Grand Slam Champions With the Worst Records in Finals

Heading into 2025, tennis finds itself at a crossroads and on the brink of a new era. The current calendar year was an epic one for numerous reasons, the first of those being that it was the first since 2017 in which all-time great Novak Djokovic didn't win a Grand Slam. With his dominant streak at Wimbledon coming to an end last year thanks to Carlos Alcaraz, the maverick Serb also lost his stranglehold on the Australian Open as well, losing on Melbourne's famed hard courts for the first time since a shock fourth-round exit in 2018.

With Nole dropping off, however, new stars have risen to the fore. The aforementioned Alcaraz was already a prominent force before this year, but the emergence of Jannik Sinner has also thrown a spanner in the works of those who had Grand Slam aspirations. The talented young Italian claimed not one but two Slams in a breakout year, reigning supreme at the Australian Open, as well as ending Slam season with another victory.

While he has a perfect 100% record in Slam finals, some aren't so lucky. Here are some of the worst records in the showpiece contests in history.

Daniil Medvedev

Russia's Daniil Medvedev is without question one of the most consistent performers on the ATP Tour. He's regularly there or there about in both Grand Slams and ranking events. But his record in finals leaves plenty to be desired. Over the years, the 28-year-old has reached no fewer than six Slam finales, inexplicably winning just one of them.

His lone title came at the 2021 US Open, where he delivered a masterclass performance to defeat Novak Djokovic in straight sets. That victory was particularly remarkable as it denied the Serbian sensation a historic calendar-year Slam. It looked as though that victory would usher in a changing of the guard and catapult Medvedev to the summit of world tennis, but unfortunately, he has repeatedly fallen short in the years since.

Heading into that final, the Russian had already lost two finals. He lost the 2019 US Open to Rafael Nadal, before losing to Djokovic in the Land Down Under 18 months later. He would have his revenge for that loss with his first - and to date only - triumph, but more heartache was just around the corner. Medvedev has reached three of the last four Aussie Open finals, losing each of them, most recently to Sinner a year ago, despite racing into a two-set lead.

Now, the bookies still make him a contender in terms of sports betting options. A popular website offering sports betting in Canada makes him a +750 contender for the upcoming Australian Open, solely behind Sinner, Alcaraz, and Djokovic. However, in order to live up to the billing, he will have to break his seemingly endless Melbourne curse, and it’s not clear if he can do that - although the fact that sports betting providers have faith in him may fuel the fans’ belief.

Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick's booming serve led him to the summit in 2003 as he won the US Open on home turf, defeating Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in convincing fashion. At the time, he was seen as the next great hope for American tennis and looked set to follow in the footsteps of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras who had come before him.

Unfortunately for A-Rod, however, he found himself stuck in the shadow of the GOAT, Roger Federer. The Swiss Superman was on a record-breaking tear throughout the 2000s, and no one else on the tour - Roddick included - could keep up. The Texan reached back-to-back Wimbledon finals in 2004 and 2005, only to come up short of his nemesis on both occasions.

The first time around, it looked as though victory was possible when he claimed the first set, only for Federer to come roaring back and claim victory. The following year, he was resoundingly thumped in straight sets. The pair would face off at the All England Club for a third and final time in 2009, and this time around, Roddick claimed the first and fourth sets. Once again though, it was the Swiss sensation that would have the last laugh, stepping up numerous gears to emerge with his fifth Gentleman's singles crown.

The pair also faced off in the 2006 US Open final, and the story would have the same ending. Roddick started brightly, winning the first set 6-2, only for Federer to charge back into life, reeling off three straight sets and leaving the Big Apple with the trophy.

Andy Murray

If you thought Daniil Medvedev's record was bad at the Australian Open, spare a thought for Andy Murray. The Scotsman reached five Melbourne showpieces only to be beaten on each occasion. He was downed by Roger Federer in 2010 before Novak Djokovic took over. The Serbian beat Murray no fewer than four times on the famed hard courts Down Under, handing Murray the unwanted honour of being tennis' nearly man.

By the time Murray had won his first Slam at the 2012 US Open, he had already lost four finals. He lost that year's Wimbledon final against Federer before earning redemption by defeating the all-time great weeks later on the same court to win an Olympic gold medal. He then defeated Djokovic in the Big Apple and it looked as though the floodgates would open.

More success came in 2013 as he became the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the trophy on home turf. But unfortunately, more pain was around the corner. He lost his next three finals, losing to Djokovic on each occasion, twice in Australia and once at Roland Garros. He would claim another Wimbledon crown, however, defeating underdog Milos Raonic in 2016. But that was as good as it got.

Injuries meant that the Scot had to have a surgically replaced hip and he would never return to the form of old. He recently called it quits on his career.