Alexander Zverev joins Roger Federer in making unwanted history after Wimbledon final defeat
Alexander Zverev’s defeat to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final was the star’s fourth Grand Slam final defeat.
The German may have finally got that monkey off his back by winning Roland Garros earlier this month, but he has a 1-4 record in Grand Slam finals following his defeat at Wimbledon.
After his four set defeat to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, Zverev has now been defeated in each of the four Grand Slam finals throughout his career.
Zverev’s first defeat came at the 2020 US Open, when he was beaten by Dominic Thiem, despite the German taking a two set lead at the Flushing Meadows event.
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Four years later and Zverev found himself in the 2024 Roland Garros final. Zverev again had a lead, but he was eventually defeated by the Spaniard despite being two sets to one up.
Sinner then defeated him in straight sets at the 2025 Australian Open final and followed it up by knocking him out of the Wimbledon final a year and a half later.
However, Zverev should not be too dispirited about his new record, as he joins there of the most successful players to ever play the game.
Ivan Lendl, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are the only other four players to face defeat in each of the Grand Slams.
Lendl won eight Grand Slams by the time he retired, but he also lost a further 11 finals throughout his career.
Players to lose in each of the Grand Slam finals
- Ivan Lendl: 1981 Roland Garros, 1982 US Open, 1983 US Open, 1983 Australian Open, 1984 US Open, 1985 Roland Garros, 1986 Wimbledon, 1987 Wimbledon, 1988 US Open, 1989 US Open
- Roger Federer: 2006 Roland Garros, 2007 Roland Garros, 2008 Roland Garros, 2008 Wimbledon, 2009 Australian Open, 2009 US Open, 2011 Roland Garros, 2014 Wimbledon, 2015 Wimbledon, 2015 US Open, 2019 Wimbledon
- Novak Djokovic: 2007 US Open, 2010 US Open, 2012 Roland Garros, 2013 Wimbledon, 2013 US Open, 2014 Roland Garros, 2015 Roland Garros, 2016 US Open, 2020 Roland Garros, 2021 US Open, 2023 Wimbledon, 2024 Wimbledon, 2026 Australian Open
- Andy Murray: 2008 US Open, 2010 Australian Open, 2011 Australian Open, 2012 Wimbledon, 2013 Australian Open, 2015 Australian Open, 2016 Australian Open, 2016 Roland Garros,
- Alexander Zverev: 2020 US Open, 2024 Roland Garros, 2025 Australian Open, 2026 Wimbledon
Federer, meanwhile, ended up winning 20 Grand Slams in his career, but he also lost 11 Grand Slam finals.
Murray was the least successful of the trio at Grand Slam level, although he did still manage to win three in his career. The star lifted the 2011 US Open, as well as Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016.
Murray lost eight Grand Slam finals, all of which came against the ‘big three’ of Federer, Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal.
Prior to Zverev joining the unwanted club, Djokovic was the last man to lose at each of the Grand Slams in the final. Djokovic’s defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2026 Australian Open final ensured he joined the club too.
