The Best Doubles Teams in Tennis History

From the Williams sisters and their impeccable record in doubles finals to the legendary Bryan brothers, greatness in tennis is primarily measured by trophies.

SportsBoom looks at some of the most iconic men’s and women’s doubles teams, who were able to work in tandem even when put under intense pressure.

Who Are the Greatest Tennis Doubles Teams of All-Time?

While the term ‘greatest’ is subjective, one of the most reliable metrics for measuring a player or team’s success in tennis is the number of titles they claimed.

However, it could also be argued that some of the most entertaining teams in doubles history were not necessarily those pairings who had the most wins.

SportsBoom has based its ranking solely on the number of Grand Slam doubles trophies when considering which teams could be named among the best.

John Newcombe and Tony Roche: Aussie Open

In a period spanning the Amateur Era and the Open Era (when professionals were allowed to enter major tournaments), the Aussie duo dominated doubles tennis.

Fittingly, John Newcombe and Tony Roche’s first title was the Australian Open.

They went on to claim another three doubles titles in their home country’s Grand Slam, as well as the French Open twice, the US Open once, and Wimbledon five times.

Their record of 12 Grand Slam doubles titles was only beaten by the Bryan brothers in 2013, with Newcombe even in the discussion for the best tennis player ever.

He scalped seven singles titles (all except the French Open), while Roche enjoyed a sole victory at Roland Garros to underscore their abilities.

Honourable mention: John McEnroe and Peter Fleming

John McEnroe was a divisive figure thanks to his memorable tantrums.

However, he was also an iconic singles star with numerous accolades to his name, although his partnership with Peter Fleming showed his team player credentials.

Together, they claimed 54 doubles titles.

The American duo claimed seven doubles Grand Slam wins in the late 70s and early 80s, winning Wimbledon four times and the US Open three times.

As Fleming himself once said: “He was left, I was right. I hit it hard, he had touch. I was tall, he was short. We worked so well together.”

Margaret Osborn duPont and Louise Brough: US Aces

Historical records describe Margaret duPont epitomised sportsmanship and humility, while Louise Brough was a determined attacking player.

Together, they dominated women’s doubles tennis for many years.

‘Ozzie and Broughie’ won the US Open doubles title an impressive 12 times, coupled with three French Open victories and five Wimbledon trophies.

Their record number of Grand Slams stood for more than three decades.

Individually, duPont and Brough claimed six Grand Slam titles each plus numerous mixed doubles crowns with a variety of partners over the years.

Their US Open doubles wins record (12) still stands to this day.

Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver: Peak Doubles

Martina Navratilova is another female tennis star considered among the greatest.

The American legend reaped considerable success in singles, doubles and mixed doubles and is one of only three players to complete a ‘Boxed Set’ - a career Grand Slam in all three formats.

She also achieved a remarkable 98.8% win percentage in 1983 (86 wins, 1 loss).

Pam Shriver was not as accomplished in singles tennis but was a 1988 Olympic gold medalist, bringing her own dimension to the partnership with Navratilova.

Together, the American duo equalled duPont and Brough’s 20 doubles Grand Slams.

Navratilova and Shriver captured success at the Australian Open seven times, at Wimbledon five times, and at the French Open and US Open four times each.

They also completed a Calendar Grand Slam in 1984 (all majors in a single year).

Honourable mention: Serena and Venus Williams

Two iconic women, one iconic sibling team.

It’s long been suggested that had Serena and Venus Williams chosen to focus on doubles, they could have been the most dominant pairing in history.

Instead, each sister paved her way and earned iconic status in the sport.

Venus and Serena reached #1 in the WTA doubles rankings, won 14 doubles Grand Slams together and also claimed Olympic gold - a feat they also mirrored in singles tennis.

Thanks to Serena’s backhand being among the best and Venus’ quickness at the net, they never lost a Grand Slam doubles final as a team.