Most Grand Slam finals in tennis history

Invented in the 11th century in France, Lawn Tennis has witnessed plenty of wonders. There have been a number of players in tennis history who have won Grand Slams on several occasions and ardent tennis fans are well aware of these facts. However, there are players in each of the four Grand Slam competitions who have won many Grand Slams and have also reached Grand Slam finals multiple times.

Therefore, we are here to enlighten you about those who have reached the most Grand Slam finals in men's tennis history, leaving behind all those cliche Grand Slam-winning articles.

1. Novak Djokovic - 37 finals

Novak Djokovic has progressed to his 37th career Grand Slam final after beating Lorenzo Musetti in the Wimbledon 2024 semifinal, the most out of any other player in the Grand Slam era. In the process, Djokovic has reached a men's singles final at a Grand Slam for the 16th season in his career. He surpassed Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (15 each) for the outright most of any player in the Open Era. Djokovic also overtook Chris Evert (34 finals) to make the most-ever career finals out of any men's or women's players since the slam era started in 1968.

Before the 2024 season, Djokovic was already ahead of his former 'Big Three' competitor Roger Federer in terms of finals reached. Federer, who retired from professional tennis in 2022 at the Laver Cup, ended his career with 31 Grand Slam finals, winning 20.

2. Roger Federer- 31 finals

Roger Federer has won everyone's hearts with his tremendous tennis skills. Fans even gave him the nickname 'The Swiss maestro', impressed by the proficiency of his craft. Since his ATP debut at the 1998 Swiss Open Gstaad, the 8-time Wimbledon champion's career has been through a lot. He has 103 ATP singles victories to his credit, including 20 major singles titles. It's a record he shares alongside Novak Djokovic, which is only exceeded by Rafael Nadal's 21 major titles. Also, he is the first male player to win more than 14 grand slams. Nevertheless, the Swiss have reached a joint-record 31 Grand Slam singles finals equaling Djokovic.

Read more: Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam singles matches wins (men and women)

3. Rafael Nadal- 30 finals

Heading into the top three, one will find usual names that dominate almost every other record in tennis. Rafael Nadal sits in third position with 30 Grand Slam final appearances. He has a joint-record 22 Grand Slam titles to his name. The legendary Spaniard still has a few years of top-level tennis left in him and may add more to climb up on the list of most Grand Slam finals.

Read more: Last 10 Wimbledon Champions List (Men's)

4. Ivan Lendl- 19 finals

With his power baseline approach, Ivan Lendl, who is widely considered one of the best players of all time, revolutionised the game. Lendl was the most dominating force in the second part of the 1980s, winning eight Grand Slam singles titles. He holds several renowned records, including the longest indoor winning streak (66 games) and the most Grand Slam runner-up finishes (11). The most notable of these accomplishments is reaching the Grand Slam finals 19 times.

5. Pete Sampras- 18 finals

At the time of his retirement, Sampras' total count of 14 Grand Slams was a record and fans anticipated it to stay that way. While the speculation turned out to be wrong, Sampras' near-invincible playing on fast courts is still considered a classic.

The American sensation also had a one-of-a-kind weapon that had never been seen before which is The Sampras serve. It is largely considered to be the finest in tennis history to date. However, before the introduction of the Big 3, he was regarded as the G.O.A.T. by critics.
Furthermore, Sampras also has reached the finals of 18 Grand Slams.

6. Bjorn Borg- 16 finals

Bjorn Borg is a former Swedish tennis player who has achieved near-mythical status as a result of his incredible exploits in such a short period of time. No player in tennis history has ever adjusted as successfully as Borg has to the distinct obstacles of performing on clay and grass. No one could surpass his mastery of balletic footwork(Except the Tennis queen Steffi Graf of course).

Even though he resigned young, at the age of 26, his accomplishments left an indelible impression on everybody. These achievements include six French Open victories, five Wimbledon triumphs, and 16 Grand Slam final appearances.

Read more: 8 records made by Carlos Alcaraz in Wimbledon 2023 final against Djokovic

7. Jimmy Connors- 15 finals

Jimmy Connors rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s as a formidable presence in the sport. Connors, widely recognised as one of the best tennis players in history, won eight Grand Slam titles and was a long-time World No. 1 player. He's also recognised for helping to revolutionise the sport by paving the way for the contemporary baseline-oriented style of play(Which nowadays is mostly seen in Nadal's gameplay). However, he also did reach the Grand Slam Finals 15 times, equalling Andre Agassi.

8. Andre Agassi- 15 finals

Andre Agassi was an attacking baseliner who used his strong strokes off both sides to drive his adversaries across the court. He was one of the five men in the Open Era to accomplish the Career Slam, and his feud with Pete Sampras in the 1990s marked a significant period in men's tennis. In his career, he earned various distinct features, making him a contender for the GOAT designation. Furthermore, his abilities showered him with 8 Grand Slam wins and 15 Grand Slam final appearances.

9. John McEnroe- 15 finals

Known for his creative style of play and exquisite volleys, McEnroe was a tremendous talent for the game. McEnroe was a dynamic player who could attack from every position on the court. He played a much more attack-oriented game, focusing more on striking wins. His anger and outbursts, though, earned him the moniker 'Superbrat.'
McEnroe played in an era of intense competition, yet he still managed to put together a stellar career that earned him a place among the Greatest of All Times. American legend John McEnroe reached a record seventh most Grand Slam finals (15) during his career. He is regarded as one of the finest tennis stars to come from the United States of America. He won a total of seven Grand Slam titles back in the day, winning the US Open four times and the Wimbledon three times.

Read more: Wimbledon Champion: Last 10 years (Women)

10. Andy Murray- 11 finals

Andy Murray is regarded as the greatest British tennis player of all time and the British player with the most Grand Slam finals. He has made 11 final appearances in Grand Slam tournaments in his career. Out of those 11 finals, Murray won a total of three. Interestingly, he has reached the final of the Australian Open on five occasions but did not win in any one of them.