Best player not to win each slam (so far!)

[Great Hands]

Who do you think is the best player at each slam never to win it (yet)?!

Here are my choices.

AO: Andy Murray
The only player in the Open era to be in 4 AO finals and not win it. The past 6 years, he's lost to either Federer, possibly the greatest player of all time, or Djokovic, who's the greatest AO player of the Open era and looks like becoming the all-time greatest AO player. Murray has played some amazing tennis at the AO, including wins over both Rafa and Roger (still his only win over Federer at a slam and one of only 2 wins over Rafa at slams). His 5 set classics against Novak in 2012 and Roger in 2013 are two of the best performances of his career, better than his performances in the finals that won him his two slams in my opinion. The tennis was higher quality.
His losses: 2010 - Fed, 2011- Novak, 2012- Novak, 2013 - Novak, 2014 - Fed, 2015 - Novak.

FO - Novak Djokovic
By far the second best clay court player of the last 5 years, he's lost to the greatest clay court player ever, Nadal, in 2012, 2013, and 2014, twice in the final and once in a SF that was a final in all but name. That year, he was a break up in the fifth but let it slip, ending up losing the 5th 7-9. In 2015, he finally beats Nadal, and reaches the final yet again, only to lose to an inspired Wawrinka.

WD - Andy Roddick
Lost to Federer, the greatest grass courter ever, in 3 finals and a SF, in 03, 04, 05 and 09.
That 09 final, Roddick was a set up, and had a bunch of set points in a row in the second set tie break to go up 2 sets to love, missed one volley putaway, and Federer came roaring back and won the tiebreak 8-6. Despite that set back, Roddick did not go away, but kept fighting to take it to another tie-break in the third, which was also tight, that he just lost 7-5. He was now 2 sets to one down having still never lost his serve, and coming very close to winning the two sets he lost. And still he didn't give up. He won the fourth set 6-3. Then he kept fighting, in the longest 5th set in grand slam final history. Still having not lost serve all match, even though he'd broken Federer to win the sets he won, he finally succumbed and got broken when he could hardly move his feet for tiredness and lost 14-16. Still Roddick's best ever performance at a slam, even though he didn't win, better than his USO win in 2003.

USO - Bjorn Borg
Borg made 4 USO finals in 76, 78, 80 and 81. He also lost in the SF to Connors in 75. He lost to all-time greats and home favourites in all 4 finals, to Connors in the first 2 finals and McEnroe in the second 2, including a classic 5 set final against McEnroe in 1980, which Borg lost 4-6 in the fifth.

So close but yet so far.
Some pretty agonising defeats there...

So, have I missed out people? Who would be your picks?

 

[Kieran]

Good list, and a great idea!

Sampras is the greatest player to never win the FO - but as you phrased it as "the best player at each slam never to win it" I'd go with Novak, for the record he has there.

I'd have Lendl as the greatest player never to win Wimbledon, though, or Ken Rosewall. Roddick wasn't a great player, but these men were.

And McEnroe as the greatest player who never won Oz, (and nor did Borg, though he only played there once). Going again by your criteria - "the best player at each slam never to win it" - neither Mac or Borg made any huge assaults on Oz, so Murray's endless cycle of final defeats there gets it.

Agree with Borg, and the USO...

 

[Great Hands]

Good list, and a great idea!

Thanks, Kieran!

I'd have Lendl as the greatest player never to win Wimbledon, though, or Ken Rosewall. Roddick wasn't a great player, but these men were.

And McEnroe as the greatest player who never won Oz, (and nor did Borg, though he only played there once)...

I think you were thinking along the lines of all-time greats who have a slam missing from their resume, whereas I was thinking of players who came very close many times at a particular slam, but never won it, regardless of their overall greatness.

I think I thought of Roddick because he came so close, especially in 09, whereas Lendl lost in straights in both his finals, and of course Roddick made more finals than Lendl, but of course Lendl was in a tough era, and lost to a lot of greats in the semis too. Then again, Roddick kept losing to Roger - doesn't get tougher than that on grass.

Rosewall is an excellent choice, better than mine. Not even taking into account the fact he couldn't play WD for 11 years as a pro, he made 4 finals and 2 SFs, and losing to greats of the game too, like Hoad, Newcombe and Connors. O.k., I'm changing to Rosewall!

McEnroe is certainly among the greatest all-time greats who didn't win the AO, but looking at his Wikipedia page, he only played it intermittently,and never made a final, and only one SF. So although he is undoubtedly a far greater player than Murray overall, in terms of his performances at the AO, Murray has the far better record, and has come much closer much more often.

I'm interested in the earlier eras because I know less about it. Didn't Borg have a USO final where he had a good chance but really blew it mentally? Was that the 1980 final?

