8) Angel Gimenez
Height: 1.63m (5 feet 4 inches)
A former player but now a coach, Angel Gimenez stands at 1.63m and comes in at No. 8 on our list. Gimenez enjoyed limited success as a player, but earned more recognition as a coach.
He has worked with many players, including Gabriela Sabatini, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Daniela Hantuchova. He now works at the Academia Sanchez Casal Vicario in Barcelona, Spain.
7) Bryan Morel “Bitsy” Grant
Height: 1.63m (5 feet 4 inches)
At 5 feet 4 inches and 54 kg, Grant did not have an intimidating presence. But that did not stop him from taking down bigger and heavier players with faster groundstrokes than him, thus earning him the nickname “Itsy Bitsy the Giant Killer”. He was also officially recorded as the smallest American man to win an international tennis championship.
Not everything was smooth sailing for Grant though. Frank Shields, another tennis player of Grant’s era, was infamous for making fun of Grant’s size. Legend has it that an inebriated Shields once held Grant upside down out of his hotel window!
6) Dominika Cibulkova
Height: 1.61m (5 feet 3.5 inches)
Hailing from Slovakia, Cibulkova is a tennis player known for her hard-hitting groundstrokes and aggressive style of play. She achieved a career best rank of No. 5 in October 2016 following her win at the year-ending WTA Finals.
At just 1.61m, Cibulkova’s small stature could have proved to be a stumbling block, but she has modelled her game around her size. Her exceptional lower body strength, coupled with her incredibly high tennis IQ, ensures that she is very quick around the court and very explosive with her groundstrokes.
Cibulkova is also a former Grand Slam finalist, reaching the summit clash at the 2014 Australian Open – where she lost to Li Na.
