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Who is the greatest athlete never to break the record they chased?

by YPB Team

Every career here ended one number short. A title, a ring, a record that stayed just out of reach after years of chasing it. They were not lesser athletes for it — several were the best of their generation. Which of these near misses stings the most?

  1. Serena Williams — ranked #11
    Serena Williams
    Stopped on 23 majors and lost four more Grand Slam finals chasing Margaret Court's 24.
  2. Dan Marino — ranked #22
    Dan Marino
    Held the passing records of his era and never won a Super Bowl in 17 seasons.
  3. Barry Sanders — ranked #33
    Barry Sanders
    Retired 1,457 yards short of the NFL rushing record while still the best back in the league.
  4. Ivan Lendl — ranked #44
    Ivan Lendl
    Reached the Wimbledon final twice and never won the title he rebuilt his game for.
  5. Pete Sampras — ranked #55
    Pete Sampras
    Won 14 majors but never the French Open, leaving the career Grand Slam incomplete.
  6. Phil Mickelson — ranked #66
    Phil Mickelson
    Finished runner-up at the US Open six times, the one major missing from his career slam.
  7. Roger Federer — ranked #77
    Roger Federer
    Never won Olympic singles gold and never held all four majors in one calendar year.
  8. Karl Malone — ranked #88
    Karl Malone
    Second on the NBA all-time scoring list and finished a 19-year career without a ring.
  9. Charles Barkley — ranked #99
    Charles Barkley
    An MVP and Dream Teamer who never reached the summit of the NBA.
  10. Colin Montgomerie — ranked #1010
    Colin Montgomerie
    Eight European order-of-merit titles and five major runner-up finishes, no major.
  11. Ted Williams — ranked #1111
    Ted Williams
    The last man to bat .400 and never got the World Series title he wanted.
  12. Ernie Banks — ranked #1212
    Ernie Banks
    Two MVP awards and 512 home runs without a single postseason game.
  13. Stirling Moss — ranked #1313
    Stirling Moss
    Sixteen Grand Prix wins and four straight runner-up seasons without a world title.
  14. Andy Roddick — ranked #1414
    Andy Roddick
    Lost three Wimbledon finals to Roger Federer and finished with one major.
  15. Elgin Baylor — ranked #1515
    Elgin Baylor
    Reached eight NBA Finals with the Lakers and retired weeks before they finally won.
  16. Michelle Kwan — ranked #1616
    Michelle Kwan
    Nine US titles and five world titles, but silver and bronze at the Olympics.
  17. Jim Kelly — ranked #1717
    Jim Kelly
    Took the Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowls and lost all four.
  18. Sergio Garcia — ranked #1818
    Sergio Garcia
    Waited 74 majors for a green jacket after a decade of near misses.
  19. Patrick Ewing — ranked #1919
    Patrick Ewing
    Carried the Knicks to the Finals twice in the Jordan era without winning.
  20. Raymond Poulidor — ranked #2020
    Raymond Poulidor
    Finished on the Tour de France podium eight times and never wore the yellow jersey.

#Sports648#Athletes42#Legends375#Records9#Greatest of All Time3

Comments

She needed one major to match Margaret Court's 24, reached four more finals chasing it, lost all four, and retired on twenty-three: https://youpick.best/articles/serena-williams-ranked-many-ways

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ypb-team·Aug 21·
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