Andy Roddick and Biggest Disappointments in Men's Tennis History

Tennis always seems to have one superstar and a few stars on the rise. These high-caliber talents also have some disappointing counterparts.

Some players have been more disappointing than others in men's tennis. Andy Roddick is usually the first name that comes to mind, but players like Andy Murray make a name for themselves as each Grand Slam loss passes.

Underwhelming underachievers are littered throughout tennis lore.

Let's take a look at the 10 most saddening players in men's tennis history.

Lleyton Hewitt

Every sport has a player like Hewitt. He became the youngest player to ever reach a No. 1 world ranking when he did it at age 20 in 2001. Now, at age 31, he's ranked No. 205 in the world.

He did win two US Open tournaments (one doubles and one singles,) and he won Wimbledon in 2002. Otherwise, he had a very mediocre career.

Everything happened so fast in Hewitt's case. He was the best player in the world at a point where no one ever had been. He was untouchable, but it caught up to him rather quickly.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Yevgeny Kafelnikov was an established doubles-tennis player, but he never reached his zenith in singles' play.

Kafelnikov won the French and Australian Open during his career, but never made it past the semifinals otherwise. He was a great, but not elite, player for a long while.

He was always a great doubles player, and that made it tougher to imagine. I always expected his precise accuracy to transition to singles play, but his lateral mobility slowed him down.

With twice the space to cover, he just couldn't do it as well.

Mark Philippoussis

Phillippoussis was a scorching hot tennis prospect in 1995, but he never reached those expectations. He would make two Grand Slam finals in his career, but he never won a coveted trophy.

Focus was never Phillippoussis' strong suit, but he had supreme talent.. He was ranked in the world's top 50 when he was 19 years old. He had a devastating backhand and a powerful forehand.

In terms of talent, he had it all. Instead of focusing on tennis, he pursued women, acting and modeling. All of those things are fine, but not if you want to be the world's best tennis player.

Phillippoussis had an exorbitant amount of talent, but it rarely showed through.

Marcelo Rios

Marcelo Rios won 18 career titles, and he's a former world No. 1, but that doesn't validate his entire career.

He never won a Grand Slam. He reached the finals at the 1998 Australian open, but never reached anything further. He lost in the Grand Slam quarterfinals, or earlier, a total of four times in his career.

Rios led a bizarre career. He battled injuries and constantly failed to serve his expectations. Just when you thought that was going to change, he would prove you wrong again.

Rios had a solid combination of power, speed and agility, but he never knew how to use it.

Tim Henman

Tim Henman is one of Britain's crown jewels. He enjoyed a solid run of above-average tennis before retiring in 2007.

He reached six Grand Slam semfinal matchups, but he was never able to find his way to the top. His world ranking peaked in 2002 when he reached No. 4 in the world.

Henman's serve-and-volley style was always tough to beat. He was never a pushover, and his inability to realize his vast potential was the most disappointing part of his story.

Andy Murray

Andy Murray is still playing, but he isn't far behind Andy Roddick's disappointment. He's never been able to get over the hump. He's always behind, but never ahead, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the world rankings.

Murray is a solid player, but he's notoriously bad in Grand Slam action. He's lost seven career semifinal or final matches. He's been bounced in the first round of the Olympics (2008), and he's also lost two Tour Finals.

When it matters most, Murray rarely shows. It's kept him from reaching his potential and from achieving a No. 1 ranking.

Carlos Moya

Moya won the 1998 French open and led Spain to a Davis Cup title in 2003, but he never put the complete package together.

His disappointing career culminated in a disappointing fourth-round exit at Wimbledon in 2004.

Moya was an extremely talented. He was agile, athletic and had great endurance, but when the moment mattered most he didn't always show up.

He dealt with back problems and assorted injuries throughout his career. His career always felt incomplete.

Juan Carlos Ferrero

Ferrero's lightning-quick game is always fun to watch, but he never reached his full potential. He won the 2003 French Open, but never won another Grand Slam.

He has fallen to No. 38 in the world. That shouldn't be possible with the forehand that he possesses.

Winning one Grand Slam is fine, but he was expected to do much more. He's one of the best clay court players ever, but his struggles on other surfaces doomed the early part of his career.

Patrick Rafter

Rafter won consecutive US Open title in 1997 and 1998, but he'd never win another Grand Slam.

He reached the final pairing at Wimbledon twice (2000 and 2001), but he lost each time. Those losses to Pete Sampras and Goran Ivanisevic are the root of Rafter's disappointing career.

Rafter is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, but he could have been so much better. He was a powerful player who punished opponents from either side.

His career resume could have been worse, but Rafter had a chance to be one of the greatest players ever.

Andy Roddick

Calling Andy Roddick disappointing is an understatement. He earned the world's No. 1 ranking after winning the 2003 US Open, but he's gone downhill from there.

He's lost to Roger Federer in three Wimbledon finals and and a US Open final in 2006. He has never lived up to the expectations as a world No. 1.

Today Roddick isn't even the top American player. Mardy Fish and John Isner have caught him. He's susceptible to upsets, and he's fallen to No. 30 in the world.

He had a promising young career, but Roddick lands firmly "what could have been" category.