Longest title drought for ATP?

The Green Mile

Bionic Poster
Anybody know what the longest title drought is for ATP singles players, between two titles? Was thinking about Dimitrov's title drought (2017 ATP Finals to 2024 Brisbane), while watching that 2024 every tournament winner video. Fucsovics not too far behind either with six years (2018 Geneva to 2024 Bucharest).
 
Last edited:
Since I don't think the term "title drought" is necessarily clear, I suggest phrasing the question this way: "What is the longest period of time between titles for a player who has won at least two ATP titles?" Thus, it doesn't count if someone wins a title in his first year and then plays another 15 years without ever winning another one, nor if someone has to play for 15 years before finally winning his first title.
 
Yahiya Doumbia won his first title as the world no. 453 at Lyon in February 1988 as a qualifier, and then his second title as the world no. 282 at Bordeaux in September 1995 also as a qualifier. So a 7 year and 7 month gap there.

Phil Dent had an approximate 8 year and 9 month gap, between his title wins in Sydney in January 1971 and Brisbane in October 1979, the first and second of his 3 official singles titles.
 
Last edited:
Dimitrov's 7 year gap was the longest one that I could find as well. You are right that Fucsovics has a 6 year gap, as do a few other players (Ram, Rochus, Magnus Larsson, Ferrero, Nieminen, Feliciano Lopez).

Edit: at least among matches from the past 3 decades or so.
 
Last edited:
Hi. For any question regarding tennis history and statistics, you should contact "Jeu, Set et Maths" on X. Her name is Constance. Either send her an email or directly contact her on X. She is French but she speaks English very well. She is the absolute Queen of tennis statistics since 1968. The ultimate reference and she is literally never wrong about anything. She just released a book with thousand of stats.

She will answer your question in a NY minute if you ask her.
 
Anybody know what the longest title drought is for ATP singles players, between two titles? Was thinking about Dimitrov's title drought (2017 ATP Finals to 2024 Brisbane), while watching that 2024 every tournament winner video. Fucsovics not too far behind either with six years (2018 Geneva to 2024 Bucharest).
Ram had a 6 year drought in between his 2 career singles titles, both at Newport(2009 & 20015)
yahiya doumbia's two titles (both won as a qualifier):
- lyon, feb. 1988, (indoor carpet), ranked #453
- bordeaux, sept. 1995 (outdoor hard), ranked #282
PS: sorry... didn't see he had already mentioned...... and that you found even better ;)
 
Last edited:
@The Green Mile I was genuinely curious about this so I did some more digging.

Phil Dent won Sydney Outdoor in Jan 1971 and his next title was Brisbane in October of 1979.

A period of over 8.5 years - this seems to be the biggest title gap in the open era, unless I missed something.
Uh, Gizo mentioned Dent earlier in this thread(post 6)
 
Longest streak of a Big 3 member without a title:

Djokovic: Eastbourne (July 2017) - Wimbledon (July 2018)

Federer: Basel (November 2015) - Australian Open (January 2017)

Nadal: Barcelona (April 2016) - Monte Carlo (April 2017)
 
Federer? Then Connors?
Federer is July 2012-January 2017, so about 4.5 years.

Connors is September 1978-September 1982, so about 4 years.

I think Ashe takes it. January 1970 (AO)-July 1975 (Wimbledon), so about 5.5 years.

Of course, I'm not counting players like Rosewall and Laver who crossed over from the pre-Open Era to the Open Era.

EDIT: Also: (1) Agassi in between Connors and Federer with a gap between 1995 AO and 1999 French Open; (2) Becker at #2 behind Ashe with 1991 AO-1996 AO.

EDIT 2: On the women's side, maybe #1 Kuznetsova, with 4+ years between the 2004 U.S. Open and the 2009 French Open; and #2 Mandlíková, with 4+ years between the 1981 French Open and the 1985 U.S. Open.
 
Last edited:
If Nishikori or Raonic would win a title in 2025, I'm sure either of them would have a record for longest drought since neither has won anything since 2016.
 
Federer is July 2012-January 2017, so about 4.5 years.

Connors is September 1978-September 1982, so about 4 years.

I think Ashe takes it. January 1970 (AO)-July 1975 (Wimbledon), so about 5.5 years.

Of course, I'm not counting players like Rosewall and Laver who crossed over from the pre-Open Era to the Open Era.

EDIT: Also: (1) Agassi in between Connors and Federer with a gap between 1995 AO and 1999 French Open; (2) Becker at #2 behind Ashe with 1991 AO-1996 AO.

EDIT 2: On the women's side, maybe #1 Kuznetsova, with 4+ years between the 2004 U.S. Open and the 2009 French Open; and #2 Mandlíková, with 4+ years between the 1981 French Open and the 1985 U.S. Open.
safin also had 4+ years between his two slams...
 
Anybody know what the longest title drought is for ATP singles players, between two titles? Was thinking about Dimitrov's title drought (2017 ATP Finals to 2024 Brisbane), while watching that 2024 every tournament winner video. Fucsovics not too far behind either with six years (2018 Geneva to 2024 Bucharest).
Wild that it had been that long
 
Federer is July 2012-January 2017, so about 4.5 years.

Connors is September 1978-September 1982, so about 4 years.

I think Ashe takes it. January 1970 (AO)-July 1975 (Wimbledon), so about 5.5 years.

Of course, I'm not counting players like Rosewall and Laver who crossed over from the pre-Open Era to the Open Era.

EDIT: Also: (1) Agassi in between Connors and Federer with a gap between 1995 AO and 1999 French Open; (2) Becker at #2 behind Ashe with 1991 AO-1996 AO.

EDIT 2: On the women's side, maybe #1 Kuznetsova, with 4+ years between the 2004 U.S. Open and the 2009 French Open; and #2 Mandlíková, with 4+ years between the 1981 French Open and the 1985 U.S. Open.
Our tennis historian Spencer Gore truly is wise
 
Last edited:
Back
Top