Ranking the 6 active non-Big 3 Slam champions in terms of their success rate against Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal & Roger Federer
It's no secret that Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have dominated men's tennis in the last 15 years. The 'Big 3' have won 49 of the last 59 Grand Slam events, and are locked at 20 Grand Slam trophies each right now.
The 10 non-Big 3 Slam trophies in the last 15 years have been shared between a group of six other players. Since this is the era of the Big 3, it's only fair to measure the other winners' degree of greatness by looking at their records against the top dogs.
Here, we look at those six players in increasing order of win percentage against the trinity.
6. Marin Cilic
Win percentage: 12.82% (5-34 combined record)
Individual win-loss records:
Against Roger Federer: 1-10
Against Rafael Nadal: 2-7
Against Novak Djokovic: 2-17
Highest career ranking: 3
Marin Cilic won his only Grand Slam when he beat Kei Nishikori in the final of the US Open in 2014. It was the first Major final since the 2005 Australian Open (where Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt contested the summit clash) that didn't feature a member of the Big 3.
But while Cilic didn't have to beat a Big 3 member in the final, he did have to face Federer in the semifinals - which ended up being his first and only career victory against the Swiss.
Cilic has also made it to the championship matches at the Australian Open (2018) and Wimbledon (2017), losing to Federer on both occasions.
Most notable win against a Big 3 member: US Open 2014 semifinal against Roger Federer - (6-3, 6-4, 6-4)
5. Stan Wawrinka
Win percentage: 16.44% (12-61 combined record)
Individual win-loss records:
Against Roger Federer: 3-23
Against Rafael Nadal: 3-19
Against Novak Djokovic: 6-19
Highest career ranking: 3
'Stan the Man' Wawrinka is a surprising fifth in this list, considering he's won three Slam titles (which have come by beating either Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal in the final).
Despite having won the joint-most Slams outside the Big 3 in the last two decades, Wawrinka hasn't fared well in a majority of his matches against them. That said, the Swiss does have a 3-1 record in Grand Slam finals (2-0 against Djokovic and 1-1 against Nadal).
Most notable win against a Big 3 member: 2015 French Open final against Novak Djokovic (4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4)
4. Juan Martin del Potro
Win percentage: 27.42% (17-45 combined record)
Individual win-loss records:
Against Roger Federer: 7-18
Against Rafael Nadal: 6-11
Against Novak Djokovic: 4-16
Highest career ranking: 3
With a plethora of injuries having derailed and damaged his career, Juan Martin del Potro's career is a case of what may have been. He was the first player to beat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the same Slam (US Open 2009 semifinals and final, respectively), and was a Major champion before turning 21.
Del Potro's only other Slam final appearance was against Novak Djokovic in 2018, also at the US Open.
Most notable win against a Big 3 member: 2009 US Open final against Roger Federer (3–6, 7–6(5), 4–6, 7–6(4), 6–2)
3. Daniil Medvedev
Win percentage: 31.25% (5-11 combined record)
Individual win-loss records:
Against Roger Federer: 0-3
Against Rafael Nadal: 1-3
Against Novak Djokovic: 4-5
Highest career ranking: 2
Daniil Medvedev, the youngest of this group, caught the Big 3 a little later than their peak years. However, the stats don't quite reflect that.
In his young and still blooming career, the Russian has faced Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic in each of his three Grand Slam finals (1-2 record). Medvedev will also, of course, be (in)famously remembered as the guy who stopped Djokovic's Calendar Slam bid by defeating him in the 2021 US Open final.
Most notable win against a Big 3 member: 2021 US Open final against Novak Djokovic (6-4, 6-4, 6-4)
2. Andy Murray
Win percentage: 34.12% (29-56 combined record)
Individual win-loss records:
Against Roger Federer: 11-14
Against Rafael Nadal: 7-17
Against Novak Djokovic: 11-25
Highest career ranking: 1
Sir Andy Murray kept knocking on the door until his breakthrough US Open campaign in 2012. Murray is the only player who looked like threatening the hegemony of the Big 3, and he briefly forced fans and pundits to expand the trio into a quartet or 'the Big 4'.
Since Roger Federer first became World No. 1 in 2004, Andy Murray has been the only top-ranked male player outside the Big 3. The Scot has featured in 11 Grand Slam finals (3-8 record), with all of his losses coming against either Djokovic (2-5) or Federer (0-3).
Most notable win against a Big 3 member: 2013 Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic (6-4, 7-5, 6-4)
1. Dominic Thiem
Win percentage: 47.06% (16-18 combined record)
Individual win-loss records:
Against Roger Federer: 5-2
Against Rafael Nadal: 6-9
Against Novak Djokovic: 5-7
Highest career ranking: 3
Dominic Thiem's only Slam title so far has come against a depleted field (Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal didn't play, while Novak Djokovic was defaulted in the quarterfinals), at the US Open in 2020. However, Thiem is the one player who has come closest to threatening the combined dominance of the Big 3.
Of the players on this list, the Austrian is the only one with a winning record against any member of the Big 3 (Federer: 5-2). He also has an agonizingly close to 50% combined record against the three (one-match swing difference).
Thiem lost two French Open finals to Nadal (2018, 2019) and an Australian Open final to Djokovic (2020) before capturing his maiden Slam at the expense of Alexander Zverev.
Most notable win against a Big 3 member: 2019 French Open semifinal against Novak Djokovic (6-2, 3-6, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5)