Winning a majors title is undoubtedly the highest dream a tennis player can have. And yet, the sport has a way of crowning brilliant careers, even with that one missing jewel: A Grand Slam title. As of today, five established names stand out on the ATP Tour as major-caliber players who, despite reaching multiple finals, big wins, and high rankings, still haven’t crossed that final Grand Slam line. Below, we have compiled a list for your reference, highlighting the big career moments of these five male tennis stars: Early breakthroughs, first notable Grand Slam moments, signature pro wins, and their most recent major results, who are yet to bag their maiden Grand Slam triumph.

Alexander Zverev

Sascha Zverev has been one of the most complete players of his generation: Big serve, powerful baseline game matching the modern ways of tennis, and a record of deep runs in the biggest events. He was a top junior (winning the 2014 Australian Open junior title) and quickly translated promise into results on Tour. Zverev multiple ATP titles and becoming one of the youngest to win on the Challenger circuit before rising through the top ranks. Zverev’s Grand Slam résumé includes multiple finals appearances (he’s been runner-up at the French Open and the US Open once each, and thrice at Wimbledon), and he added the gold-medal at Tokyo 2020 for Germany and ATP Finals titles to an already impressive trophy cabinet. He remains one of the highest-ranked players never to have won a major but continues to be a title favorite at big events.

Big moments to note: Junior Grand Slam success (2014 AO juniors), early Challenger/ATP breakthroughs as a teenager, Olympic gold (Tokyo 2020), multiple Grand Slam finals (runner-ups), and consistent presence inside the top ranks. 

Taylor Fritz

The American’s rise has been steady and unmistakable. Fritz turned pro as a teenager and claimed his first ATP Tour title at Eastbourne in 2019 - his official breakthrough at tour level. Over the following seasons he continued to add trophies, crack the top 10/5 range, and post breakthrough Grand Slam runs that culminated in his first major final appearance (the career landmark came at the 2024 US Open). Fritz’s game: Big serve, aggressive forehand and calm match management, has made him the United States’ top man and a perennial threat at majors.

Big moments to note: First ATP title at Eastbourne (2019), steady climb into the top tier of the rankings, and his first Grand Slam deep runs that established him as the face of American men’s tennis. Ahead of this year’s US Open, too, Taylor was hailed as one of the stars who could potentially end the USA’s two-decade-long draught of men’s singles at Flushing Meadows.

Grigor Dimitrov

Dimitrov’s career has been defined by near-classics and an elegant, all-court style that once earned him the “Baby Fed” tag. His first top-level ATP wins came young (a notable early win in Rotterdam in 2009), and his breakthrough Grand Slam moment arrived at Wimbledon 2014 when he reached his first major semi-final after beating top players, a run that catapulted him into the top 10.

Dimitrov later claimed the biggest title of his career by winning the season-ending ATP Finals in 2017 as an undefeated champion and achieving a career-high world No. 3 ranking, proving he can beat the very best on a big stage even if a Grand Slam title has eluded him.

Big moments to note: Early ATP main-draw breakthrough, Wimbledon 2014 semi-final that launched his top-10 rise, and the 2017 ATP Finals title, which the crown jewel of his title list.

Andrey Rublev

Rublev exploded onto the scene as a teenager and quickly turned potential into trophies. He made his Grand Slam main-draw debut as a qualifier at the 2015 US Open, and by 2017 he was already lifting ATP titles. Known for relentless intensity, heavy groundstrokes and remarkable consistency, Rublev has stacked up multiple ATP 500/250 wins and has been a fixture in the top 10. While a major title remains missing from his résumé, his string of tour-level titles and match toughness make him a constant threat at every Slam.

Big moments to note: Grand Slam debut as a qualifier (2015 US Open), first ATP trophies in 2017, and steady accumulation of tour-level titles that underline his consistency.

Casper Ruud

Ruud’s rapid ascent, especially on clay, has been one of the sport’s remarkable stories: First Norwegian in years to reach Grand Slam main draws, then rapidly climbing to finals at majors. He qualified for his first Grand Slam main draw at the 2018 Australian Open and followed with numerous ATP titles, clay-court prowess and multiple Grand Slam final appearances (notably at Roland-Garros and the US Open in the last few years).

Ruud’s all-court development and recent Masters-level success have kept him among the game’s elite, who is still chasing that first Major trophy.

Big moments to note: First Grand Slam qualification and main-draw win at the 2018 Australian Open, multiple Grand Slam finals and a climb into elite rankings; consistent Masters/ATP-level trophies on his ledger.

Why this Grand Slam list matters

Each of these five players carries a slightly different story: Zverev and Dimitrov are long-established stars with big-match CVs; Rublev and Ruud have been remarkably consistent and prolific at ATP level; Fritz is the recent American standard-bearer whose game matured into major-contending form. All five have proved they can win big matches, lift trophies and push the game’s very best. All of them are also just missing that Grand Slam hallmark, and that’s what makes every major tournament they enter compelling. Fans who follow the Slams are watching not just for winners, but for the next breakthrough: Which of these names will finally convert their form and fill that one blank on the résumé?

Written by

Diptarko Paul

Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta