David Nalbandian the best player to never win a slam

Was David Nalbandian the best player to never win a slam. He could trade shots from the baseline, stand tough at the net, and chip and charge. He was a master at drawing opponents out of the sidelines with angles and finishing points at the net. His double handed backhand rivaled that of Marat Safin and Djokovic. David had it all and some more, but his resume lacked the real prize in pro tennis. He never won a slam.

David Nalbandian was good enough to make the final and semifinals of slams

David made the final of the Wimbledon Championships in 2002, and the semifinals of all four slams. Even Juan Martin Del Potro has not made the semifinals of all four. He won 11 titles including the year end Tennis Masters Cup and two Masters 1000 during his career. Nalbandian won the ATP Masters Cup by taking Roger Federer out in an exhausting 5 set final. He, in fact, recovered from 2 sets down to prevail over the Maestro.

Nalbandian’s schooled Nadal in hard court tennis at the Paris 1000 Masters in 2007

Nalbandian’s performance against Nadal at the 2007 Paris 1000 Masters was a text book display of how the game should be played on hard courts. He overpowered Nadal comprehensively and even bageled him in the second. David also defeated both Djokovic and Nadal back-to-back at the Madrid 1000 Masters the same year.

David Nalbandian was born January 1, 1982 and retired from professional tennis on October 1, 2013. He is about Federer’s age and owns a respectable 8-11 record against the Maestro.

Nalbandian’s real weakness was the lack of fitness and nerves

David Nalbandian’s had everything except stamina and fitness to win the slams. He also lacked the nerves as well as mental strength to finish matches on the big stage and lost many from match and set points up.

David Nalbandian was, not too particular about keeping fit and, one of the handful to sport a belly as a pro tennis player. If Nalbandian had kept fit and worked on mental strength, we may have witnessed his text-book chip and charge, angle and finish at the net tactics bear fruits at one of the slams. He, after all, made semifinals of all four.