 

[Great Hands]

Oh, I see you've edited your post, and gone with Murray at the AO, for the same reasons as me.

 

[Kieran]

I'm interested in the earlier eras because I know less about it. Didn't Borg have a USO final where he had a good chance but really blew it mentally? Was that the 1980 final?

More or less, yeah. He was chasing the calendar year slam, FO and Wimbo in the bag, but lost the first two sets against young McEnroe, before he clawed his way back to take it to the fifth. By now, Mac was showing signs of tiredness from his semi (don't get me started buddy, he finished a long semi against Connors less than 20 hours before the final, this ain't Djoker here! :snicker ) and Borg was serving at 3-3 in the fifth...and he served two double faults. :cover

McEnroe broke to lead 4-3, and he was energised by this enough to hold serve twice to win it. Billie Jean King stated afterwards that she saw panic in Borg's eyes, and for once the ice cold one bottled it. He was never the same player again after this... :nono

 

[Great Hands]

I'm interested in the earlier eras because I know less about it. Didn't Borg have a USO final where he had a good chance but really blew it mentally? Was that the 1980 final?

More or less, yeah. He was chasing the calendar year slam, FO and Wimbo in the bag, but lost the first two sets against young McEnroe, before he clawed his way back to take it to the fifth. By now, Mac was showing signs of tiredness from his semi (don't get me started buddy, he finished a long semi against Connors less than 20 hours before the final, this ain't Djoker here! :snicker ) and Borg was serving at 3-3 in the fifth...and he served two double faults. :cover

McEnroe broke to lead 4-3, and he was energised by this enough to hold serve twice to win it. Billie Jean King stated afterwards that she saw panic in Borg's eyes, and for once the ice cold one bottled it. He was never the same player again after this... :nono

Ah, interesting stuff, Kieran, thanks. It sounds very dramatic!

 

[Kieran]

Dramatic, yes, and traumatic for me. Borg was the player I idolised when I was a kid... :cry

 

[Great Hands]

Oh dear! I wish I could say I feel your pain, but I can't imagine what it must be like to see your fave lose in a slam final. After all, I'm a Murray fan.:snicker

 

[Kieran]

Oh dear! I wish I could say I feel your pain, but I can't imagine what it must be like to see your fave lose in a slam final. After all, I'm a Murray fan.:snicker

:lolz:

 

[Front242]

^ On that note, I'm still saddened by Nalbandian losing to Hewitt at Wimbledon 2002. Who knows, if he'd won that slam he may have gone on to have a better career than he did and more than just a couple of incredible but sporadic moments of genius.

 

[Great Hands]

^ On that note, I'm still saddened by Nalbandian losing to Hewitt at Wimbledon 2002. Who knows, if he'd won that slam he may have gone on to have a better career than he did and more than just a couple of incredible but sporadic moments of genius.

Yeah, the way his career went was a real shame. When he was on form, he was so fun to watch...

 

[Kirijax]

Good thread Great Hands.

AO: I'll have to agree with you on Andy Murray. His collection of AO platters is becoming impressive. Somehow I think he will break through and win one someday soon.

FO: Agreed on Djokovic, although that '84 final where McEnroe lost it after being so close stands out in my mind. But that was his only final there. Again, Djokovic will win that one soon I think. How about a Murray AO win and a Djokovic FO win? Then we can do this thread all over again! :snicker

Wimbledon. The '09 final still makes me depressed when I think about it. So wanted Roddick to finally take that one. I was so mad at Federer during the awards ceremony. "You greedy bastage!" :snicker But Roddick played way over his level that tournament and his Ivanisevic moment just wasn't meant to be. But I would have to go with Lendl (just slightly over Rosewall). Lendl made no secret about wanting to win the thing and even skipped his favorite FO in '90 to devote himself to winning it, only to fall to Edberg in the SF.

USO: Who other than Borg? No one has ever been so successful at both the FO and Wimby and yet fail so miserably at winning the Open. I grew into tennis watching him fall again and again. It convinced that the USO is a different animal than the other three majors and you almost have to go into with a WWE mindset to win the thing.

Who has made the most Slam finals but never won? Maybe two? Phillipposis, Soderling, Mecir off the top of my head. Soderling is maybe the unluckiest guy, having beaten Nadal, only to lose to Federer and then the next year beat Federer only to lose to Nadal.

 

[Great Hands]

Good thread Great Hands.

Thanks!

AO: I'll have to agree with you on Andy Murray. His collection of AO platters is becoming impressive. Somehow I think he will break through and win one someday soon.

I hope you're right!

FO: Agreed on Djokovic, although that '84 final where McEnroe lost it after being so close stands out in my mind.

