Saturday, June 16, 2007

Top Ten Male Tennis Players without Career Grand Slam

You can find some legends in the history of tennis. The names are big enough to attract you in this popular sport. However, some of them are not so lucky even though they have hardly left anything to achieve in tennis. Today I have searched in internet to find out some of those unlucky legends of world tennis who could not win all the grand slam titles in their career. I became astonished that the list does not seem so short. In open era, only Roy Emerson could win all the grand slam titles in his career in men’s singles. Out of ten six players could not win any singles tournament in French Open.


Pete Sampras

Pete Sampras is regarded as the greatest male tennis players in the history of tennis. Sampras won 14 Grand Slam titles in his career which is still a record in the history of Men’s tennis. However, unfortunately Pete Sampras even could not reach at the final of the French Open. In 1996, he could reach at the semi-final of the French Open which is the best ever performance of Sampras in French Open. What made me surprised is that Sampras was world no.1 in the ATP ranking for record 286 weeks but could not even win a single title in French Open. Moreover, he is the only player in the Male tennis history who could finish six consecutive years as no.1 in the ranking. Speedy serve specially the quick second serve was the best weapons of Pete Sampras. However, in producing ‘aces’ and ‘running forehand’, he is considered as the best ever players in the history of Men’s tennis.

Image Courtesy: Wikipedia

Roger Federer

Roger Federer is another great tennis player who also has not won any French Open titles in his glorious career. Federer got into professional tennis in 1998 and till date he has already won 10 Grand Slam titles except the French Open. Roger Federer played in the final of French Open twice but lost to Rafael Nadal in both times. This current world no. 1 has never lost in any Grand Slam tournament finals except these two in French Open. He is skilled in different tennis shots especially in ground stroke from both sides. It is a bit hard to guess if Federer can win his most desired French Open title in his career to be out of this list.


Image Courtesy: Wikipedia

Jimmy Connors

French Open has been left to win by another tennis great Jimmy Connors. Winning 8 Grand Slam tournaments he has become a part of the tennis history. Jimmy Connors reached at the semi-final of the French Open for four times but could not make it to the final even in his successful career. This American won five US Open tournaments in his career and became one of the most successful male tennis players in US Open history. Statistics can not depict the greatness of Jimmy Connors. For your convenience, I like to inform you that some of the tennis greats were his contemporaries including Björn Borg. John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe ect.


Image Courtesy: BBC

Ivan Lendl

The disappointment for Ivan Lendl, another tennis great, came to Wimbledon. He has also won 8 Grand Slam in his career except Wimbledon. He played in the final of French Open twice but could not lift the trophy. This Czech tennis star was one of the best tennis players of 1980s. Ivan Lendl could finish four years as world no. 1 and remain no.1 for 270 weeks which was a record at that time. There was hardly anything left that Ivan could not win except Wimbledon. To me, it is really a big disappointment for a great player but it does not mean that it can decrease the greatness of a great player.


Image Courtesy: BBC

Mats Wilander

This great Swedish tennis player could never win even a single title in Wimbledon in his successful playing career. His performance in Wimbledon does not go with his overall career success with Seven Grand Slam titles. Compared to his performance in other Grand Slam tournaments, Mats Wilander’s performance in Wimbledon is very ordinary. Mats Wilander even could never reach at the semi-final of Wimbledon. However, he is still regarded as one of the finest tennis player in the history of tennis. He has been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002. Mats Wilander was famous for his strong competitive approach.


Image Courtesy: BBC

Bjorn Borg

Sometimes fate can play with you and you can not find anything to win against it. The same thing happened to Bjorn Borg, one of the most respected characters in the history of Tennis. He won 11 Grand Slam titles in his career but he could never lift trophy in Australian Open and US Open. Bjorn Borg was born in Sweden and being fascinated by a golden racquet of his father, Borg started playing tennis. Later on, this former world no. 1 achieved a golden career in international arena with 11 Grand Slam tournaments. Only Pete Sampras (14) and Roy Emerson (12) are ahead of Bjorn Borg in terms of Grand Slam titles. Bjorn Borg played four finals in US Open consecutively. However, in Australian Open, he could show a very ordinary performance.


Image Courtesy: Tennis.Com

John McEnroe

John McEnroe is one of the greatest figures in Men’s tennis. He dominated in 1980s in world tennis and could win seven Grand Slam tournaments He has won four US Open and three Wimbledon tournaments in his career. However, he could not win any single title in French Open and Australian Open. John McEnroe reached the final of the French Open in 1984 but lost to Ivan Lendl and in Australian Open; his best performance was reaching to semi-final. This German born American tennis legend had a huge dominance in his time over the world tennis.


Image Courtesy: Wikipedia

Boris Becker

This German born tennis player is also considered as one of the greatest entertainer of this game of sport. Boris Becker has won 6 Grand Slam tournaments including three Wimbledon titles two Australian Open titles and one US Open titles. However, he could not get anything from French Open despite reaching at the semi-finals for three occasions. Becker won gold medal in Olympic. He became professional tennis player in 1984. At 17, he won his first Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon which was a record at that time. Boris Becker was very famous among the fans of his time.


Image Courtesy: Wikipedia

Stefan Edberg

Stefan Edberg is another unlucky tennis great who could not win French Open in his career. This former world no.1 won 6 Grand Slam tournaments in his glorious career. He won the other three Grand Slam tournaments twice in his career. He was born in Sweden and came to the lime light while playing in junior level. Stefan Edberg became profession in 1983 and before that he won Junior Grand Slam. So, form the very beginning of his career he was always under the lime light. In August 1990, he became the world no.1 in ATP ranking. Serve and volley are the two top most weapons of Stefan Edberg.


Image Courtesy: Tennis.Com

Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr.

Arthur Ashe is one of the most famous African American in the history. When he won the 1968 US Open, he became the first African American to achieve such feat. In his career, he won three Grand Slam tournaments. He won US Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open once in his career but he could not lift the French Open title. He reached at the quarter final round of the French Open twice. Arthur Ashe had a great popularity as a social worker. He worked for different social issues like racism, AIDS etc. It is noteworthy that Ashe himself was died of AIDS. He was a great player as well as a great social worker.



Image Courtesy: English.ucla


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