Best player without a G.S

[Olli Jokinen]

For me it's Rios (easily)

While he only made 1 slam final...he won a large number of masters series titles and other titles in general.
Tons of talent, great to watch and of course.....got to #1 in the world.

I know he's probably really rich and enjoying his life (he's still real young), but sooner or later he's going to hate himself for squandering his God given game. I know he was injured a lot, but some of that could probably be attributed to be being out of shape and just not giving mazimum effort.

Rios was like a left handed Agassi, but with:
Better movement
better athleticism
more power WHAT?
Huge (lefty) Serve WHAT?
more variety

A true waste of talent.

He was never a power player. Did you even watch the guy play?

 

[BumElbow]

Guillermo Coria. He was fantastic on clay.

 

[Dan Lobb]

Should consider Luis Ayala, twice runner-up at French, but a tough out on clay. Won the Italian against tough opponents.
Won La Baule in France in 1964, defeating Hoad and Laver.

 

[Dan Lobb]

I would have to say Marcelo Rios.

And also Pancho Segura.

Butch Buchholz.

 

[Shanna7]

Wendy Turnbull ..3 slam finals ..ran into Evert in 2 ..3 wins over Navratilova...also beat Austin madlikova shriver king
wade etc .8 yrs in top 10...enters the conversation re best not to win a GS

 

[jxs653]

Just occurred to me, perhaps one who has reached number 1 without winning a slam if there is any such a player?

 

[BauerAlmeida]

Just occurred to me, perhaps one who has reached number 1 without winning a slam if there is any such a player?

Ríos, Lendl, and I'm not sure if Medvedev did as well.

 

[Break To Win]

Tommy Haas and Nalbandian.

 

[Olli Jokinen]

Ríos, Lendl, and I'm not sure if Medvedev did as well.

But Lendl and Med both have slams.

 

[jrepac]

Ríos, Lendl, and I'm not sure if Medvedev did as well.

Meaning, Lendl got to #1 w/out winning a slam...in '83....then winning the FO in '84

 

[Olli Jokinen]

Meaning, Lendl got to #1 w/out winning a slam...in '83....then winning the FO in '84

Ok, like that.

 

[Dan Lobb]

There was an offhand comment by Kramer that Kovacs, one of the most talented players ever, never won a major.

However,, Kovacs won the 1951 Cleveland event which was recognized by the PTPA as the U.S. Pro for that year.

Another gifted player who never won a major was J. Gilbert Hall, who won 39 tournaments but never played the majors apart from the U.S. Open.

At Forest Hills he had bad luck being stopped by Vines in 1932, Vines' best year, and then about five times in close five set matches, some of which he led by two sets, against Sidney Wood, a player whose game resembled Hall's game.

 

[Dan Lobb]

I don't know if Dennis Ralston has been mentioned in this thread, but, I would have to put him at or near the top of my list. He was big, a great shotmaker with classic, text book strokes. He was the top ranked American for 3 consecutive years in the 60's, He lost the 66' Wimbledon singles final to Manuel Santana, won 5 major doubles titles, and was inducted in to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987. He was also considered the best Davis Cup captain the U.S. ever had. His weakness was that there were too many expectations that he would be the next great American after Gonzales, and he was too hard on himself.

He must have gone into the Hall of Fame as a doubles player, because that singles record would not do it.

 

[PDJ]

Got to agree with this. Rios is the only ATP number one to have never won a singles grand slam.

In the womens game it has to be Pam Shriver (if we are talking about winning a singles slam of course).

Of that era, I think Sukova has a greater claim.

 

[alexio]