Wimbledon is arguably one of the biggest tennis (and tennis betting) events of the year.
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray have won the Wimbledon title every year since 2010, and while their matches are certainly on the list, there have been many other exhilarating, astonishing, and hair-raising matches — learn more about the best 10 men’s and women’s Wimbledon matches of all-time.
10 Best Wimbledon Matches of All-Time
- Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal, 2008 Wimbledon
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Björn Borg vs. John McEntroe, 1980 Wimbledon Final
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Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokovic, 2013 Wimbledon Final
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Venus Wiliams vs. Lindsay Davenport, 2005 Wimbledon Final
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Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova, 1978 Wimbledon Final
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Goran Ivanisevic vs. Pat Rafter, 2001 Wimbledon Final
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Steffi Graf vs. Martina Navratilova, 1988 Wimbledon Final
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Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick, 2009 Wimbledon Final
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Stefan Edberg vs. Boris Becker, 1990 Wimbledon Final
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John Isner vs. Nicolas Mahut: 2010 Wimbledon First Round
Here’s more on our top ten favorites:
10) John Isner vs. Nicolas Mahut: 2010 Wimbledon First Round
In the longest match in tennis history, Isner faced off against Mahut for eleven hours and five minutes. The first round match started at 6.13pm and was suspended at 9.07pm due to the low light. At that point, the players had won two sets each. The fifth set began the next day at 2.05pm but had to be abandoned at 9.09pm with the final set in a dead tie with 59 games each.
Play resumed on the third day at 3.40pm, and the American Isner won just over an hour later. In total, the final set lasted eight hours and eleven minutes. Both players were presented with crystal bowls and champagne flutes for participating in what would later be dubbed the “endless match.”
It’s rare to see such equally matched opponents in the early rounds of a Grand Slam, and we won’t be forgetting this one for a long time. To date, no other pairing has even come close to beating the length of the Isner v Mahut game.
Now that’s a reaction — John Isner reacts after defeating Nicolas Mahut at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon in 2010. (Photo Credit: Alastair Grant)
9) Stefan Edberg vs. Boris Becker: 1990 Wimbledon Final
Halfway through their legendary rivalry which spanned 35 games from 1884-1996, sparks flew Edberg went head-to-head with Becker in the 1990 Wimbledon final. The pair had met in the Wimbledon finals for two years prior, with Edberg winning in 1988 and Becker taking the top spot in 1989. The 1990 final was therefore the culmination of years of tennis dominance for both players.
Edberg took an early lead after winning the first two sets, but Becker rallied to win the third and fourth. Though it seemed that Becker had found his stride going into the fifth set, Edberg fought back and ultimately won his second Wimbledon Championship. 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer has frequently cited both Edberg and Becker as his tennis idols, even going as far as hiring Edberg as his coach in 2014.
8) Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick: 2009 Wimbledon Final
As a five-time Wimbledon champion, Federer was the strong favorite going into the 2009 final against Andy Roddick who he had beaten for the title in 2004 and 2005. However, it wasn’t an easy win for the Swiss player and both athletes brought their very best to the match.
Roddick took the first set and Federer the next two. Roddick won the fourth set with ease, and the tension at Centre Court could have been cut with a knife. Ultimately, Federer snatched the win in the fifth set, earning his 15th major title and the world no. one spot for the second time.
7) Steffi Graf vs. Martina Navratilova: 1988 Wimbledon Final
Navratilova, a six-time defending champion, found herself playing a 19-year-old Graf in the 1988 final. The match was a stepping stone in an unprecedented and uncontested year for the German youngster.
Having struck a breakthrough by winning the French Open in 1987, Graf began 1988 by dominating the Australian Open, and then defending her title at the French Open just prior to Wimbledon. In the Wimbledon final, Graf took an early 5-3 lead during the first set, but Navratilova roared back and won it.
Though she started the second set strongly, the Czech titan couldn’t withstand the pressure from Graf, and fell 6-2 and 6-1 in the second and third. Graf went on to become the only tennis player to date to have won the Golden Slam – all four Grand Slams and the Olympic gold in the same year.
6) Goran Ivanisevic vs. Pat Rafter: 2001 Wimbledon Final
At the time it had seemed unlikely that Ivanisevic or Rafter would even make the semi-finals of Wimbledon, and nevermind be competing for the title. Both were pushing 30 and seemed to be plagued by surgery-requiring injuries. Against the odds, they found themselves playing exceptional tennis on Centre Court. Ivanisevic, who was ranked 125th and went unseeded, had been awarded one of the wild card spots in the competition.
He went on to become the first wild card to ever win a Grand Slam, a move that skyrocketed his world ranking to 16th overnight. The match is legendary because of the dedicated fan bases which fuelled one of the most energetic and electric Wimbledon atmospheres of all time. While tennis is often a subdued affair, the 2001 final was anything but. The crowd were behind the players every step of the way, and Ivanisevic and Rafter rewarded them with some of the best grass-court tennis of their careers.
5) Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova: 1978 Wimbledon Final
In a rivalry spanning 80 matches, 60 finals and 15 years, it’s hard to pick the pinnacle, but we think the Wimbledon 1978 final is a strong contender. A 23-year-old Chris Evert was playing for her third Wimbledon title against a 21-year-old Navratilova, against whom she had a 21-5 record. Little did she know that Navratilova would quickly become one of the greatest female players of all time, and indeed go on to lead their overall head-to-head record.
At Wimbledon, Evert took the first set 2–6. The second fell to Navratilova 6–4. The third looked to swing Evert’s way as she led 2-4, but Navratilova rallied to win her first Grand Slam title. The pair’s rivalry would span another decade and see them both win 18 Grand Slam titles each.
4) Venus Wiliams vs. Lindsay Davenport: 2005 Wimbledon Final
It’s hard to believe that in 2005, people thought Venus Williams had lost her spark. Following a string of injuries, a tumble out of the top ten world rankings, and a painful defeat to a 15-year-old at the French Open, tennis fans had serious questions about her form. Boy, did she show them.
In a tense and unforgettable final, Venus Williams beat out Lindsay Davenport to claim her fifth Grand Slam. Not only that, but Williams earned her spot by defeating the reigning champion in the semifinals, Maria Sharapova, in a match that only narrowly missed out on a place on this list. The final, however, is a classic. Davenport is one of the most precise and powerful players in tennis, and Williams is one of the most stylistically aggressive.
The match was showstopping. When Davenport won the first set and led the second 6-5, Williams came alive. She wore down her opponent through sheer grit and determination, and ended up the victor. The pair played for nearly two hours in the longest Wimbledon women’s final in history.
3) Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokovic: 2013 Wimbledon Final
On his home court, Andy Murray took on the top-seeded Djokovic. Murray had reached the finals the year prior but lost to Federer. Djokovic won the title in 2011 and was keen to add a second Wimbledon win to his Grand Slam collection. At first, they seemed equally matched.
The first set swung in favor of both players before Murray clinched it 6-4. Djokovic rose to the challenge and gained a 1-4 lead in the second set, but Murray pushed back with a strong serve to win it 7-5. The third set looked to be in the Scotsman’s pocket when a strong start earned him a 2-0 lead, then the Serbian pulled ahead winning 4 straight games.
In a tense finale, Murray served for three Championship points before finding luck on the fourth. In his first Wimbledon win, he became the first British man since 1936 and the first Scottish man since 1896 to take the title.
2) Björn Borg vs. John McEntroe: 1980 Wimbledon Final
Another storied rivalry was that of Borg and McEnroe, though it only lasted from 1978-1981. Famously dubbed ‘fire and ice,’ the stark contrast between Borg’s stoic persona and McEnroe’s on-court tantrums entertained fans all around the world. In 1980, the pair entered Wimbledon as the first and second seeds, respectively.
Borg was looking to claim his fifth Wimbledon title, while McEnroe was chasing his first. The match was grueling, with McEnroe saving numerous match points. After a nearly four-hour-long battle, Borg triumphed 1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–7, 8–6. To this day, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis matches ever.
1) Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal: 2008 Wimbledon Final
In the greatest Wimbledon match of all time, two of the greatest players battled for the title. Prior to stepping onto Centre Court in 2008, they had collectively won 14 of the 16 previous Grand Slams. They had both met in the final in both 2006 and 2007, with Federer having won every Wimbledon title since 2003.
Nadal on the other hand was fresh from his French Open win, though switching from the slow clay court to the fast grass of Wimbledon within a month posed a real challenge. The British weather played a key role, with rain delaying the start of the match and suspending it during the third set. Since then, the event organizers have built a retractable roof over Centre Court in an attempt to minimize the effects of rain on the game.
Here’s how it went. Nadal came out strong, winning the first two sets 6-4. When the third set was suspended, Federer had clawed a 4-5 lead. When play resumed over an hour later, the defending champion took the third and fourth sets 6-7. Federer saved two Championship points in the fourth set tiebreak.
Little separated the players in the fifth set which ultimately led to a 7-7 score with Nadal serving for the Championship. Despite the tension, Federer quickly shut him down and extended the match further. After another short weather delay, the Swissman found himself just two points away from his sixth consecutive Wimbledon Championship. It was not to be. In a gladiatorial show of endurance some seven hours after the start of the match, Nadal broke Federer’s serve and won the final set 9-7.
After watching from the Royal Box, Björn Borg described it as “the best tennis match I’ve ever seen in my life.” Over a decade on, we agree. For the exceptional tennis, fierce determination, and otherworldly show of strength, Federer vs. Nadal could very well be the best tennis match in history, nevermind Wimbledon.
