Winning Wimbledon is so often the pinnacle of a player’s career – just ask Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Federer and Djokovic have won 15 titles at the All England Club between them, and when it comes to the third Grand Slam of the year, they both spent time dominating it.
Ask most players which Grand Slam they want to win, and most would say Wimbledon, given that it’s the one steeped in tradition.
For some players, however, it’s just not possible, and the famous prize escapes them throughout their career.
It doesn’t just happen to also-rans and the players who you just presume won’t win a Grand Slam ever, but the pressure of SW19 can get to the most talented players.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at five of the greatest players to have never got their hands on a Wimbledon title despite their brilliance.
Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty ImagesAndy Roddick
- Three Wimbledon finals (2004, 2005, 2009)
Nobody has been more unlucky when it comes to not winning Wimbledon than Roddick.
Not only has he been beaten in three finals, but he’s come up against the legendary Roger Federer – arguably the best player ever on grass – in all three.
Roddick remarkably only won one Grand Slam when he claimed the US Open in 2003, and his ability probably should have warranted more major honours.
These days, Roddick is one of the most respected pundits in tennis, and his unorthodox yet thunderous serve will live long in the memory of his fans.
Ken Rosewall
- Four Wimbledon finals (1954, 1956, 1970, 1974)
Despite his reputation as one of the finest in the world, Rosewall just couldn’t get his hands on the famous Wimbledon trophy.
Winning Grand Slams was something he managed to do with aplomb at the other events, but he couldn’t add to his haul of eight with one at Wimbledon.
The Australian performer was the number one player in world tennis in 1961 and won his home Grand Slam on four occasions.
His last Wimbledon final in 1974 saw him lose to Jimmy Connors, and try as he might, he just couldn’t get things to run for him at the All England Club.
Pat Rafter
- Two Wimbledon finals (2000, 2001)
Another Australian who sat at the summit of tennis yet never conquered Wimbledon is Queensland-born Rafter.
Again, he’s a player who can count himself extremely unlucky not to have got over the line, especially considering he was the man who lost to wildcard entrant Goran Ivanisevic in 2001.
The previous year, he was beaten in four sets by Pete Sampras despite winning the first set of the contest.
Rafter claimed two Grand Slam titles during his career, winning the US Open in 1997 and 1998 and given that his game was tailor-made for grass, it’s surprising he never got a Wimbledon accolade.
Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty ImagesIvan Lendl
- Two Wimbledon finals (1986, 1987)
Now this one really is stunning!
Arguably the greatest player to ever swing a racket – certainly during the period he was in his prime – wilted under the intense pressure that Wimbledon can offer.
Lendl lost in successive finals in 1986 and 1987, losing first to Boris Becker and then to Pat Cash the year after.
Lendl won more than once at the other three Grand Slams, claiming eight in total, but found Wimbledon hard going at times.
Jim Courier
- One Wimbledon final (1993)
Courier was another player who sat top of the world rankings for a period of time in his career, but couldn’t achieve glory at Wimbledon.
The final in 1993 was the chance that Courier will look back on, but he couldn’t overcome Sampras at the final hurdle and was left to rue that occasion.
Courier won the Australian Open twice and the French Open a couple of times, but grass never seemed to be the surface for him.
A quality player he was, but the title of Wimbledon champion sadly escaped him.