Tennis Random, Random (On Court)

[Suliso]

I'd say we should look at players who got close multiple times but never won.

[ti-amie]

Marcelo Rios is my pick for the male player who never won a title.

I really have to think about a female player and that says more about me than about the WTA.

[JTContinental]

Rios for the men, and Safina or Jankovic for the women. Keys could also end up in this category

[ponchi101]

I'd say we should look at players who got close multiple times but never won.

Cedric Pioline, then. Always forgotten, yet, one USO Final, one W final. Both losses to Pete, but still, quite an accomplishment.

[Deuce]

Pioline was good, but I never considered him to be a 'top player'.

Mecir made 2 Major Finals, as well - Australia and U.S. Open -, losing to Lendl both times. He also lost in the Semis at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. And to me, Mecir was a better player than was Pioline.

A couple of people have mentioned Safina for the women... This surprises me somewhat, as, when Safina was #1 in the world, everyone and their grandmother (and Serena) were ridiculing that, saying that she's the most undeserving #1 player in history.
Yes, she reached 3 Major Finals... but she never struck me as being a true force in tennis.
Of course, she had to deal with the inevitable comparisons to her brother, as well, which surely was not easy.

[Suliso]

True forces did win majors. So we're necessarily talking here about the 2nd tier.

[Deuce]

True forces did win majors. So we're necessarily talking here about the 2nd tier.

I suppose...
But we're also trying to determine the BEST of the second tier - which I would think is pretty close to being considered a true force over a period of time.

[ti-amie]

So far I've seen Aga Radwanska, Dinara Safina, Jelena Jankovic, Sukova, Shriver (Never a great singles player IMO) and I know I'm leaving some players out for the Best of the Rest category. Is there a poll coming up?

[Deuce]

So far I've seen Aga Radwanska, Dinara Safina, Jelena Jankovic, Sukova, Shriver (Never a great singles player IMO) and I know I'm leaving some players out for the Best of the Rest category. Is there a poll coming up?

If there's a poll, wouldn't Radwanska automatically be declared the winner?

[ti-amie]

I wouldn't vote for her. Never cared for her style and never thought she was strong enough physically to win a Slam.

[ti-amie]

[Deuce]

I wouldn't vote for her. Never cared for her style and never thought she was strong enough physically to win a Slam.

I wouldn't necessarily vote for her, either - but I maintain that if there's a poll, she would automatically win.

(Just a little play on words here - I guess it would work better orally than it does in writing )

[ashkor87]

Tony Roche, Gene Mayer, David Ferrer, Nalbandian..are also candidates..Roche was about par with Newcombe but Newcombe did much better eventually..

[ashkor87]

Yikes, forgot that Roche did win RG once. But I would agree Safina is probably the one who came closest..

[ashkor87]

True forces did win majors. So we're necessarily talking here about the 2nd tier.

Mostly true...of course though I think Dementieva, Safina and Radwanska were better than some who did win...