Yeah, maybe we could expand this thread to 'near misses at slams, agonising defeats' etc. For all those tennis masochists out there who want to wallow in past miseries!:snicker

But that was his only final there. Again, Djokovic will win that one soon I think. How about a Murray AO win and a Djokovic FO win?

How about this in 2016? I'd take that, I'd be happy for both of them!:clap

Wimbledon. The '09 final still makes me depressed when I think about it. So wanted Roddick to finally take that one.

Me too. That was emotionally draining viewing. I kept expecting Roddick to crumble, or his level to dip, and it just didn't until the very, very end.

I was so mad at Federer during the awards ceremony. "You greedy bastage!" :snicker

:laydownlaughing

But I would have to go with Lendl (just slightly over Rosewall). Lendl made no secret about wanting to win the thing and even skipped his favorite FO in '90 to devote himself to winning it,

Good point. It got to be a real obsession with him, didn't it? Andy referenced that in his speech when he won WD, didn't he? 'This one's specially for Ivan, cause he tried everything to win this when he was playing', something like that.

USO: Who other than Borg? No one has ever been so successful at both the FO and Wimby and yet fail so miserably at winning the Open. I grew into tennis watching him fall again and again. It convinced that the USO is a different animal than the other three majors and you almost have to go into with a WWE mindset to win the thing.

We all agree on Borg then.

Who has made the most Slam finals but never won? Maybe two? Phillipposis, Soderling, Mecir off the top of my head. Soderling is maybe the unluckiest guy, having beaten Nadal, only to lose to Federer and then the next year beat Federer only to lose to Nadal.

Yeah, that was a weird one. The two years in a row that were like mirror images of each other.

On the subject of players coming close but no cigar, Tim Henman also springs to mind. 6 slam SFs, losing 5 of them to the eventual champion. At WD especially, 4 SFs, losing each time to the eventual champion. Twice to all-time great Sampras, then to Ivanisevic - who wouldn't even have been in the draw were it not for the WD committee giving him a wild card. Henman was in control of the match until it started raining and the match went on for about 5 years with them coming on and off the court and eventually Henman lost in 5 after being so close to winning in the 4th set tiebreak. Then the next year Henman's serve-volley style plays into the hands of Lleyton Hewitt on the newly slowed-down grass courts. The phrase 'just wasn't meant to be' seems to apply to Tim too.

 

[Great Hands]

Another WD 'near misser' - Rafter. Those two fantastic five set SFs against Agassi in 2000 and 2001, where he played amazingly to win both, followed by those two back to back WD finals, where he came very close both times. Won the first set and was closing in on the second against an injury plagued Sampras, and then, by his own admission, choked in the second set tiebreak and ended up losing in 4. The following year, losing that absolute epic to Ivanisevic 7-9 in the fifth.

Or what about another Aussie named Pat, Cash this time, at the AO? Coming so close to winning his home slam. In 87, he beat all-time great and world no.1 Ivan Lendl in the semis, and then in the final he came back from two sets to love down against another all-time great, Edberg, only to lose in five sets. The following year, he reached the final again, again defeating world no.1 Lendl in the semis, this time in 5 sets, only to lose another 5 set match in the final, this time to another all-time great, Wilander, 6-8 in the fifth.

Funny how the 2 serve-volleying Aussies named Pat had a very similar experience, Cash at AO, Rafter at WD. Both defeated the same all-time great in consecutive semis to reach two consecutive finals, only to lose both finals. But both did achieve grand slam triumph elsewhere - Cash at Wimby, Rafter at the USO.

 

[Kieran]

Rafter and Cash were good but not great. Rosewall is the great who missed the boat. Borg is probably the best example of the all-time great who serially fell short at a slam in the final. He fills both criteria: best player who never won that major, and your good criteria of "the best player at each slam never to win it."

Interestingly, a lot of people easily say that Novak will definitely win RG some time in the vague future - but nobody says the same about Andy at Oz (for good reason)...

 

[Kirijax]

Rafter and Cash were good but not great. Rosewall is the great who missed the boat. Borg is probably the best example of the all-time great who serially fell short at a slam in the final. He fills both criteria: best player who never won that major, and your good criteria of "the best player at each slam never to win it."

Interestingly, a lot of people easily say that Novak will definitely win RG some time in the vague future - but nobody says the same about Andy at Oz (for good reason)...

aHEM! :dodgy:

 

[Great Hands]

Rafter and Cash were good but not great. Rosewall is the great who missed the boat. Borg is probably the best example of the all-time great who serially fell short at a slam in the final. He fills both criteria: best player who never won that major, and your good criteria of "the best player at each slam never to win it."

I agree with you on all of this! In mentioning Rafter and Cash I was expanding the topic and bringing in 'near missers' at particular slams, but I agree about Rosewall at Wimby and Borg at USO.