What happened to the five tennis stars who were expected to outshine the big four?
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray were known for a long time as the ‘big four’ of tennis. But what happened to the five players who were expected to challenge them?
Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray became some of the greatest tennis players ever, dominating the sport in a way we might never see again. Together, they won an amazing 68 Grand Slam titles: Djokovic with 24, Nadal 22, Federer 20, and Murray 3.
When Marin Cilic won the US Open in 2014, it was the first Grand Slam final in almost 10 years without one of the Big Four. This shows just how dominant they were from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s.
As of now, 39-year-old Djokovic is the only one still playing regularly on the ATP Tour. He recently won his 102nd career title at the China Open in October, after Alex de Minaur had to retire hurt in the final. Djokovic has truly made a case for being the greatest of all time by staying at the top for so long.
Years ago, The Guardian picked five players they thought could finally end the Big Four’s reign. Let’s see how those players’ careers turned out.
Marin Cilic was the first to break through, winning the US Open in 2014. Since then, he’s had a strong career, reaching No. 3 in the ATP rankings in 2018, making the Australian Open final, and winning the Davis Cup. He even won a silver medal in doubles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Despite some tough knee surgeries in 2023 and 2024, he keeps competing on tour, showing great resilience.
Grigor Dimitrov was another promising player, known for winning the Mexican Open two years in a row. He reached No. 3 in the world in 2017 after good runs at the Australian Open and the Nitto ATP Finals. But his record against the Big Four wasn’t great — he won only 8 matches against them while losing 41. Dimitrov came close to beating Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon 2025 but had to stop due to an injury. His ranking has dropped recently, and he lost qualifying at the Paris Masters for the first time.
Milos Raonic was also rising fast after making the Wimbledon semifinals in 2014. He climbed to No. 3 in the ATP rankings in 2016 and made it to the Wimbledon final that year. Though he never won a Grand Slam, he won eight tour titles and set a record for most aces in a three-set match. Raonic retired in early 2026, playing his last match at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Kei Nishikori made history as the first Asian player to reach a Grand Slam final at the 2014 US Open. He had a promising career, reaching No. 4 in the world and making several Masters finals. He also beat Nadal for a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics. Unfortunately, injuries slowed him down, and he announced his retirement in October 2025, finishing his 18-year career at the Japan Open in Tokyo.
Finally, Ernests Gulbis was seen as a potential challenger after beating Federer to reach the 2014 French Open semifinals. But inconsistency stopped him from reaching top levels regularly. He won six ATP titles and reached No. 10 in the rankings, but never went any higher. Gulbis retired in February 2024 and now serves as the president of the Latvian Tennis Union.
All these players showed great skill and determination, but the Big Four’s legacy remains strong. Still, their challengers brought excitement and unforgettable moments to the sport of tennis.