'Beautiful Losers': Tennis legends who never won the Australian Open

There's a saying that only winners are remembered in sports history. However, when it comes to the Australian Open, several players have left their mark on the tournament – without ever winning it! Let's see who.

The last Australian to win the Australian Open was Mark Edmondson in 1975, when he beat compatriot John Newcombe. Since then, several local heroes have reached the final without ever winning it, including the great Lleyton Hewitt.

A former world No. 1, Hewitt reached the final of the AO in 2005, the only time he made it past the last 16 in Melbourne, facing Russian Marat Safin. Although Hewitt won the first set 6-1, the Australian was upset by the Russian, who shattered the local star's dreams with 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. After this setback, Hewitt would never again reach another Grand Slam final.

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However, Hewitt is not the only Australian to have fallen in an AO final - Pat Cash has lost two in a row. A great serve-and-volley specialist, Cash was beaten twice by two Swedes, Stefan Edberg in 1987 and Mats Wilander in 1988.

If there's one man who has been cursed in Melbourne, it's Andy Murray. With five finals lost and none won, the retired Briton can't be beaten.

Finalist in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016, Murray lost four times to Novak Djokovic and once to Roger Federer (2010). These were five cruel defeats for a player who has spent his career in the shadow of the 'GOATs'.

Less famous than the other names on this list, Steve Denton is nonetheless an AO legend. Like Pat Cash, the American reached the final two years running, in 1981 and 1982, losing each time to Johan Kriek.

Ironically, Denton also reached the doubles final in 1984, but lost again to the Australian pair Edmondson/McNamee.

A lot of tennis fans know Roy Emerson, the man who won six AOs between 1961 and 1967, but history has sadly forgotten Australia's Fred Stolle, one of the most consistent players in the tournament, with three semi-finals between 1961 and 1966, and two finals.

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Unfortunately, Stolle was beaten each time in the final by Emerson, notably after a five-set match in 1965 when he was leading two sets to nothing. However, Stolle got his revenge on his rival in 1969 by beating him in the final of the Australian Open... but in doubles this time!

On the women's front, it's hard not to start with American Mary Joe Fernandez, who left her mark on the 1990s. A finalist twice at the AO and once at the French Open, she never won a single Grand Slam, being beaten each time by Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.

This lack of a Grand Slam win in her record (in singles, as she won two in doubles) is all the more frustrating given that she reached the semi-finals in Melbourne on four occasions, each time losing to big names such as Seles, Graf and Hingis.

Mary Joe Fernandez's heir was not long in coming. Spain's Arantxa Sanchez succeeded the American with two defeats in the finals in 1994 and 1995. Better still, she made it to five semi-finals in a row from 1991 tot 1995, without ever winning the tournament.

Surprising as it may seem, Venus Williams has never raised her arms in Melbourne. Despite winning seven Grand Slam titles, she has never managed to beat her younger sister Serena in the final at the AO.

Venus has reached the final twice, in 2003 and 2017. However, on both occasions, she lost to her younger sister Serena... a family affair!

With three defeats in the final, Daniil Medvedev could well complete this list if he fails for the fourth time in 2025. However, the Russian still has some catching up to do with Andy Murray and his five lost finals.

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