He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 17, 1974. The Laver Cup Tournament is named after him. Djokovic is also the only player to complete the career Golden Masters and he has achieved this feat twice. Martina Navratilova is also the open record holder of 167 career titles! Yet another French national football team representative. He has 98 career titles and 20 Grand Slam Singles Title including 8 Wimbledon, 6 Australian Open, 5 US Open, and 1 French Open. Sad Benrahma 9. He led the Pakistan cricket team as a captain from 2009 to 2011. Being a professional tennis player is physically as well as mentally demanding. A baseline player and hardcourt specialist, Aravane first saw international success by winning gold medals while representing Iran in the Womens Islamic Games in 2001 and 2005. Fans of Hamid called him Prince Naseem and Naz. He also received death threats before the match against Algeria in 2004. The former World No. From July onwards, he performed well enough to regain his number one ranking. Emmanuel Adebayor, Togo. Collins lauded his. He is also one of the most charitable athletes. She won her first title in 2006, barely 15 years old. ONeal retired from his professional playing career in 2011. The Williams sisters Serena and Venus have won 14 Grand Slam Doubles titles so far. The second-highest ranked Austrian tennis player of all time, Dominic Thiem became the first Austrian to win thesingles title at a US Open when he came back from two sets down to beat Alexander Zverev in the 2020 US Open final. Rafael Nadal had a tough time during the very beginning of 2018, he had just recovered from a hip injury and didnt perform as well as expected. Franck Ribery Champions League Final 2012 (Source: Wikimedia.org). A. Wallis Myers) before 1973 Reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament Reached the finals of year-end championships Won a medal at the Olympic Games Novak Djokovic. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. In 1995, he became the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer. Therefore, he is a born Muslim. However, Olajuwon started getting spiritual and became a more devout Muslim later. He has proven his talent for over 20 years and is still competing at the very highest level. Despite this fact, even many fans are unknown of the religion they practice. In 1987, Nouchine, a physical therapist, gave birth to daughter Aravane. Jabbarwon the NBA Rookie of the Year and NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1970. Mike Tyson at the South by Southwest Festival 2011 (Source: Wikimedia.org). She became a naturalized American citizen in 1994 and also received . Ilkay Gundogan 7. We will start our best Muslim athletes list with a former professional NBA player, Rasheed Abdul Wallace. He also helped his country win the 2018 Davis Cup. The younger Williams sister entered professional tennis in 1995. Let us take a quick look at the table below before diving into the intricate details of the list. Afridi started his cricket journey at a young age. He is also the first Russian tennis player to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016. His career prize money is a mind-boggling sum of $100,564,598. He was born Marat Mubinovich Safin on January 27, 1980, and was a former politician. Nonetheless, she earned a spot in the University of Evansville at Indiana to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance. Photo: Daniele Badolato Source: Getty Images A number of famous faces have used their voices to challenge stereotypes surrounding Islam Ramy Youssef, Bella Hadid and Muhammad Ali have all spoken about their Muslim faith. 1. His mother reached No 2 in the country's ranking. Hopkins is one of the greatest boxers of the modern era. Shahid Afridi 2010 (Source Wikimedia.org). In 1961, Clay converted his religion to Islam. She finished with 18 Grand Slam singles . Tyson is well-known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style. He has stated his intention to participate in the sacred Muslim right of passage known as Hajj. Aside from his unconventional boxing skills, Hamed is also known for his spectacular ring entrances. She is coached by her father, while her mother travels with her in the role of physical therapist. Hence, in this article, we take you through a list of the top 10 soccer players who are Muslims. Authentic Tennis Gear Reviews. Serena Williamss career prize money totals $88,233,301. His notable career highlight awards include six times NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, six times NBA Most Valuable Player, etc. Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images. Under his captaincy, the Pakistan national team won the 1992 Cricket World Cup, Pakistans first and only victory in the competition. Hopkins had a rough childhood. Three Grand Slam titles and 33 career titles only tell part of the story of Arthur Ashe. In addition, he became the Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer in 2008. He holds 200 singles titles--the most in tennis history. In 1987, Nouchine, a physical therapist, gave birth to daughter Aravane. Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. There have been many NBA players who fasted during the NBA season during the Ramadan period. Agassi retired from Tennis in 2006 and shall always be remembered for being a champion on and off the court. 1 tennis player from Russia. In addition, he is ranked as the 19th greatest European pound-for-pound boxer of all time by BoxRec as of 2020. After the years followed, Ali continued exploring Islam. #4 Venus Williams Venus Williams Californian Venus Williams entered the tennis scene in the year 1994. You might find a player's ability to compete at a high level for an extended period more impressive than a shorter career, even if one player in each camp ended up with nearly the same number of titles. He released two autobiographies. He worked as an assistant coach for Alchesay HS, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers. He won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles, besides the Masters Grand Prix. He has won 84 single and 1 doubles career titles. Heres a list of 10 most famous Tennis players of all time. They have been competitive athletes and are indeed great champions. Men. Nevertheless, these athletes are proud of their ancestry and their religion. She has bagged the top spot in WTAs world ranking numerous times. Widely regarded as the greatest tennis player of all time, Roger Federer has won the most number of men's Grand Slam singles titles. Many football fans across the world wonder which footballers in the top European leagues are Muslim. She blamed a 2-week COVID-related quarantine for her loss at the 2021 Australian Open. So far, the sisters have locked horns in court for a total of 9 times out of which Serena Williams 7 matches. Like El Aynaoui, he was a formidable Davis Cup player (the tournament where nations play one another), and once beat both Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski in the same playoff, that victory over the UK lifting Morocco into the World Group competition. In a 2008 interview with USA Today, Safin identified himself as a Muslim. Mohamed Salah The Egyptian forward has taken the Premier League by storm this season since his arrival from AS Roma for a reported fee of around 37.8million. Likewise, Tyson was the first heavyweight boxer to win the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles. The Spanish national has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles and holds the record of winning 13 French Open Championships. Sami Khedira Sami Khedira is a German team footballer who is a Muslim of Real Madrid. After starting his NBA career with Orlando, Shaq played for other NBA teams like Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Phoenix Suns. Along with having a charity foundation under his name, Afridi also teamed up with UNICEF to promote an anti-polio campaign in his country. 2017 proved a difficult time for him as he had just recovered from a shoulder injury and. As of 2021, Rasheed has signed to become an assistant coach at Memphis, led by head coach Peny Hardaway. He became the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer in 2016 and was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. Naseem Hamed on the ring (Source: Instagram). Ribry then converted to Islam upon marrying his wife at the height of his athletic career. There are several records Afridi has made in his career. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. We hope to see him for as long as age or injury catches up with him, making way for newer players. Mike Tyson converted to Islam in the early 1990s while he was in prison for a rape conviction. The search for the top Muslima in the tennis world takes us to two countries: Iran and France. Coco Gauff, who has achieved a career-high ranking of 23 in singles, is the youngest player ranked by the WTA in the top 100. Once in the U.S., Navratilova whipped herself into top shape and put together nearly invincible seasons of 90-3, 86-1, 78-2 and 89-3 from 1982 to '86. It may also result from racial politics that insulted his racial origins in the past. Overall hes won five titles, and reached 11 finals. She has 167 career titles to her credit including 18 Grand Slam titles: 9 Wimbledon, 4 US Open, 3 Australian and 2 French Open titles. For example, he is a world record holder for