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Bjorn Borg in action during his epic win over John McEnroe in 1980
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Wimbledon has played host to some of the most thrilling matches in tennis history. Here, we remember five great men's matches and five great women's matches played at SW19.
MEN
PANCHO GONZALES v CHARLIE PASARELL, first round, 1969
In the longest Wimbledon match ever played, it took five hours and 12 minutes for Gonzales to triumph. The contest took place before tie breaks were introduced, resulting in 112 games with 22-24 1-6 16-14 6-3 11-9 the final scoreline.
ARTHUR ASHE v JIMMY CONNORS, final 1975
History was made as Ashe became the first black man to win the Wimbledon singles title, toppling brash number one seed Connors. Ashe won the match 6-1 6-1 5-7 6-4, crushing a Connors fightback in emphatic style.
BJORN BORG v JOHN McENROE, final, 1980
Rated as one of the best men's finals ever, Borg was clear favourite but it took a marathon five-set contest to separate him from McEnroe. An epic tie break settled the fourth set for an emotional McEnroe, who won 18-16.
PAT RAFTER v ANDRE AGASSI, semi-final 2000
Contrasting styles made for one of the all-time classics with Rafter edging Agassi 7-5 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-3. Rafter's serve and volley game, which saw the Australian play much of the game at the net, frustrated Agassi throughout.
ROGER FEDERER v PETE SAMPRAS, fourth round, 2001
A battle of two all-time greats, Sampras' skills may have been waning but the match was never less than gripping. It took five sets to separate them with Federer triumphing 7-6 5-7 6-4 6-7 7-5.
WOMEN
ANNE JONES v BILLIE-JEAN KING, final, 1969
Home favourite Jones stunned Wimbledon with a victory against all the odds. King dominated tennis during her era and was expected to breeze past Jones but instead lost 3-6 6-3 6-2 with the support for her opponent on Centre Court clearly getting to her.
VIRGINIA WADE v BETTY STOVE, final, 1977
Wade dispatched Stove 4-6 6-3 6-1 to complete a fairytale victory in Wimbledon's centenary year. The Briton, who had defeated Chris Evert in the semi-finals, ultimately made light work of Stove but it was a heart-warming moment in the tournament's history.
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA v CHRIS EVERT, final, 1978
Navratilova and Evert met an astonishing 60 times in event finals with their 1978 Wimbledon showdown probably the pick of them. Evert made a strong start but Navratilova struck back to win an enthralling match 2-6 6-4 7-5.
STEFFI GRAF v JANA NOVOTNA, final, 1993
An eventful final that saw Novotna burst into tears after losing a match she looked set to win. The Czech was making unstoppable progress and was just a point away from securing a 5-1 lead in the final set, only for Graf to triumph 7-6 1-6 6-4.
CONCHITA MARTINEZ v MARTINA NAVRATILOVA, final, 1994
Navratilova was nearing the end of her career at 37 but she produced a magnificent display that earned her the longest standing ovation Centre Court has ever seen. The youth of Martinez eventually told with the Spaniard winning 6-4 3-6 6-3.
Do you agree with our selections? Let us know if you remember any other standout matches.
Comments (21)
Kevin Newstead says...
The 2001 semi-final between Henman and Ivanisevic was absolutely gripping with Henman playing some amzing stuff to have Ivanisevic on the ropes until the typical English weather ruined his dream. For sheer patriotic reasons this goes down as one of the classic matches
Posted 15:37 23rd June 2008
Gary Robertson says...
the best game of tennis in history was spring of 82 when we made a make shift net which covered the road at the side of our house and chalked out a court.... everyone in the estate entered the competition which went on for at least 6 days... eventually a 10 yr old (myself) meeting a 13 yr old in the final and loosing 2-3 in sets... only going down to the stronger serve... thats what wimbledon was about... you wouldnt get that nowadays..... Even cars respected the court and drove round it by mounting the kerb and driving up on the bank, so as not to disturb the net.... what happended to this country
Posted 12:43 23rd June 2008
Patrick Jones says...
I agree with all the aforementioned but what about Maria Bueno defeating Billie Jean King or was it Margaret Court in 1970? something
Posted 12:28 23rd June 2008
James Mann says...
