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Single or double?
Steven LynchJanuary 19, 2015
Which tennis player has won the most Grand Slam doubles titles without ever winning a singles? And the most singles without a doubles title? asked Hazel Stringfellow
First place in this particular list is occupied by a woman - the American Elizabeth Ryan, who collected 19 doubles and 11 mixed titles between 1913 and 1934, 19 of them at Wimbledon which was a record at the time.
'Bunny' Ryan was one of the first women to volley consistently, which probably accounts for her doubles success. But she was a good singles player too, reaching the Wimbledon final in 1921 and 1930, only to run into two legends in Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills Moody. The nearest Ryan came to that elusive singles crown was in the US Championships at Forest Hills in 1926, when she led 42-year-old Molla Mallory 4-0 in the final set, and later had a championship point at 7-6.
But Mallory escaped, and took her eighth and last US title 4-6 6-4 9-7.
Elizabeth Ryan collapsed and died at Wimbledon in 1987, the day before Billie-Jean King broke her record by winning her 20th title there.
The men's record is 23 titles, currently shared by Bob Bryan and Todd Woodbridge, who have both won 16 doubles and seven mixed titles. Bob's brother Mike is also in the top ten, with 19 (the same 16 men's doubles plus three mixed).
Roger Federer has won 17 Grand Slam singles titles, but none (so far, anyway) in either doubles event. Steffi Graf won 23 titles - 22 singles and the women's doubles at Wimbledon in 1988 with Gabriela Sabatini. It's also worth mentioning Gigi Fernandez, whose 17 titles all came in the women's doubles.
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