the fastest ODI century in 37deliveries. Rafael Nadal is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players ever and is called the king of clay. Hopkins made his debut in 1988 but lost the game to Clinton Mitchell. The guys at Al Jazeera headquarters kept referring to him as Captain Karim. [45] Reza, an Iranian-French player, has won four WTA titles and achieved a career-high singles ranking of 15. Zinedine Zidane is a former French footballer and one of most famous Muslim footballer ever. Marat Safin is a former world No. Olajuwon started playing cricket at the age of 15 after entering a local tournament while at the Muslim Teachers College in Lagos, Nigeria. From high school, Shaq started playing basketball. 1, Perry won three successive Wimbledon Championships from 1934. Widely regarded as the greatest tennis player of all time, Roger Federer has won the most number of men's Grand Slam singles titles. Czechoslovakian Martina Navratilova entered the professional tennis scene in 1975. Before being drafted to the Pakistan senior national team in 1994-95, he played for the under-19 championship circuit. Please logout and login again. List of the Best Muslim Football Players in The World Mesut Ozil The midfield player is a well-known German footballer. Mike Tyson is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers in boxing history. Her brother, Anauch, has gone on to become a successful tennis coach. She will be in action this week in Bali, as the number two seed in the $600,000 Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions. Some players have stood in the limelight during their peaks and have also competed with younger and fitter player to continue winning. Bernard Hopkins was born Bernard Humphrey Hopkins Jr. And he is still dominating and playing at the top levels at the age of 39. Roger Federer still plays, competes and wins at the highest levels of Tennis. He is one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century. After retiring from the cricket world, Khan then entered the political platform. Similarly, in 2005, he won the Australian Open after defeating Lleyton Hewitt in the final. 1 in 1993 and held the record for 286 weeks. She has twice won the Muslim Womens Games, and this year exploded onto the scene at the Istanbul tournament, beating former number ones Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams in succession. Some of his career highlight wins of Wallace include NBA champion, four times NBA All-Star, and NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Born as Michael Gerard Tyson, he was nicknamed Iron Mike or Kid Dynamite and later The Baddest Man on the Planet.. One of the greatest Argentine players of all time, Juan Martn del Potro also won Olympic bronze and silver in 2012 and 2016 respectively. She was one of those rare female players who used a single-handed backhand. 1: Nick Kyrgios: 2: Alex de Minaur: 3: Christopher O'Connell: 4: Jason Kubler: 5: . In 2010, Imran Khan became the International Cricket Councils Hall of Famer. And, a tennis star was born. His intellect and knowledge in those years made him famous around the world. Paul Pogba Juventus player Paul Pogba press conference at Allianz Stadium on July 12, 2022, in Turin, Italy. He is ranked the best British featherweight of all time by BoxRec. 17. Read Australian player profiles, check the latest rankings and view the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame . He also has one Australian Open, two Wimbledon and four US Open titles tohis name. RELATED: The Most Politically Outspoken Black Athletes of All Time, An estimated 1.61 billion people on Earth are, The Most Politically Outspoken Black Athletes of All Time. t fifth set in Grand Slam history). Her highest WTA world ranking thus far was number 15, achieved just last month. A 3-time Davis Cup finalist, he won major titles such as the French Open, the US Open, and Wimbledon. For many years, it was simple to crown Roger Federer as the greatest tennis player of all time. Michael Chang. This article was last updated by Sushma Thapa on November 8, 2022. In 1988, Hopkins was released from prison after serving almost five years. In 1987, Nouchine, a physical therapist, gave birth to daughter Aravane. Hamed won the European bantamweight title at the age of 20. After winning his last Grand Slam Title, the US Open in 2002, he retired. 