Winning the first Grand Slam of the year often propels players to greatness, but what happens to those who lose the Championship match in Melbourne?
Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025, and added another Grand Slam title to his collection later in both years (2024 US Open, 2025 Wimbledon).
Before Sinner, Novak Djokovic took home the Australian Open in 2023, the year he reached all four major finals, winning three.
On the other side, the last five players to lose the Australian Open final have struggled since.
Two of the last five runners-up have since retired from tennis, and only one is still ranked inside the ATP top 10.
The last five Australian Open runners-up
Alexander Zverev – 2025
Germany’s Alexander Zverev lost to Sinner in this year’s final, 3-6, 6-7, 3-6.
The defeat was disappointing, but there were positive signs for Zverev, who quickly became a contender for the world number one ranking.
However, with Sinner suspended, Zverev failed to take advantage, losing early in Buenos Aires, Rio, Acapulco, Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo.
Results slowly improved as the year progressed, but the number-one dream had already gone, as Zverev finished 2025 as the world number three.
Will Alexander Zverev ever win a Grand Slam title?
Looking ahead to 2026, Zverev’s chances of winning a Grand Slam or becoming the top-ranked player on the ATP Tour seem a lot slimmer than they did 12 months ago…
Daniil Medvedev – 2024, 2022, 2021
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev has quite the collection of Australian Open runners-up trophies, losing in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
His defeats in 2022 and 2024 were particularly heartbreaking, having led by two sets to love in both finals.
Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev, 2022 Australian Open final highlights
Once a perennial Grand Slam contender, Medvedev’s form has dipped dramatically since 2024, and only won one match across the four majors this year.
Now ranked 13th in the world, it’s hard to imagine Medvedev returning to a Grand Slam final anytime soon.
Stefanos Tsitsipas – 2023
Having lost to Djokovic in a five-set Grand Slam final at Roland Garros two years earlier, the Greek was after revenge at the 2023 Australian Open.
Coming up short, Tsitsipas soon began to struggle on the ATP Tour.
Three consecutive year-end ranking drops have seen Tsitsipas fall outside the world’s top 30.
- 2023 year-end ranking – 6th
- 2024 year-end ranking – 11th
- 2025 year-end ranking – 34th
From competing for the title two years ago, Tsitsipas may not even have a seed next to his name at the 2026 Australian Open.
Only time will tell if he can bounce back in the new year, but the signs don’t look positive for the former world number three.
Dominic Thiem – 2020
Dominic Thiem lost to Djokovic in the 2020 Australian Open final, despite leading by two sets to one.
The Austrian won his maiden Grand Slam title later that year, in New York, but that was remarkably the last title he won as a professional.
Injuries derailed Thiem’s career, forcing him to retire in 2024, as he never quite lived up to his immense potential.
Rafael Nadal – 2019
Spain’s Rafael Nadal is the real anomaly of this list, as his defeat in the 2019 Australian Open final didn’t halt his progress.
He won five more Grand Slams after his defeat to Djokovic in Melbourne, retiring in 2024 as a 22-time major champion.
| Grand Slam | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 2019 French Open | Dominic Thiem | WIN | 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 |
| 2019 US Open | Daniil Medvedev | WIN | 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 2020 French Open | Novak Djokovic | WIN | 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 |
| 2022 Australian Open | Daniil Medvedev | WIN | 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 |
| 2022 French Open | Casper Ruud | WIN | 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 |
Nadal remains one of, if not the greatest, tennis players of all time.
Who is the greatest male tennis player of all time?
Who is the favorite to win the 2026 Australian Open?
Sinner will undoubtedly return to Melbourne as the favorite, having won the title in 2024 and 2025.
However, that’s not to say he won’t be challenged, with the likes of Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz also set to contend.
Alcaraz may well prove to be Sinner’s closest challenger, as he looks to complete his Career Grand Slam.
The Spaniard also has an impressive H2H record against Sinner (10-6), and beat him four times this year.
Only time will tell if Alcaraz can beat Sinner again should they meet in the 2026 Australian Open final, but you certainly wouldn’t want to miss it.
The 2026 Australian Open is scheduled to begin on Sunday, January 18.
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