Tennis in Spain

Tennis is highly popular in Spain, and many professional Spanish tennis players have achieved international success. After a slow start throughout the early 20th century, Spanish tennis began its rise to prominence in the 1960s, when Manuel Santana became the first Spaniard to win a major singles title.

Rafael Nadal, who was active throughout the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s, is widely considered the greatest Spanish tennis player of all time: he was ranked world No. 1 for 209 weeks, and won 22 major singles titles. Active player Carlos Alcaraz has also been ranked world No. 1, and has won 7 major singles titles. Other successful Spanish players include Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Conchita Martínez, Carlos Moyá, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and Garbiñe Muguruza.

Spanish tennis is particularly characterised by success on clay courts, which many Spaniards train on in their youth. Spanish players have won 28 major singles titles on clay at Roland-Garros. Spain has won the Davis Cup six times (2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019) and the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly Fed Cup) five times (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1998).