Winning an ATP title is a great privilege that even some great players are not able to achieve.
Carlos Alcaraz has won the most titles this year, highlighted by his dramatic victory over Jannik Sinner in the Roland Garros final.
While the Grand Slams are a much higher-calibre of event, there are also lower-tier tournaments on the ATP Tour where players like Alexander Bublik and Luciano Darderi have recently won titles.
However, there is one player on the ATP Tour who just keeps falling short after his defeat in the Washington Open final.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesSteve Johnson names the best player on the ATP Tour who has never won a title
Alex de Minaur beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Washington Open final to win his 10th ATP title.
After losing his fourth consecutive ATP final, despite having three championship points, Davidovich Fokina was understandably emotional.
Even after losing the final of the Washington Open, Davidovich Fokina is now at a career-high of world number 19 in the latest update of the ATP rankings.
When discussing the best players who have never won an ATP title on the Tennis Channel Live podcast, former world 21 and four-time title winner Steve Johnson claimed that Davidovich Fokina is the current best active player without a title.
Johnson also pointed out that former world number 25 Julien Benneteau was actually in 10 ATP finals and never won a title in his career.
“I think ADF (Alejandro Davidovich Fokina) is one of the best guys to not have won a title in his career, he has been in a few finals,” said Johnson. “As of right now on Tour, right now, I believe he is the best without one.
“Julien Benneteau comes to mind [from before], he is 0-10 in finals. There were a couple of them which were very winnable as well. I hope he is not thinking about it too often as he did have a great career.”
The top five active players on the ATP Tour who are yet to win a title
Backing up Johnson’s point, Davidovich Fokina is the highest-ranked active player who is yet to win an ATP title.
There are 15 places between the Spaniard and the next player down in talented young American Alex Michelsen, who has already lost three finals.
Other top 50 players without an ATP title include Matteo Arnaldi, Corentin Moutet and Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
Davidovich Fokina and the rest of these players may have their work cut out for them if they want to win their first ATP title in the coming weeks, with big tournaments taking place in Toronto, Cincinnati and the US Open.
However, Michelsen is the third seed at an upcoming ATP 250 event in Winston-Salem, where he reached the final last year.