When it comes to summer sporting events, Wimbledon is easily one of the best tournaments in the world. The tennis tournament invites the biggest stars of the sport to its green grass courts. But what makes Wimbledon so exciting is the world-class players, from teenage triumphs to the sport’s veterans.
Need a refresher before making new memories? Then click through the most memorable moments in Wimbledon history!
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Wimbledon: The most memorable moments in tennis history
When it comes to summer sporting events, Wimbledon is easily one of the best tournaments in the world. The tennis tournament invites the biggest stars of the sport to its green grass courts. But what makes Wimbledon so exciting is the world-class players, from teenage triumphs to the sport’s veterans.
Need a refresher before making new memories? Then click through the most memorable moments in Wimbledon history!
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Fred Perry wins Wimbledon
Fred Perry made history in 1934. He won the Wimbledon men’s title for the first time in a heated battle against defending champion Jack Crawford.
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Fred Perry wins Wimbledon
But he wasn’t finished yet. Perry won again in both 1935 and 1936. It wasn’t until 2013 that a Brit won again, Andy Murray.
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Ashe makes history
Arthur Ashe made history in 1975 when he won Wimbledon just days before his 32nd birthday by defeating Jimmy Connors, the defending champion. He was the only black man to ever win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open.
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Ashe makes history
Ashe was the first black man to win a singles title at Wimbledon. A few months later he was recognized as the best player in the world. There is even a course named after him at the US Open.
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Wade wins for Great Britain
Virginia Wade played in the 1977 final against Dutch powerhouse Betty Stöve. Wade prevailed and became the first British woman to win Wimbledon.
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Wade wins for Great Britain
To date, Wade is the only British winner in Wimbledon history. Queen Elizabeth II was present at the game and even presented the winner with the trophy.
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McEnroe wins and then loses
John McEnroe (left) and Björn Borg (right) had a rivalry like no other in tennis history. The two had played against each other many times before, but the 1980 final was a particularly memorable match.
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McEnroe wins and then loses
There was a tiebreak during the game that lasted an incredible 22 minutes. McEnroe won the tiebreak but lost the match: 8-6 in the final set.
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“You’re not serious”
Borg and McEnroe faced each other again in the 1981 final. This time McEnroe won, but the road to get there was rocky.
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“You’re not serious”
“You can’t be serious,” McEnroe shouted after a referee denied him a serve. The player became quite abusive: “You are the absolute scum of the world, you know that?” he shouted. Around 40 years later, these lines are burned into people’s memories. In the end, the American won the game.
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Steffi Graf achieves the Golden Slam
The German player Steffi Graf (left) caused a sensation in 1988 like no other. At just 18 years old, she beat defending champion Martina Navratilova (right) in the women’s final.
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Steffi Graf achieves the Golden Slam
That was just the beginning. Graf became the first tennis player to ever win the Golden Slam. She won all four Grand Slam singles titles as well as the Olympic gold medalall in the same year.
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Martina Navratilova breaks a historical record
In 1990, Martina Navratilova was on a mission. She wanted to win her ninth Wimbledon final and break Helen Wills’ record of eight wins.
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Martina Navratilova breaks a historical record
Navratilova didn’t let up in her seven singles matches. She didn’t drop a single set and ultimately won nine Wimbledon tournaments.
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Martina Hingis wins Wimbledon at 15
Martina Hingis was only 15 years old when she won the women’s doubles title with Helena Suková.
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Martina Hingis wins Wimbledon at 15
The Swiss became the youngest Wimbledon winner of all time. She still holds this title today.
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The underdog wins
Nobody expected 30-year-old Goran Ivanišević to win Wimbledon. He had previously lost three finals and had never won a Grand Slam title.
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The underdog wins
That changed in 2001. The Croatian underdog played Pat Rafter (right), an Australian competitor with a hard serve. But Goran won the match and eventually won a Wimbledon title.
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A new era
The 2001 final was indeed the beginning of a new era in tennis. Pete Sampras (right) was a seven-time Wimbledon winner and a real force on the court. Quite a challenge for rising star Roger Federer (left).
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A new era
It was 19-year-old Roger’s debut at Wimbledon, and the competition was practically at home on the court. But Federer prevailed and showed unmatched determination. Roger became one of the greatest players of all time, while Sampras would never win Wimbledon again.
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Williams vs. Davenport
Venus Williams (above) was aiming for her third Wimbledon singles title in 2005. She hadn’t won a Grand Slam title in four years, so the final against Lindsay Davenport (below) was everything.
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Williams vs. Davenport
It was a game like no other. The strengths of the two balanced each other out perfectly and it became the longest women’s final of all time. In the end, Williams won with a 9:7 in the last set.
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Nadal against Federer
John McEnroe said this duel was the best match he had ever seen. Nadal vs. Federer captivated the nation with iconic skills and phenomenal games on display.
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Nadal against Federer
Federer was looking to win his sixth consecutive Wimbledon, while Nadal was hoping for his first title. After an action-packed game, Nadal prevailed and started his incredible winning streak.
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The roof is being installed
It may seem like a trivial moment in Wimbledon history, but it is one of the most important. Rain had ruined many games in the past, so a roof was built over Center Court in 2009.
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The roof is being installed
Strangely enough, the 2009 season started with a lot of sun. But the British weather quickly returned, only this time Wimbledon’s Center Court was well prepared.
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The longest match ever
In 2010, Frenchman Nicolas Mahut (right) played against American John Isner (left). What the spectators expected was a clean game with a reasonable outcome.
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The longest match ever
What they got was the longest match in tennis history. The intense encounter lasted three days, with a total time of 11 hours and five minutes. After 183 games, Isner was the winner – a deserved victory that is second to none.
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Andy Murray wins Wimbledon
Where were you when Murray won Wimbledon? It had been 77 years since Fred Perry won and now it was up to Scotland’s Andy Murray to bring victory to Britain.
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Andy Murray wins Wimbledon
Murray played against Novak Đoković, the world number one with the hard backhand. After three hours, Murray was ahead and fell to his knees in disbelief and delight.
Also discover: 60 illustrious members of the Tennis Hall of Fame
