Not every tennis pro can win a Grand Slam tournament. This was particularly bitter for these 15 players, who were among the best in their field for years and only just missed out on the big time. Here's the second part.
Going down in tennis history as "unfinished" is a dark spot in the career of a top player. Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Kei Nishikori are currently facing a similar fate. At least they still have a chance to rewrite their biographies - unlike these legends (tournaments in the professional era from 1990 onwards are rated; points distribution: final 5, semi-final 2, quarter-final 1).
Career: 2001 to 2015 (active on the tour only until 2011)
Grand Slams: 2 x final (French Open), 4 x quarter-final
Highest ranking: 4
Tournament wins: 10
Although the Swede's game with its thunderous serve and power - especially on the forehand - was predestined for fast surfaces, he achieved his best results on clay and at the French Open.
In 2009, he surprised four-time champion Rafael Nadal, who had not lost a single one of his 31 matches in Paris up to that point, in the round of 16. Federer stopped him in the final, and the loser took his revenge a year later by knocking the title holder out in the quarter-finals and advancing to the final again. There, however, Nadal took revenge for the bitter defeat of the previous year.
In 2011, Söderling was diagnosed with Pfeiffer's glandular fever, from which he never really recovered. Söderling was lost to the tennis world at the age of just 26. However, the potential for a major triumph was undoubtedly there.
Career: 1993 to 2007
Grand Slams: 6 x semi-finals (4 Wimbledon, 1 US Open, 1 French Open), 4 x quarter-finals
Highest ranking: 4
Tournament wins: 11
As a local hero, the English serve-and-volley specialist carried the hopes of the British to win Wimbledon for a decade. But the expectations were probably too high, and Federer's former opponent - Henman won six of his first seven matches against him - cannot be blamed for much: in 1998 and 1999 he lost in four sets to Pete Sampras, in 2001 he was only two points short of reaching the final against Goran Ivanisevic; he ultimately lost in five sets. In 2002, Lleyton Hewitt came out on top.
He also reached the quarter-finals in London four more times (1996, 1997, 2003, 2004). In 2004, he also reached the semi-finals at the French Open (losing to Coria) and the US Open (losing to Federer). As a consolation, he won the silver medal for his country at the Olympics, albeit only in the doubles.
Career: 2000 to 2013
Grand Slams: 1 x final (Wimbledon), 4 x semi-finals, 5 x quarter-finals
Highest ranking: 3
Tournament wins: 11
The Argentinian all-rounder was once considered Federer's main rival. No wonder, after all, the man with the dreaded backhand beat the Swiss five times in a row from 2002 to 2003. However, injuries, a lack of consistency and, above all, his mental weakness on the big points often thwarted his plans. His major highlight was reaching the final at Wimbledon in 2002 (defeat to Lleyton Hewitt). In 2005, he won the World Championship title after trailing Federer in two sets. After all, he is the only player to have beaten all of the "Big 3" in one tournament (Madrid 2007).
Career: 1989 to 2002
Grand Slams: 2 x finals (US Open, Wimbledon), 2 x semi-finals, 4 x quarter-finals
Highest ranking: 5
Tournament wins: 5
The Frenchman feels at home on all courts. His style of play is strongly reminiscent of Richard Gasquet, the "Mozart" of tennis. Pioline also had a strong one-handed backhand and his style was always elegant. However, Pioline seemed to have a mental problem. He lost his first nine finals and thus secured himself an unwelcome record.
Unfortunately, his two major finals were also among them. He faced Pete Sampras at both the US Open in 1993 and Wimbledon in 1997. Both times he was unable to withstand the American's power. Nevertheless, he won the Davis Cup twice in his career (1996 and 2001).
Career: 1990 to 2004
Grand Slams: 2 x finals (Australian Open, US Open), 4 x semi-finals, 4 x quarter-finals
Highest ranking: 4
Tournament wins: 8
American men's tennis in the early 1990s was dominated by Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Michael Chang. Behind them was Martin, who therefore jokingly referred to himself as the "fifth Beatle".
At 1.98 meters tall, the "Gentle Giant" preferred to play serve-and-volley, but was also solid on the baseline. His compatriots almost always stood in front of him: in 1994, he was beaten by Sampras in the Australian Open final. In the same year, he lost to Sampras again in the Wimbledon semi-final, before also losing the US Open semi-final to Agassi. In 1999, he also squandered a 2:1 set lead in the US Open final against Agassi.
His easiest starting position was probably in the 1996 Wimbledon semi-final, when he faced MaliVai Washington. However, his compatriot inflicted a bitter five-set defeat on him, and the lower-ranked Richard Kracijek would have awaited him in the final.
Career: 2000 to 2019
Grand Slams: 1 x final (French Open), 5 x semi-finals, 8 x quarter-finals
Highest ranking: 3
Tournament wins: 26
David Ferrer, an underrated player and great personality, retired from the tennis stage at the end of 2019. Hardly anyone suffered more from the competition of the "Big 4" than the Spaniard. Roger Federer won all 17 duels against him, for example. Nevertheless, his numbers are impressive: since the introduction of the ATP Tour in 1990, the 38-year-old from Valencia has been ranked No. 3 with 1,111 matches played and No. 4 with 734 victories - ex-aequo with Pete Sampras and one victory ahead of Andre Agassi. He also won the Davis Cup three times.
What is missing, however, is an exploit at the highest level. In 2013, he lost the French Open final against Nadal, at the US Open and the Australian Open he reached the semi-finals twice (three times against Djokovic, once against Murray) and Ferrer lost the 2007 Masters final against Federer.
At 1.75 meters, the combative Spaniard was probably simply too small. Although Ferrer was always one of the fastest and most intelligent players on the tour, he was unable to make up for his physical handicap and the lack of free points on serve, despite all his efforts. There is therefore another way of looking at it: Hardly anyone has made as much out of his opportunities as the David of tennis.
2nd place - 24 points
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Career: 2004 to 2022
Grand Slams: 1 x final (Australian Open), 5 x semi-finals, 9 x quarter-finals
Highest ranking: 5
Tournament wins: 18
The 39-year-old from Le Mans has won 18 ATP tournaments in his career - ten of them in France. In 2008, he reached the final of the Australian Open, and Tsonga made it to 5th place in the world rankings.
In top form, "Ali", as he was nicknamed after boxing legend Muhammad Ali, could also pose a threat to the "Big Four". The Frenchman was particularly dangerous on fast surfaces with his service and forehand. His speed was also impressive. His return game and backhand were probably too weak for the really big triumph. Tsonga ended his career on his 15th appearance at the 2022 French Open.
Career: 2002 to 2019
Grand Slams: 1 x final (Wimbledon), 6 x semi-finals, 9 x quarter-finals
Highest ranking: 4
Tournament wins: 13
The 34-year-old, who retired at the end of 2019, remained in the top 10 of the rankings without interruption from July 2010 to October 2017. His serve and power - especially on the forehand - made him dangerous on any surface, especially grass. Despite the technical strengths of his game, Berdych was known for letting his nerves get the better of him in important matches. Not a good prospect when you have to fight against the "Big 4".
As a result, he never achieved the big coup in the form of a Grand Slam title. In 2010, he lost to Nadal in the Wimbledon final after beating Federer in the quarter-finals. Nevertheless, he reached the semi-finals at least once at all major tournaments. He also won the Davis Cup with the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2013.
Find out which are the best tennis players who have never won a Grand Slam tournament here on blue Sport this weekend.
