Tennis is a lonely sport at the top, but it’s even lonelier when the top is always occupied by someone else. Throughout history, some extremely talented players have been stuck playing second fiddle to a generational rival who always seemed to steal the spotlight.
Whether it was bad timing, unfortunate matchups, or just plain bad luck, these 16 stars had all the tools—but found themselves trapped in the shadow of someone greater. They still had incredible careers, but their legacies often come with an asterisk: the rival who kept beating them to the big prize.
16. Marin Čilić
A Grand Slam champion in his own right, Čilić often found his runs ended by the usual suspects. When the Big Three were lurking, there wasn’t much room left for anyone else to thrive.
15. Samantha Stosur
She was a consistent presence in the late stages of tournaments but rarely broke through when Serena or Sharapova were around. Her lone Slam win felt like a moment of daylight in an otherwise cloudy forecast.
14. David Ferrer
Ferrer had all the grit and endurance in the world, but he was constantly getting stonewalled by Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer. He was a top-5 player in the wrong era.
13. Tomas Berdych
Berdych brought power, style, and steadiness, but not even his best could dent the dominance of the Big Four. His resume is filled with “almosts” and “ran into Novak” stories.
12. Dinara Safina
She reached multiple Slam finals and even held the No. 1 ranking, but Serena Williams was always there to slam the door shut. Fans questioned her top ranking because her biggest rival always had the bigger moments.
11. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Electric and crowd-pleasing, Tsonga could beat anyone—except when it really mattered against Djokovic or Federer. He was box office, but not box score.
10. Elena Dementieva
She had the game and the determination, but just couldn’t get past the Williams sisters when it counted. A fixture in deep draws, her story always ran into a Serena-shaped wall.
9. Kei Nishikori
Nishikori broke barriers for Asian men’s tennis, but Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic kept him from winning the sport’s biggest prizes. Injuries didn’t help, but the era he played in might’ve been a bigger hurdle.
8. Victoria Azarenka
Vika had the power and personality to be a dominant force, but she had the misfortune of peaking during Serena’s second act. She fought hard, but Serena just fought harder.
7. Andy Roddick
Roddick’s serve was lightning, and his wit even sharper, but Federer was his eternal kryptonite. Without Roger, he might have racked up several more Slams.
6. Vera Zvonareva
She made back-to-back Slam finals in 2010 but ran into Serena and Clijsters at full throttle. No shame in those losses, but they did keep her from taking the final step.
5. Stan Wawrinka
Stan was explosive when on, but Novak Djokovic always seemed to have a counterpunch. He won Slams, yes—but imagine how many more without Novak in the way.
4. Jelena Janković
She hit No. 1 in the world but couldn’t claim a Slam, often blocked by Serena or other top rivals. For a while, she was everywhere—except the winner’s circle.
Read More: When Serena and Djokovic Made Tennis Feel Like Live Theater
3. Gaël Monfils
Pure athleticism and flair made Monfils a fan favorite, but never a Slam champion. He had to deal with peak Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray—basically a nightmare draw every tournament.
Read More: Ranking the 20 Best Female Tennis Players of All Time
2. Caroline Wozniacki
She held the top ranking for what felt like forever without a Slam win—until she finally broke through. But for years, the narrative was always that someone else was just a bit better.
Read More: 15 Tennis Stars Who Deserve a Major Before They Retire
1. Andy Murray
Murray was a three-time Slam winner and an Olympic champion, yet he still felt like the forgotten member of the Big Four. If he were born five years later, he might’ve ruled the sport—unfortunately, he showed up at the same time as three all-timers.
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