Only seven players in over forty years have achieved this: their final career title was a Grand Slam championship.

It is widely recognized that entering the main draw of a Grand Slam is a challenging accomplishment. Prior to 2023, no Chinese male tennis player had qualified for a Grand Slam main draw through their world ranking. Winning a Grand Slam title is an even greater challenge. Achieving this in the later stages of a professional career is truly a crowning achievement. However, over more than forty years, only seven male players ended their careers with a Grand Slam title as their final championship. So, who are these seven players? Let this article take you through their stories.

When it comes to Australian player Ken Rosewall, many fans might find him unfamiliar. Indeed, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame as early as 1986, which feels quite distant now. Yet, Rosewall was the first player whose last career title was a Grand Slam. That happened at the 1975 Australian Open, where he won his fifth Grand Slam title on home soil. It was also the final title of his career.

Czech player Petr Korda reached his first Grand Slam final at the 1992 French Open, but he was defeated in straight sets by defending champion Jim Courier from the USA. Six years later, in 1998, Korda triumphed at the Australian Open, claiming his only Grand Slam title and the last championship of his career. After retiring in 1999, Korda settled in the United States. His son, Sebastian Korda, has since become a professional tennis player and has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam.

In 2001, Croatian player Goran Ivanišević competed at Wimbledon as a wildcard. He had previously reached the final three times but fell short each time. This time, Ivanišević finally emerged victorious. It was his only Grand Slam title and the last championship he won in his career. After retiring, Ivanišević coached notable players including compatriot Marin Čilić, Serbian star Novak Djokovic, and Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina. Objectively, he has made a significant impact both as a player and as a coach.

Russian player Marat Safin was the first Grand Slam champion born in the 1980s, winning the 2000 US Open. In the centennial Australian Open of 2005, Safin battled through a five-set semifinal to defeat world number one Roger Federer. He then came from behind after losing the first set to beat Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the final, securing his first Australian Open title. Safin did not win any further titles after that. Currently, he coaches fellow Russian Andrey Rublev.

Before the era of the “Big Three,” American Pete Sampras was unquestionably the king of tennis. He finished as year-end number one for seven consecutive years and won fourteen Grand Slam titles. In 2002, Sampras defeated his longtime rival Andre Agassi in the US Open final, marking his last professional tournament. To win his final career title in his final event is something Sampras can be proud of.

Later, Austrian Dominic Thiem overcame a two-set deficit to defeat German Alexander Zverev in the 2020 US Open final, while Spanish legend Rafael Nadal won the 2022 French Open final in straight sets against Norwegian Casper Ruud. Both of these titles were the last Grand Slam championships in the careers of Thiem and Nadal respectively.

Over more than forty years, these seven players have all concluded their careers with a Grand Slam victory, marking a perfect ending. Will anyone join this group in the future? Only time will tell. That’s the tennis story for today; see you again tomorrow.(Source: Tennis Home | Author: Yixin Jushi)