Alexander Zverev is often considered the best player who has not won a Grand Slam, but not everyone feels this way.
Zverev is a three-time Grand Slam finalist, and has been ranked as high as world number two.
As a result, many including John McEnroe have called Zverev the best player not to win a major title.
However, former top 10 player Chanda Rubin has named another active ATP player when asked this same question.
Chanda Rubin claims Stefanos Tsitsipas is the best active player not to win a major
Rubin was asked to name the best active player not to win a Grand Slam title on the ATP Tour when appearing on Tennis Channel at Roland Garros.
While she named both Zverev and Casper Ruud, Rubin opted to go with two-time major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas has been as high as world number three, but poor form has taken him down to world number 79, something Rubin noted.
“I feel it’s Stefanos Tsitsipas,” said Rubin. “I’d go between him and Casper Ruud, I think it’s Tsitsipas…I felt like Tsitsipas was going to get a major and he didn’t.
“Obviously now he isn’t as confident, his game isn’t quite there. I don’t think the way he’s playing he is one of the best that has not won a major, but I think in terms of his career, for me he would be the person I would pick.
“Obviously Casper Ruud and Zverev right there, been two in the world, so you can go with them, but for me it’s Tsitsipas.”
Do you really believe that Alexander Zverev can win a Grand Slam title?
Alison Riske-Amritraj and Jimmy Arias then joined the conversation, with Ben Shelton being suggested by both.
“I’m going with Ben Shelton,” said Riske Amritraj. “And I say that for a couple of reasons, but I think he has the intangible that is the fact that he loves playing big matches, he lives for Grand Slams and he has the big weapons.
“He has beaten Sinner before, a couple of years ago in Shanghai, so he has that win under his belt, knowing that he can do it, [he has] never beaten Alcaraz but I think that he’s going to do it, he’s only 23 years old, it’s only a matter of time!
“I think the moment that he gets that serve down. I think his targets need to be a bit better and I think that he needs to be a sharp shooter like I mentioned with Sinner, and I think that he has the groundies to back it up on the baseline, so Ben Shelton, don’t let me down!”
Arias added, “I mean this is a hard one to answer, because if you are talking about the best player who hasn’t won a major right now it’s Zverev, he has been the best player.
“Do I think he’s going to win a major? I’m a little doubtful of that, because I’ve seen him get very close and I’ve seen what happens to him, in general he gets tight. That doesn’t mean he won’t get over it at some point. If I remember, Ivan Lendl lost his first four finals before he figured it out and he got tight, so maybe Zverev can get that back, but I do like Shelton as well.
“I do think Shelton has the belief in himself and he just keeps on getting better. He has to still get better, if that ceiling stops he won’t win one, he’s not good enough yet because his shot tolerance is still not good enough to be able to beat those top couple of guys.
“And the guy that wasn’t on the list at all is Jack Draper, because he never plays, but if he’s playing he’s a guy that I think would win majors. He’s an incredible athlete, moves well and competes well, and doesn’t look to me like he gets tight in big moments, so Draper I’d love to be back at the scene.”
Chanda Rubin says who she thinks is most likely to win their first Grand Slam
The conversation then turned to who is most likely to actually go and win a Grand Slam, as Rubin then joined the praise for Shelton, while Arias added Rafael Jodar to the list.
“I like the Ben Shelton call, to be honest,” answered Rubin. “I look at him as still so much runway, I put him in a little different category to guys like Zverev, and Ruud, and Tsitsipas who have been up there.
“But yeah, I like Shelton. I think the firepower, the way he approaches the game, the intensity and just his ability to kind of relax through those tight moments, I like that about him.”
Arias then said, “It might be Jodar by the way. I mean he’s a teenager, he’s got huge weapons and he’s on an absolute rocket ship up in the rankings, so don’t count him out!”
Who is the most shocking Grand Slam champion ever?
You never know what might happen…
It would take a big surprise for a new men’s singles Grand Slam champion at Roland Garros this year, as four-time major champion Jannik Sinner is a huge favorite for the title.
Sinner has not lost a match since February and is currently on a 30-match winning streak.
