As the 2025 tennis season enters its second half, several top-ranked ATP stars have found themselves under the spotlight, not for their victories, but for their surprising struggles against elite opponents.
A newly surfaced stat reveals a startling trend: some of the tour’s biggest names are yet to record a single win over Top 10 or even Top 20 players this year.
The figures are particularly alarming given the rankings of the players involved.
Despite occupying lofty positions in the ATP standings, a handful of stars have consistently come up short when facing higher-calibre opposition, raising questions about form, confidence, and competitiveness on the sport’s biggest stages.
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Sitting at World No. 7 and 8 respectively, Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur are the two highest-ranked players without a win against Top 10 opposition in 2025.
Both have faced Top 10 players five times each this year, and lost every single match.
Shelton, who enjoyed a breakthrough 2023 and solidified his place in the Top 10 in 2024, has seen his momentum stall in high-stakes matches this season. While his powerful serve and aggressive style make him a threat on most surfaces, his inability to convert those weapons into wins against elite-level competition remains a major concern.
De Minaur, known for his consistency and court coverage, has also failed to deliver in crunch moments. Despite reaching multiple quarterfinals and maintaining a strong win percentage overall, the Aussie has not been able to turn the tide against the best of the best in 2025.
Most recently, the Australian star ousted Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in an epic final at the DC Open, saving three championship points.
World No. 12 Frances Tiafoe is 0-2 against Top 10 opponents this year, while No. 16 Karen Khachanov is 0-3 and No. 20 Grigor Dimitrov is 0-4.
Each of these players has the pedigree to challenge top names, as Tiafoe has reached Grand Slam semifinals, Khachanov owns an Olympic silver medal, and Dimitrov is a former World No. 3.
Their combined 0-9 record against the Top 10 highlights a broader trend: talented veterans and former title contenders struggling to assert themselves against the current top tier. Whether it’s a case of declining form, tactical stagnation, or the new generation simply pulling away, the pattern is becoming harder to ignore.
The picture gets even bleaker when we expand the stat to Top 20 opposition. Khachanov, for instance, is a shocking 0-10 against Top 20 players in 2025.
Despite maintaining his Top 20 ranking, the Russian has consistently faltered against stronger competition, casting doubt on the quality of his wins and the reliability of his form heading into the latter half of the season.
Dimitrov’s 0-4 against the Top 20 mirrors his struggles against the Top 10, while Ugo Humbert (World No. 23) is 0-2 in the same category. Perhaps most surprising of all is World No. 30 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is 0-5 against Top 20 opponents this year.
Once considered part of the "next big three," the Greek star has had a tumultuous season marked by coaching changes, inconsistent results, and now, a complete absence of top-tier wins.
Completing the list is Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, ranked No. 38, who is also 0-10 against Top 20 opponents this year.
While not unexpected from a lower-ranked player, Sonego’s stat puts him in the same conversation as Khachanov in terms of repeated shortcomings at key moments.
Nonetheless, as the ATP rankings reflect a player’s consistency over a rolling 52-week period, these head-to-head stats against top-tier opponents paint a different picture.
With the US Open and the indoor hard-court swing still ahead, these players have time to turn things around.
Sean Killen is a contributing journalist for both DartsNews.com and Tennisuptodate.com, where he balances his university studies with writing news updates, player features, and match reports across both sports.
Before joining the sites, Sean built experience across student and professional media. He serves as TV News Director for Cardiff University TV (CUTV), has reported for Gair Rhydd and The Cardiff Times, and produced viral news coverage that gained international attention. His reporting spans sports, breaking news, and human-interest features, and he’s worked across platforms including print, online, radio, and video.
Sean has followed the ATP and WTA tennis tours closely for years, with a growing interest in darts through the Premier League and World Championship circuits. He brings a sharp eye for storytelling, a commitment to accuracy, and a passion for making niche sports accessible to wider audiences.
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