Fansided

14 best players to never win the French Open

By Nathaniel Reeves

25 May 1999: Pete Sampras of the USA in action during Round One of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France. Sampras won in 5 sets. \ Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill /Allsport
25 May 1999: Pete Sampras of the USA in action during Round One of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France. Sampras won in 5 sets. \ Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill /Allsport /
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Jimmy Connors waits to return a serve in a tennis match at the 1984 French Open. (Photo by Gilbert Iundt/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Jimmy Connors waits to return a serve in a tennis match at the 1984 French Open. (Photo by Gilbert Iundt/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images) /

2. Jimmy Connors 

Both due to longevity and an incredible peak, Connors ranks right among the greatest in the history of the sport. Not only did Connors miss out on a career Grand Slam due to the French Open, he never made a final at Roland Garros, due in large part to being banned during his best years.

Connors ranks at the top of several categories in men’s tennis history, including a record 109 career singles titles wins. He held the No. 1 ranking for 268 weeks, finished the season in the top 10 on 16 separate occasions, and won eight Grand Slams.

Five of those came at the US Open, a record that would later be matched by Federer and Pete Sampras. Those five victories came on three different playing surfaces, including clay in 1976.

Connors was never able to replicate that clay success at Roland Garros. After being barred from the event during his peak years from 1974-1978 due to his association with World Team Tennis, Connors made the first of his four career French Open semifinals in 1979, but never made it any further in the tournament.

Both semifinal defeats in 1979 and 1980 came in five closely-contested sets. Connors was the top seed in 1982 and 1983, but lost in the quarterfinal both times.

Had French Federation president Phillipe Chatrier allowed Connors to play in 1974, when he went 77-4, Connors may have retired with nine Grand Slam titles to his name.

Next: 1. Pete Sampras

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