Wimbledon recently celebrated the centenary of the iconic Center Court by hosting a ceremony featuring all the previous winners of the tournament. Among them was Stefan Edberg, the former Swedish pro who won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men’s doubles titles, including two in the hallowed gardens of SW19.
The 56-year-old spoke about his Wimbledon memories, those that inspired him to his title victories in 1988 and 1990.
“Personally, this is the place I would go back to if I had to choose one place. Since I grew up seeing [Bjorn] Borg winning his five titles here to play here myself, winning [the title]. You always feel welcome when you come back to Wimbledon,” said Edberg.
There is nothing like Wimbledon.
two-time champion and @ROLEX Testimonial Stefan Edberg shares his fondest memories from The Championships
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There’s nothing like center court. There is nothing like Wimbledon. Two time champion and @ROLEX Testimonial Stefan Edberg shares his fondest memories from The Championships#CentralCourt100 https://t.co/vHi5MSb7qW
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The Swede stated that the tournament has a lot of tradition and inspiration, and referred to some of his favorite matches.
“You have a lot of inspiration here. At the same time, a lot of tradition too. borg vs. [John] McEnroe in 1980. Many of us have seen the [Roger] federer vs [Rafael] Nadal party [2008 final]that stands out, it could be one of the best games,” Edberg said.
“And recently, I watched this very long game when [Novak] Djokovic beat Roger in the [2019] final a couple of years ago, having match points. That was probably, quality-wise, the best match I’ve ever seen in my entire life at Wimbledon,” he added.
Novak Djokovic targets fourth straight Wimbledon title as Roger Federer misses out on his first championship in 23 years
Novak Djokovic is currently preparing for Sunday’s Wimbledon final, where he will face the unseeded but fickle Nick Kyrgios. Djokovic has won the Championship three years in a row and is aiming to lift his seventh Grand Slam title on grass, which would allow him to equal Pete Sampras’ tally and just one behind Roger Federer’s all-time record.
Kyrgios has a perfect 2-0 record against Djokovic, having beaten him twice in 2017. The Australian defeated him in the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open before beating him in the fourth round of the Indian Wells Masters.
If Kyrgios wins on Sunday, he will become the first Australian to win a Grand Slam singles title since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002.
Federer, for his part, has not been in action for more than a year. His most recent appearance came at SW19, the same place where he received one of the most enthusiastic receptions to be seen, during the Center Court centenary celebrations.
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The 40-year-old’s absence from this year’s tournament snapped a 23-year streak of him playing in the iconic grass-court Major.
However, the 20-time Grand Slam champion is close to a comeback and is scheduled to be in action at the Laver Cup later this year.
Edited by Nihal Taraporvala
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