Can't remember the year, but an ageing Connors came back from 6-1 6-1 4-1 down to Mikael Pernfors, to win 1-6 1-6 7-5 6-4 6-2. An unbelievable fightback
Posted 12:20 23rd June 2008
Gregory Vincent says...
I think Connors needs to be better represented here. He wasn't voted in America the most exciting tennis player of the open era for nothing. The Borg v Connors finals of 1977 and 1978 were outstanding matches from start to finish. The semi-finals between Borg and Gerrulitis (1977) and Borg and Connors (1981) were arguably as great as any semi-finals ever. And the Connors fightback against Perfors in the 4th round at Wimbledon in 1987 was the greatest comeback I have ever seen. Pernfors was 6-1, 6-1, 4-1 up. He had been a French Open finalist the previous month, and was more than ten years younger than Connors - who was nearly 35. Incredible!
Posted 11:49 23rd June 2008
Miguel Camilleri says...
As previously said in here, the 2001 men's final between Ivanisevic and Rafter has got to be in here. Brilliant tennis between the two, not to mention possibly the best atmosphere I've ever seen in a tennis match. 2007 final between Fed and Rafa was also very good.
Posted 11:13 23rd June 2008
Denise Jackson says...
Bjorn Borg and Vitas Gerulaitis 1977 Semi-final, defnitely, but also Stan Smith vs. Ilie Nastase Final in 1972 - five sets of fantastic tennis, contrasting styles and pure emotion. Steffi Graf vs Arantxa Sanchez final in the mid 1990s stands out amongst the women's matches.
Posted 11:02 23rd June 2008
James Brown says...
I think you missed out on one of the greatest mens finals ever and definately the greatest comeback of all time. It was the mens final 1982 between Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, Connors was 2 sets to 1 down and McEnroe had match point in the 4th set, Connors broke serve and went on to win a thrilling 5 set match
Posted 10:50 23rd June 2008
Michael Jones says...
Four matches from 2001: Pete Sampras versus Barry Cowan, when Cowan came tantalisingly close to what would probably have rated as the greatest upset in sporting history, then both semis and the final - all epics. Also Sampras versus Krajicek in 1996, the only match Sampras lost at Wimbledon in eight years.
Posted 10:30 23rd June 2008
Bobby Monk says...
I too cannot believe they left out the Ivanisevic final...
Posted 10:03 23rd June 2008
Tate C says...
The 1995 semi-final between Becker and Agassi...simply sublime tennis by both.
Posted 09:38 23rd June 2008
Smee Bur says...
what about the ivanisovic rafter final - the tension and atmosphere was amazing. great croud, great final
Posted 09:08 23rd June 2008
Leo Mannin says...
The ladies singles final of 2005 should definately be up there. Venus Williams defeating Lindsay Davenport 9-7 in the third.
Posted 06:44 23rd June 2008
Harry Wood says...
Well, I would agree that the 2007 final was amazing, if this wasnt only Wimbledon, the final of Queens 2008 between Nada and Djokovich was a fantasic match also
Posted 05:44 23rd June 2008
Ken Benjamin says...
The semi-final match in 1977 between Bjorn Borg and Vitas Gerulaitis is also one of the very best.
Posted 03:23 23rd June 2008
Russ Swinburne says...
There was a semi-final or quater-final match between Bjorn Borg and Vitus Geralitis in (I think) 1978 that was a classic too
Posted 00:57 23rd June 2008
Thomas Gibson says...
The Rafter v Agassi five-set semi of 2001 was even better than that of 2000..
Posted 00:17 23rd June 2008
Leigh Gibson says...
Surely Goran Ivani¿eviæ V Patrick Rafter has to be right up there for one of the greatest matches ever. Some of the strokes played by both players in the final set were out of this world. It was made all the more memorable by the big Croat finally getting his dream title after going so close twice. And by getting to the final afer being granted a wild card just before the tournament.
Posted 00:14 23rd June 2008
Jason Nim says...
2007 final should be here of course...
Posted 10:46 19th June 2008
Jason Page says...
I agree with the first comment. Last year final was spectacular. I think this year we should enjoy the same opponents in the final, with Nadal overthrowing Federer
Posted 09:45 19th June 2008