Tennis’ other guys: A look at men who have won Grand Slam titles since the rise of the “Big Four”

It’s no secret that Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray have dominated the tennis world for the better part of two decades. Since 2006, the “Big Four” have won nearly every Grand Slam title on offer and left little room for others to shine. Between them, they have won 63 titles, with Serbian ace Djokovic topping the overall list with a mighty 24 crowns, the most of any player ever. But while these guys have been dominating the sport, other players have also been working hard and furthering their own Grand Slam aspirations. 

Juan Martín del Potro – 2009 US Open 

The first player on our list is Juan Martín del Potro, who won the 2009 US Open, and in impressive fashion. He knocked off the King of Clay Nadal in straight sets in the semifinals before outlasting world number one and the undisputed king at the time, Roger Federer, in the final. Del Potro’s victory was unexpected, as Nadal and Federer had split the previous nine Grand Slams between them. Del Potro was just 20 years old at the time, and his win made him the only player outside of the “Big Four” to have won a Grand Slam title between 2006 and 2013.

Carlos Alcaraz – 2022 US Open and 2023 Wimbledon 

Spanish player Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest player on this list, having won his first Grand Slam at the age of 19 in last year’s US Open, where he defeated talented Norwegian star Casper Ruud in four sets. But it was his success at Wimbledon earlier this year that truly took the world by storm. Djokovic was out to match Roger Federer’s record of eight victories at the All England club and when his young Spanish rival blew a two-set lead, it looked as though he would do exactly that. However, the Murcia-born star composed himself and held his nerve to outlast his more illustrious competitor, eventually securing a victory after almost four hours of competition. 

His victory stopped Djokovic from winning all four Grand Slams on offer in 2023, as the 36-year-old romped to glory in the Australian, French and US Opens. The change to the landscape sent bettors wild, and completely changed the odds of the gambling world when it comes to tennis. Suddenly, there was a new player worth staking wagers on, and people were scrambling to do just that. Thanks to his stunning performance, live odds and futures providers have now made him the narrow +162 favorite to lift the famous gold trophy on the lush green courts in SW3 next year. Whether he can successfully retain his crown and hold off Djokovic, however, remains to be seen. The world number one has been on another level since his shocking defeat, romping to victory at the US Open as well as winning the ATP finals for a record-breaking seventh time. 

Stan Wawrinka – 2014 Australian Open, 2015 French Open, and 2016 US Open

Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka is another player who has managed to break through the “Big Four” and win three Grand Slam titles, the same amount as Andy Murray. The Swiss star won the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015, and the US Open in 2016. His victories at the latter two tournaments were particularly impressive, as he defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2015 French Open final and once more in New York City the following year. 

Dominic Thiem – 2020 US Open 

In 2020, Austrian player Dominic Thiem became the first player born after 1990 to win a Grand Slam title. He defeated rising German star Alexander Zverev in five sets at the US Open final, claiming the title after three hours and 58 minutes of grueling action. Thiem had previously been a finalist at the French Open in both 2018 and 2019, losing to Nadal both times. But the third time truly was the charm in the Big Apple in the fall of 2020. Three of the Big Four didn’t feature in this tournament, while Djokovic was eliminated in the fourth round, and Thiem took full advantage, lifting his first – and to date, only – Grand Slam. 

Daniil Medvedev – 2021 US Open

A year on from Thiem’s triumph, Daniil Medvedev won his first Grand Slam title in New York City, continuing the trend of the famed hard courts’ recent underdog victors. The talented Russian reached the final of the same tournament two years prior, but he was knocked off by Nadal. He wouldn’t make the same mistake in his second crack of the whip, defeating hard court specialist Djokovic to claim his maiden crown. He denied Nole the opportunity to complete a stunning hard-court summer run that saw him win the Cincinnati Masters and reach the semi-finals of the Toronto Masters.

Medvedev has reached a number of finals since his victory, but he has been – as of yet – unable to add another Slam to his list of achievements. He did, however, knock off Alcaraz at the recent US Open, and had it not been for an inspired Djokovic, a second crown in NYC may very well have been on the cards. 

Marin Cilic (US Open 2014)

Marin Cilic wiped the floor with his rival Kei Nishikori in the US open in 2014, taking his first major title and becoming only the second Croatian to win a major men’s single title (with the first being Cilic’s coach, who won the 2001 Wimbledon Championships). Cilic defeated Nishikori 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, swooping to victory in what was the first major championship for 9 years.

25 years old at the time of his win, Cilic had already defeated Nishikori in the past, playing in the third round of the 2012 US Open. In the 2014 match, Cilic achieved 17 aces, hit 38 winners, and won the nine final sets of the tournament, while Nishikori only hit 19 winners in total.

Jannik Sinner (Australian Open 2024)

2024 opened with excitement when Jannik Sinner took home the win for the Australian Open in a stunning move that saw him defeat Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. Sinner is the second Italian man to achieve singles glory at a major, and has taken home many impressive victories, and his display in January was breathtaking, attracting global audiences to watch.

He’s the youngest Italian player to secure a grand slam, and the first to take home an Australian Open singles title in the Open era, and he was met by huge support from his fans, partly in response to his aggressive, masterful gameplay. His rival, Medvedev, was enormously gracious in the face of defeat and congratulated him heartily on a deserved win.