Alexander Zverev's journey to overcome past disappointments culminated in a historic victory at the 2026 Australian Open, making him the first German man to win a major title since Boris Becker in 1996. Zverev had faced various setbacks, including a heart-wrenching semifinal loss at the 2020 US Open after leading two sets against Dominic Thiem and another near miss at the 2024 Roland Garros where he let a two-sets-to-one lead slip against Carlos Alcaraz. With two ATP Finals titles from 2018 and 2021, Zverev had established himself within the sport, yet these victories only highlighted his struggles in Grand Slam events.

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In a surprising turn during the 2026 finals, Jannik Sinner, the favorite, suffered an upset against Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, while Alcaraz was forced to withdraw due to injury. This opened the door for Zverev, who seized the opportunity by defeating Flavio Cobolli to take home his first Grand Slam title. Three months later, he followed up with a second major win at the US Open against Ben Shelton.

Zverev's previous titles no longer define his legacy as he moves forward. Five other players have also won the ATP Finals but have never secured a Grand Slam title.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has come close, notably reaching the final of the 2021 French Open and leading two sets before losing to Novak Djokovic. His battles against Djokovic continue to hinder his progress in majors.

Grigor Dimitrov, once dubbed “Baby Fed,” captured the ATP Finals title in 2017 but has struggled to replicate that success at Grand Slam tournaments, facing tough opponents including Federer and Medvedev in critical matches.

Nikolay Davydenko remains an overlooked figure, having won the 2009 ATP Finals but never advancing to a Grand Slam final despite defeating all the top players of his era.

David Nalbandian's unexpected entry into the 2005 ATP Finals led him to an impressive victory, coming back from two sets down against Federer in the final. However, he reached only one Grand Slam final in his career, where he was bested by Lleyton Hewitt.

Lastly, Àlex Corretja experienced a dual disappointment at the French Open, losing finals to both Carlos Moyà and Gustavo Kuerten, despite securing the year-end title without ever winning a Grand Slam.

These players represent the challenge of competing in an era dominated by legendary rivals, each having tasted success in the ATP Finals yet falling short of Grand Slam glory.