2) Mesut Ozil: In 2022, Rafael Nadal became the first man ever to reach 21 Grand Slam titles, further solidifying his place as one of the best players ever. Bolingbrook Man Arrested at OHare; Wanted to Join Islamic State, Feds Say, President-elect Donald Trump: Acceptance and Mobilization, By Sumayyah Meehan, MMNS Middle East Correspondent Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still., Immense challenges face Muslim Nigerian president, Egyptian Ruler General Sisi Warns Nation of Inflation Crisis, 2020 MuslimObserver.com, All Rights Reserved, The Top Female Muslim Tennis Player in the World, Obamas Indian Diplomacy With A Religious Touch, Al-Farouq Aminu Starts His First Pro Season. Hamed would make his entrance on sometimes a flying carpet, a lift, or a palanquin. Matteo Berrettini created history in 2021 when he became the first Italian to reach a Wimbledon Championship final where he lost against the two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic. While she still intends to pursue the field of physics after she is done with tennis, her immediate goal remains to emulate her favorite players, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, by achieving the number one ranking in the world. 1 tennis player from Russia. He was midfield attacker for France. Trivia. Sadio Man, Senegal. In the 2000 US Open, Safin won his first Grand Slam after defeating Pete Sampras in the final. Officially ranked among the top 25 players by the Association of Tennis Professionals (since 1973) Ranked among the top 10 by an expert (e.g. Follow Sports Brief on Twitter for more trending and breaking news! After making a debut for the Bullets, he played for teams like Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta Hawks, and Detroit Pistons. Ngolo Kante 3. After debuting with Houston, Olajuwon also played for the Toronto Raptors. (Former World Number One Romanian Tennis Legend), (Retired Serbian Tennis Player Who Was Once World Number One in Singles), (American Tennis Player Who Rose to Fame After Her Win Against Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019), (One of the Best Croatian Tennis Players of All Time). Anna Kournikova was once world no. Having turned pro in 2003, Djokovic took five years to win a Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open. Indian actor Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan, known professionally as Irrfan Khan or just Irrfan, appeared in a number of major Hollywood and Bollywood . Boris Becker is a German former tennis player who has three Wimbledons, one US Open, and two Australian Open titles under his belt. Known for his topspin groundstrokes, he later turned coach and was responsible forthree Grand Slams of Andy Murray. However, he is generally described as a nationalist and a populist. Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. changed his name to Muhammad Ali in the 1960s after converting to Islam and joining the Nation of Islam. During his cricket career, Khan was offered political positions a few times. Stan Wawrinka is a Swiss tennis player who has won three Grand Slam titles so far in his career. Tennis players are the sports persons who play tennis professionally and participate in regional, national and international tournaments. :Here is a list of the top Muslim football players in the European Leagues It should be mentioned that the list includes only those Muslim footballers who are playing at the top-level football clubs. In 1987, Nouchine, a physical therapist, gave birth to daughter Aravane. While Aravane has gone on to record victories over such tennis stars as Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin, and Venus Williams. Mohamed Salah 2. His professional debut game was againstTunney Hunsaker. After retiring from his playing career, Kareem transitioned to a coaching career. In his professional career, he also played for the Los Angeles Lakers. She used to be the ball-girl for her brother, also a tennis player, but quickly eclipsed him in ability and fame! He even re-enacted the video of Michael Jacksons thriller and wore a Halloween mask. Papis Demba Cisse, Senegal. Click here to read about Dominic Gutirrez Bio: Net Worth, Wife, Dad & WWE. 20 years ago, in 1998, Roger Federer took the court by storm, playing and winning the best games. In 2006, she won the newcomer of the year award, the first Indian or Muslim woman to reach the worlds top 40. After retiring from his professional playing career, Zidane transitioned into a coaching career. Martina Navratilova is the worlds only tennis player to be no. Hes definitely a looker and acts like he knows it: he never hesitates to take his shirt off and once bleached his hair blond. Nicknamed the dream, 59 year-old Olajuwon is widely considered to be one of the greatest centers and greatest basketball players of all time. Tennis has its origins in 12th century France when people played by striking a ball with the palm of their hands. Zidane is a Muslim of Algerian Kabyle descent. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. The German midfielder has had a stellar season with Manchester City this season. 