellent on all surfaces, and is certainly remembered as one of the greatest players of all time.

3. John McEnroe

Another left-handed tennis player who was iconic for both his game and personality outside of tennis is John McEnroe. The American won many trophies but his impact on the sport is possibly even greater. A box office player who drew massive crowds wherever he played, McEnroe left a mark on tennis that very few could rival.

Even these days, decades removed from playing tennis, McEnroe remains a big voice in the sport and a person many former and current players respect.

4. Jimmy Connors

A name that is not often named among the legends of the sport is Jimmy Connors. He’s the player with the most trophies ever won at 109, ahead of players like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. That alone makes him utterly iconic as his record still stands and might just survive the Big Three era.

He was also a relentless competitor, boasting a strong left hand that did extensive damage on several surfaces.

5. Petra Kvitova

One of the active players on this list is Petra Kvitova, who is still kicking around though slowly approaching retirement. She’s been one of the more iconic tennis players in newer history and a lefty which powered her to two Wimbledon trophies in the past. She has also won over 30 trophies in her career.

6. Ben Shelton

Shelton is a rising star in the world of tennis and one of those who will carry the legacy of left-handed tennis players in the coming years. He’s proven himself to be capable of some special things, with a massive left-handed forehand at the heart of his game. Many have even compared him to the likes of Nadal with the way he hits the shot.

Time will tell how far he can go but for now, he’s one of the most prominent lefties in tennis.

7. Jack Draper

Another notable lefty in today’s sport is Jack Draper. The Brit recently proved at the US Open that great things are coming in the future, with the 22-year-old storming to the last four. His serve and forehand are two massive weapons that should carry him to success in the future.

Is being a lefty an advantage?

Conventional wisdom in tennis circles considers that being left-handed provides a unique advantage due to the natural spin and angles left-handed players can produce. These are less common and harder for opponents to anticipate.

The left-hander’s serve, especially when directed out wide, curves away from a right-hander’s backhand, which is generally weaker than their forehand. This often forces the opponent into a less comfortable return position, opening up the court for the lefty to dictate the rally or hit a winner on the next shot.

This is a shot that most lefty players have in their arsenal as it’s considered a very useful weapon.

Additionally, left-handed players benefit from the crosscourt forehand exchange, which targets a right-hander’s backhand. Lefties also make for awkward matchups because opponents are typically more used to facing right-handed players. This difference disrupts a right-hander’s rhythm, making it difficult to predict shot placement and spin.

Finally, left-handers tend to adjust well to the different ball trajectories, as their training incorporates these angles. This situational advantage, alongside the surprise factor they bring, contributes to the success of left-handed players in tennis, with players like Rafael Nadal showing how this advantage can be maximised effectively. 

Nadal famously was told to practice with his left hand precisely because at the highest level it would benefit him and it did.