While the ATP<\/a> player who also holds this unwanted record was not ranked as high as Kournikova, he did reach two Grand Slam singles finals.<\/p>\n Steve Denton is the highest ranked player in history to never win an ATP singles title.<\/p>\n Denton reached a career-high ranking of world number 12 in 1983, but that was actually after his greatest career successes in singles.<\/p>\n In his Grand Slam main draw debut at the 1981 Australian Open<\/a>, and it was a debut to be remembered for Denton.<\/p>\n The big-serving American went all the way to reach his first Grand Slam singles final, where he would be beaten by Johan Kriek.<\/p>\n After his impressive Grand Slam run, Denton would also reach ATP finals in Metz and Cincinnati, but would once again come out on the wrong side of the result.<\/p>\n Denton would return to the Australian Open a year later, this time as the second seed, and would reach the final once again.<\/p>\n In a rematch of the previous year\u2019s final, Denton was once again beaten by Kriek to lift his fourth career runner-up trophy.<\/p>\n Denton would never reach a Grand Slam final again, and lost two additional finals at the tournament in Richmond to Guillermo Vilas and John McEnroe<\/a>.<\/p>\n He would retire in 1987 as the highest ranked ATP player in history to never win a singles title, and that record remains to this day.<\/p>\n YearTournamentPlayer who beat Steve Denton in the final1981Australian OpenJohan Kriek1982Lorraine Open (Metz)Erick Iskersky1982Cincinnati OpenIvan Lendl1982Australian OpenJohan Kriek1983Richmond WCTGuillermo Vilas1984Richmond WCTJohn McEnroe<\/p>\n Although Denton never won a singles title in his career, he did win 12 doubles tournaments.<\/p>\n This includes Denton winning a Grand Slam title at the 1982 US Open<\/a> with Kevin Curren.<\/p>\n Who are the highest active ranked players without an ATP title?<\/p>\n The best players without an ATP title<\/a> has been a big topic of conversation over this past week after the events that took place at the Washington Open.<\/p>\n Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was beaten by Alex de Minaur<\/a> in the Washington Open<\/a> final, with the Spaniard very emotional after having three championship points.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The world number 19 is by far the highest ranked active ATP player without a singles title, with Davidovich Fokina<\/a> now losing four finals in his career.<\/p>\n ATP PlayerRankingFinalsAlejandro Davidovich FokinaNo.194Alex MichelsenNo.343Matteo ArnaldiNo.410Corentin MoutetNo.462Camilo Ugo CarabelliNo.470<\/p>\n There is 15 ranking places between Davidovich Fokina and the next highest ranked player yet to win an ATP title in Alex Michelsen<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Kevin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-836875172-1024x791.jpg\")
Denver Post via Getty ImagesSteve Denton: The highest ranked player in history never to win an ATP title<\/p>\n