15. He's also won an Olympic gold medal in singles and doubles for Spain. Khan founded a political party in 1996 and then ran for the seat of National Assembly Pakistan in the 1997 Pakistani general election. Her career prize money amounts to $24,749,074. Her game has undeniably stood the test of competition and time. Sara, 28, is the first Iranian female taekwondo Olympic qualifier. Though she retired in 1983 from competitive Tennis, she is still remembered for her never give up attitude and fighting spirit. Top 10 Most Popular Muslim Soccer Players in 2022 1. Aside from Russian, he is fluent in English and Spanish speaking. Federer is the player that has the most Grand Slam titles in the world (20) and is second behind Djokovic in most weeks spent at the world No.1 spot. However, few athletes are non-practicing Muslims due to circumstances. It has been speculated that he converted to Muslim while in prison. Jabeur was first introduced to tennis at age three by her mother. Roger Federer. Photos: Quality Sport Images, Naomi Baker and Quality Sport Images. Alexander Zverev's backhand play is often regarded as one of the best in the game. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Pete Sampras was inducted into the prestigious Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007. 15 Best Tennis Players of All Time. Mohamed Salah Liverpool and Egypt right-winger Mohamed Salah is one of the most famous Muslim soccer players globally. Her highest WTA world ranking thus far was number 15, achieved just last month. By 20, she had already won the French Open. Bernard Hopkins at the Golovkin Lemieux Press Conference 2015 (Source: Wikimedia.org). On the personal side, Aravane is fluent in three languages: French, Persian, and English. She gained the top ranking in 2008 after winning the 2008 French Open and held it for 12 weeks. Djibril Sidibe of France - Def. Achraf Hakimi is a Spanish-born Moroccan player who played as a defender. 1 Tennis Player), (Czech-American Former World No.1 Tennis player), (One of the Greatest Tennis Players of All-Time), (Former Croatian Tennis Player, Coach and Only Player to Have Won a Wimbledon Singles Title as a Wildcard), (German Tennis Player Who Won the Men's Singles Title at Wimbledon at the Age of 17), (Romanian Professional and Former World No.1 Tennis Player ), (American Former Tennis Player and the Youngest Ever Male Player to Win a Grand Slam), (One of the Best Tennis Players in the World), (Retired Belgian Tennis Legend Who Was a World Number 1 in Singles), (British Tennis & Table Tennis Professional Who has Won Eight Grand Slam Tournaments & Two Pro Slam Singles Titles), Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first Greek to win any, (German Professional Tennis Player and Olympic Silver Medalist), (Bulgarian Former World Number 3 Tennis Player), (Russian Former Tennis Player and One of the Best-Known Tennis Stars Worldwide). Matteo Berrettini is an Italian tennis player who is currently the best-ranked Italian according to the ATP Rankings. Aravane maintains close relations with her family. The athlete made his amateur boxing debut in 1954 and 1960. Sara Khoshjamal Fekri, Iran. He is a former professional boxer and is one of the most successful boxers of the past three decades. Hence, some of the best athletes in the world come from Islam. During his time, 14 Grand Slam Titles and world number one for 6 consecutive years was a record. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Wawrinka won the gold medal for Switzerland in the doubles event along with teammate Roger Federer. Watch popular content from the following creators: Dolly(@dolly_in_action1), hind(@itshindou2), Marydniho (@marydinho), Hijabiglobetrotter(@hijabiglobetrotter), Muslims4peace(@muslims4peaceusa), Mona.T(@mona.s.4), Sports.Inc(@sports.included), Break Point(@breakpoint), Tennis(@underarmserve), Tennis(@underarmserve) . Do you know about some of the best Muslim athletes of all time? Ali fought in several historic matches. She has time and again played aggressively to win all her games until she was challenged and confronted by Chris Evert. 8. She was one of the toughest opponents to face on the court. Ilkay gndoan. McEnroe is also known for his confrontational on-court behavior. Arsalan, being an auto mechanic, was in search of a better life for his family. He plays for France international team as a midfielder and for German football club Bayern Munich. Retired Serbian tennis player Ana Ivanovi is a former world number 1 in singles. Originally from Turkey, he was criticized by German fans for calling President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoan as 'My President'.