- Who
- Margaret Court
- What
- first first
- Where
- United States (New York)
- When
- 1965
By winning the 2022 Australian Open in a five-set thriller at Melbourne Park on 30 January, Rafael Nadal (Spain) joined Margaret Court (Australia; 1965), Roy Emerson (Australia; 1967), Rod Laver (Australia; 1969), Chris Evert (USA; 1984), Martina Navratilova (USA, b. Czechoslovakia; 1984), Steffi Graf (Germany; 1989), Serena Williams (USA; 2013) and Novak Djokovic (Serbia; 2021) as two-time (at least) singles champions at each of the four Grand Slams: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. Court was the trailblazer in this respect, winning her second US Open title in 1965 to add to her six Australian, two French and two Wimbledon crowns at the time. She would eventually land an unrivalled 24 Grand Slam titles in all (1960-73).
Djokovic was the eighth player to achieve a “Double Career Grand Slam” when he came from two sets down to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in an epic final of the French Open in Paris on 13 June 2021, adding to the “Career Grand Slam” title he won at Roland Garros in 2016. Nadal’s route to “Double Career Grand Slam” glory at the Australian Open in 2022 was similar, beating Daniil Medvedev in another five-setter – 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 – in a strength-sapping 5 hours 24 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. Nadal had previously won the Australian Open in 2009.
Despite collecting 20 major singles trophies between 2003 and 2018, Roger Federer has only triumphed at the French Open once, in 2009, and his name is therefore missing from the list of double “Career Grand Slam” winners.
