Portal:Tennis/Selected biography/31

Bill Tilden (February 10, 1893 – June 5, 1953), nicknamed "Big Bill," was an American male tennis player. He is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Tilden was the World No. 1 player for six years from 1920 through 1925. He won 14 Major singles titles including ten Grand Slams, one World Hard Court Championships and three Pro Slams. He also won a record seven US Championships titles (shared with Richard Sears and Bill Larned).

Tilden dominated the world of international tennis in the first half of the 1920s, and during his 18-year amateur period of 1912–30, won 138 of 192 tournaments. He owns a number of all-time tennis achievements including a career match winning record and a career winning percentage at the US National Championships. At the 1929 US National Championships Tilden became the first player to reach 10 finals at a single Grand Slam event. This mark stood until 2015, when Roger Federer reached his tenth Wimbledon final. Tilden, who was frequently at odds with the rigid United States Lawn Tennis Association about his amateur status and income derived from newspaper articles, won his last Major title in 1930 at Wimbledon aged 37. He turned professional on the last day of that year and toured with a handful of other professionals for the next 15 years.

Tilden was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1959.