Ranking the Top Sibling Duos in Tennis Today
Novak Djokovic and younger brother, Djordje, teamed up to win a doubles match at the China Open in Beijing last week, but even with the No. 1 player on the ATP Tour, the pair are nowhere near among the most dynamic sibling duos in tennis today.
Throughout tennis history there have been many successful sibling acts. Some of the more notable tennis siblings include Serena and Venus Williams, John and Patrick McEnroe, Tim and Tom Gullikson, Marat Safin and Dinara Safina and the Sanchez brood of Emilio, Javier, Marisa and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.
But who are the top sibling duos still active on the tour?
These sibling duos are ranked based on their combined success in singles and doubles, as well as longevity and impact on the game.
A superior singles record by one sibling can outweigh moderate doubles success of another. However, even a superlative singles record, such as 28-year-old Novak's, can't make up for a nearly non-existent career on the ATP or WTA tours.
That's why despite Novak's 11 Grand Slam titles and world No. 1 ranking, he and his little bro don't make the cut. Djordje, who is 20, is ranked No. 1506 in singles and No. 574 in doubles. His new-found doubles ranking is only because the Djokovics received a wildcard simply based on Novak's status.
Similarly, Bernard Tomic is finally having singles success, but his younger sister Sara Tomic has yet to make any waves on the WTA Tour.
Brothers Ryan and Christian Harrison have been somewhat of a disappointment. Although the pair reached the quarterfinals in doubles at the 2012 U.S. Open, they didn't make the list either. Ryan repeatedly squanders wildcard chances and Christian has been hampered by injuries.
Neither Mike nor Bob Bryan broke the Top 100 in singles, but they make the list because their doubles resume is, arguably, the greatest in tennis history.
This list includes siblings with sustainable success as singles or doubles players. They also must have been ranked either together or separately in the Top 50. Each sibling has a singles or doubles title under their belts.
To qualify, both must be active players on the tour. The following are the best sibling duos in tennis today.
Honorable Mention: Arina and Anastasia Rodionova
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Arina and Anastasia Rodionova are ranked No. 32 and No. 72 in doubles. Both are ranked outside of the Top 250 in singles.
Unlike the Williams sisters, the Rodionovas regularly play doubles with other partners.
Anastasia, the elder sibling at 33, reached a career-high 62 in singles and No. 15 in doubles. She's won nine doubles titles.
Arina, who is 25, has reached a career-high No. 157 in singles and No. 72 in doubles. She was also a junior Australian Open champion in doubles.
6. Hao-Ching and Yung-Jan Chan
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Chan sisters, Hao-Ching and Yung-Jan, are only the third sibling pair to qualify for the WTA Finals in doubles. The others were Manuela and Katerina Maleeva in 1986, and Venus and Serena in 2009.
Yung-Jan, 26, is ranked No. 259 in singles and has 14 career titles in doubles. Hao-Ching, 22, has eight career doubles titles.
Ranked No. 6 in doubles and won the doubles title in Cincinnati.
5. Kristyna and Karolina Pliskova
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Twins Karolina and Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic are sisters still on the rise.
Karolina, ranked No. 15, reached a career high in singles at No. 7 in August.
Although Kristyna, ranked No. 117, hasn't enjoyed the same success in singles, Karolina told the New York Times, “I’m sure she’s going to get up soon as well, but she’s just lost a little bit of confidence right now."
Kristyna's career high is No. 89. Together the 23-year-olds have won three doubles titles. Karolina has won four singles titles and is making a push to earn a trip to the WTA's year-end championships.
4. Urszula and Agnieszka Radwanska
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Agnieszka and Urszula Radwanska, of Poland, are second only to the Williams sisters in terms of sibling success on the WTA Tour.
Agnieszka, who is 26, is by far the more successful singles player. She reached a career-high No. 2 and has been a mainstay in the Top 10 for nearly five years. The highlight of her career came in 2012 when she reached the Wimbledon finals against Serena Williams.
Urszula has been ranked as high as No. 29 in singles. The Radwanskas recently teamed up to play doubles in Fed Cub.
In a 2013 interview with CNN's Open Court, 24-year-old Urszula told CNN, "We are best friends, we are so close...We have always been together—participating, living and traveling together—so it is nice to have my sister on tour."
3. Andy and Jamie Murray
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Jamie Murray, the elder brother at 29, is ranked No. 7 in doubles and No. 834 in singles. He has 13 doubles titles.
Recently, he teamed up with 28-year-old brother, Andy, to propel Great Britain to the Davis Cup final. Along with mother, Judy, the Murrays have become the royal family of tennis.
A two-time Grand Slam champion, Andy is ranked No. 3 and has been as high as No. 2 in the world rankings. He brought Great Britain its first Wimbledon champion in 76 years in 2013.
Next month, the two have the chance to bring the British their first Davis Cup title since 1936.
2. Bob and Mike Bryan
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Born three minutes apart, Bob and Mike Bryan, 37, brought excitement back to men's doubles and will ride their success into the Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Bryan brothers edge out the Murrays, despite Andy's success, because of their history-making run in doubles.
The identical twins have won 106 doubles titles (an all-time record). They have also won 12 Grand Slam titles together and, separately, several mixed doubles Slam championships. They won the Olympic gold medal in 2012 and hold the Davis Cup record for most wins by a doubles team.
In fact, with the help of the Williams sisters, two families played a part four of the five medal categories at the 2012 Olympics. The Bryan brothers won gold in men's doubles. The Williams sisters won gold in women's doubles. Serena won gold in women's singles. Mike Bryan, with Lisa Raymond, took bronze in mixed doubles.
Along with their on-court success, the Bryan brothers have numerous endorsement deals, unheard of for doubles-only players.
Last month, an article in the New York Times credited the Bryan brothers with saving doubles on the men's tour.
1 Serena and Venus Williams
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Serena, 34, and Venus, 35, are the most successful sibling duo in tennis today, and it's not even close.
They have a combined 28 Grand Slam singles titles, 13 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals. Serena has won two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.
They have accumulated more than $105 million in prize money, and the duo remain first and second among active WTA Tour players in terms of Grand Slam wins.
Of all the active sibling duos, the Williams sisters are the only ones to have enjoyed sustained success in singles and doubles.
Iconic figures on and off the court, the Williams sisters transcend sports and are recognized on a first-name only basis. In fact, they are not only the most dynamic siblings in tennis today, they are the greatest of all time.
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