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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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(Original Caption) ‘Big’ Bill Tilden, Philadelphia, warms up before his opening day match with Bill Goldwin, New York, in the National Professional Tennis Championship in Forest Hills. Most of the big names in pro tennis are competing for the gold cup and estimated $20,000 in prizes.
(Original Caption) ‘Big’ Bill Tilden, Philadelphia, warms up before his opening day match with Bill Goldwin, New York, in the National Professional Tennis Championship in Forest Hills. Most of the big names in pro tennis are competing for the gold cup and estimated $20,000 in prizes. /

7. Bill Tilden 

Tilden’s run in the early 1920s might be compared to the dominance of the likes of Federer or Serena Williams today. Only French players were allowed to participate at Roland Garros during the apex of Tilden’s career, and the rule may have prevented him from adding a French Open to his many titles.

Just about every tournament in the 1920s belonged to Tilden. He spent six years atop the men’s singles rankings, won over 93 percent of his career matches and 138 of 192 tournaments, including 10 titles in Grand Slam events.

Every US Open title from 1920 to 1925 belonged to Tilden, and he won the only two Wimbledon tournaments he participated in during the era. Tilden owns the record for win percentage at the US Open, and ranks third at Wimbledon behind Bjorn Borg and Don Budge.

While Tilden would never participate in an Australian Open, he got a couple of cracks at Roland Garros after the rule change. Tilden participated in his first French Open in 1927, losing to fellow legend Rene Lacoste 11-9 in the fifth set. He tried twice more, in 1929 and 1930, making the semis and another final, but retired without a French Open title to his name.

As one of the greatest singles players of all time, Tilden almost certainly would have won a French Open had he been able to participate in more than three tournaments.

Next: 6. Martina Hingis

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