Spanish tennis has a long history, and especially in modern times, it has been one of the best nations at producing great tennis players. While that success was spearheaded by Rafael Nadal, one of the best in history, there are plenty more flying the Spanish flag on court. Here’s a look at the 10 best Spanish tennis players right now.
1. Carlos Alcaraz (No 2)
This player needs no introduction, as Carlos Alcaraz is possibly the most well-known name in tennis right now. The Spaniard is barely removed from his teenage years, yet he’s already one of the best players in the world, currently ranked number two.
He was number one at one point and is already a four-time Grand Slam winner despite being only 21. Many more successes will come in the future for the Spaniard, who has been touted as the natural successor to Rafael Nadal—though there are many differences between them.
It’s mostly their style of play, but both embody the spirit of Spanish tennis exceptionally well, as they are both fierce competitors who never give up. Alcaraz continues to shine, particularly on clay, where he recently won yet another trophy in Monte-Carlo to add to his ever-growing tally.
Read more about Alcaraz racquet and profile.
2. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No 30)
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina might be the most interesting character on this list. He is not only a solid tennis player but also has a big heart and is a known animal lover, taking care of many, and is deeply committed to helping shelters around Spain.
As for his tennis career, it hasn’t yet yielded a trophy, though he has reached a couple of finals and he’s still one of the best Spanish tennis players. Davidovich Fokina is a volatile player, holding a career-high ranking of 21, achieved in 2023, and he’s slowly working his way back to that level.
His performance fluctuates because he isn’t always consistent, but there is a lot of talent there, and he has the potential to be as strong as a top 10 player if things click for him. For now, he holds the reins as Spain’s number two, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon, given who is ahead of him.
3. Pedro Martinez (No 49)
Pedro Martínez is another player who has seen it all. He has experienced both ups and downs in the rankings, peaking at number 36 earlier this year after some strong performances. Much like the rest of the Spanish players, Martínez is capable of playing dominant clay-court tennis while also delivering solid results on hard courts.
He could climb even higher in the rankings given the talent he has, as he is still in his prime years. However, that will depend on several factors, including avoiding injuries, which have sometimes plagued him and prevented him from fully realizing his potential earlier in his career.
Martínez has one ATP title to his name, which he claimed in Santiago in 2022.
4. Roberto Bautista Agut (No 53)
This is the most senior tennis player on this list, as Roberto Bautista Agut is 36 years old. The veteran is a few years removed from his peak—which was fantastic. He has won many trophies, 12 to be precise, and some of them were quite significant.
He also peaked at number nine in the ATP rankings back in 2019, when he was playing some of the best tennis of his career. He has long held a reputation for playing better on hard courts than clay courts, which is atypical for a Spaniard.
However, Bautista Agut is actually great on both surfaces and plays excellent tennis across the board. Still, his tremendous success on hard courts is particularly notable, with nine on this surface.
Overall, he is a player whose career is approaching its conclusion, but he can still produce some great tennis from time to time.
5. Roberto Carballes Baena (No 55)
This is another veteran who is likely past his prime but is still capable of putting together some amazing tennis. Roberto Carballés Baena is a well-known name who has given some big players, including Roger Federer, some trouble in the past because he has a really interesting style that is not easy to counter.
When it comes to his career achievements, he’s not far removed from his career-high ranking of number 49 in 2023. He might even surpass that this year, thanks to finally figuring out how to navigate the top level of tennis.
He’s mostly known as a clay-court player, where he won his two titles, though he can play solid tennis on other surfaces as well, as shown by his occasional wins on hard courts and even grass courts.
6. Jaume Munar (No 57)
Jaume Munar is another interesting tennis player who, despite having a reputation as one of the best clay-court players on tour, hasn’t managed to translate this onto other surfaces. Munar has been up and down in the rankings, peaking at number 52 in 2019, and he’s close to that number again this year after playing some solid tennis recently.
Breaking past that ranking has been an issue in the past, but maybe he has finally figured it out. Wins like his recent victory over Daniil Medvedev in Miami certainly suggest that he has learned how to make his game work away from his beloved clay courts, where he did most of his damage in the past.
He hasn’t won an ATP trophy so far, but he has claimed multiple Challenger titles, which is still a solid achievement.
7. Pablo Carreno Busta (No 99)
This is another veteran who is far better than his ranking might suggest. Pablo Carreño Busta is well known to most tennis fans because he’s a fantastic player who has won ATP trophies. In fact, he won the ATP Masters in Canada in 2022, beating Hubert Hurkacz in the final—an impressive achievement.
He’s also had some iconic moments, such as being the player against whom Djokovic was disqualified at the US Open after hitting a line judge. He also made the US Open semi-final and has proven himself capable of playing fantastic tennis away from the clay courts he grew up on.
His peak ranking came in 2017 when he reached number 10 in the world, so at his best, he was truly an elite player. He’s trying to get back to that level, though at age 33, it remains to be seen how far he can go.
8. Carlos Taberner (No 145)
This is the first player on the list who is not ranked inside the top 100, and it’s Carlos Taberner, who has the talent to be there. He’s mostly known for being an amazing clay-court player with a strong forehand, but as with others on this list, hasn’t been able to translate that into a great career so far.
He’s been solid at times, peaking at number 85 in 2023, so he can be ranked in the top 100 if he keeps playing his best. This year has been strong so far, so maybe he will return to the top 100 again. At age 27, he certainly has time to get back there.
9. Martin Landaluce (No 151)
As you might have noticed, there aren’t many young up-and-coming players from Spain. Alcaraz is the biggest talent from the country—and what a talent he is—but there are a few others. Martín Landaluce is probably the most talented among them.
At age 19, he’s slowly but surely marching toward the top 100, where he will eventually end up. He has a game that can work on all surfaces, with a good serve and aggressive baseline play. But, obviously, as these transitions can be tough, he hasn’t quite clicked at that level yet.
He will get there, slowly but surely, as the Spanish nation hopes he can become the second pillar alongside Carlos Alcaraz to carry Spanish tennis for the next decade.
10. Alejandro Moro Canas (No 156)
This is another player who can play some decent tennis at times and is capable of doing it on a couple of surfaces, but overall, he hasn’t really managed to accomplish much. He hasn’t won a trophy yet, nor has he made his debut in the top 100 so far.
His peak ranking was number 142, so he’s getting close, and at age 24, there shouldn’t be any doubt about him eventually making it. He has a good serve and the game to back it up. It’s only about optimizing that and learning how to consistently compete against some of the best players in the world.
Honorable mentions
There are three honorable mentions that we have to acknowledge. There are many lower-ranked Spanish tennis players who struggle to break through because they often don’t make it outside the clay courts.
There are plenty of clay courts in the world, but not all Spanish players take the leap. Without that, they won’t be able to climb high in the rankings.
Albert Ramos is one of those players who was really good at his peak. He has won multiple trophies, mostly on clay, and was ranked in the top 100. However, at age 37, it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll reach that level again. He’s still competing but hasn’t been able to win much this year.
Bernabé Zapata Miralles is another player who made it into the top 100 thanks to some impressive performances. However, he has struggled recently with injuries, and it’s taking time for him to get back to where he was. He has the talent for it, and he’s not that old, so he can certainly return to the top 100.
Daniel Rincón is another player who might end up there. The Spanish player attended the Nadal Academy, and being only 22 years old means he still has plenty of time to make it happen. He’s playing decently right now, so it’s likely we’ll be seeing more of him in the future.
Read also about the top French players on tour.
