Five Tennis Legends Who Never Won the ATP Finals – Featuring Rafael Nadal

Five Tennis Legends Who Never Won the ATP Finals – Featuring Rafael Nadal

The ATP Finals, established in 1970, is one of tennis’ most prestigious tournaments. While icons like Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have claimed the title multiple times, some remarkable players fell short of this elusive accolade.

Here’s a closer look at five tennis greats who never managed to lift the ATP Finals trophy.

Rafael Nadal
Despite his incredible career, which includes 14 French Open titles, four US Open titles, two Wimbledon titles, two Australian Open titles, and an Olympic singles gold medal, Rafael Nadal never won the ATP Finals.

The Spaniard competed in the year-end championships 11 times, withdrawing six additional times due to injuries. Although he reached the final twice—losing to Roger Federer in 2010 and Novak Djokovic in 2013—he couldn’t secure the title. Nadal also made semi-final appearances in 2007, 2010, 2015, and 2020. However, the indoor hard courts, historically his least successful surface, posed a significant challenge.

Nadal holds the unfortunate distinction of participating in the most ATP Finals tournaments without winning the title.

Jim Courier
Jim Courier, a four-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1, was a dominant force in the 1990s. He won the Australian Open and Roland Garros twice and also reached the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Despite his impressive record, Courier never claimed the ATP Finals title. He lost the 1991 final to his compatriot and rival Pete Sampras in four sets and fell to Boris Becker in Frankfurt in 1992. He competed in the event in 1993 and 1995 but failed to progress past the group stage.

Mats Wilander
Mats Wilander, a Swede with seven Grand Slam singles titles, was another great who couldn’t secure the ATP Finals trophy. His accolades include three Australian Open titles, three French Open wins, and a 1988 US Open victory.

Wilander reached the ATP Finals for seven consecutive years but only made it to the championship match once, in 1987, where he lost to five-time champion Ivan Lendl. He also reached the semi-finals in 1983, 1984, and 1986 but never advanced further.

Dominic Thiem
Dominic Thiem, who reached a career-high ranking of world No. 3, is best known for winning the US Open in 2020. He also made two Roland Garros finals and one Australian Open final, proving his mettle against the sport’s best.

Thiem came close to winning the ATP Finals twice, reaching the championship match in 2019 and 2020. However, he fell short both times, losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2019 and Daniil Medvedev in 2020, both in three-set battles.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Kafelnikov, a former world No. 1 and Olympic gold medalist, was among the top players of the late 1990s and early 2000s. He won the French Open in 1996 and the Australian Open in 1999.

Kafelnikov reached the ATP Finals final in 1997 but was defeated in straight sets by Pete Sampras, who was at the peak of his career. The Russian also reached the semi-finals in 1999 and 2001, qualifying for the event for seven consecutive years but never lifting the trophy.

These players, despite their legendary careers, found the ATP Finals title just out of reach, highlighting the unique challenges of the tournament.