Wimbledon - Magic Moments

[niko197]

Wimbledon has produced its fair share of highlights throughout its 122-year history.

There are few who can forget an unseeded Boris Becker claiming his first title at the tender age of 17, or Pete Sampras lifting the trophy for a seventh and final time to break the record for the most grand slam singles titles won.

Here, we look back at six of the most memorable from the All England Club. If your favourite is missing then please let us know using the feedback box below.

GORAN IVANISEVIC (2001)
Ivanisevic had already won over the SW19 crowd after finishing as runner-up in three previous finals and, at the age of 29, this was his last chance to conquer Wimbledon. The odds were against him from the start due to a shoulder injury, while he also needed a wild card to get into the tournament having dropped to 125th in the world. But the popular Croatian fought his way through to the final, where he went on to beat Pat Rafter in a five-set epic. To add to the drama, bad weather meant the match was played on the third Monday but the crowds turned out in droves to cheer an emotional Goran on every step of the way.


BORG v McENROE (1980)
Borg was aiming to win his fifth successive Wimbledon title, while McEnroe was making his first appearance in the All England Club showpiece. It was an

intriguing contest from the very first point but it was the fourth-set tie-break that would go down in history. With Borg leading by two sets to one, McEnroe eventually levelled the match on a tie-break that lasted 22 minutes and saw 34 points contested. In the end it took an uncharacteristic error from Borg to hand the American an 18-16 advantage. The Swede went on to win the match, although McEnroe got his revenge the following year.


NADAL v FEDERER (2008)
Last year's final was remarkable for several reasons, not least because it saw the top two players in the world slogging it out on Centre Court once more. Itwas the third All England final in a row between the two, and ultimately needed five sets and 288 minutes of tennis to separate the two, becoming the longest men's singles final in Wimbledon history. Several rain interruptions added to the suspense and the contest finished in near darkness. After Federer had fought back from two sets down, it was Nadal who came out on top in the decider to claim his first Wimbledon trophy and end the Swiss star's five-year dominance of the event.



VIRGINIA WADE (1977)

Wimbledon was marking its centenary, so it was only fitting a Briton should leave their mark on the tournament. At 31, Virginia Wade was considered an outsider in the women's singles draw but overcame Chris Evert in the semi-final before beating Betty Stove in three sets to claim the trophy in front of the

Queen in her Silver Jubilee year. Wade remains the last British player to win a

senior Wimbledon singles title, although even she was surprised by her success, confessing: ''It was my 16th attempt. I'd been trying since 1962. I'd virtually given up.''


ARTHUR ASHE (1975)
One of Wimbledon's more unexpected results saw unfancied Arthur Ashe take the crown from defending champion Jimmy Connors. Connors was the overwhelming favourite and had not dropped a set en route to the final. Ashe had survived a five-set tussle in the semis to secure his place in the showpiece. The first two sets took everyone by surprise, though, as Ashe brushed aside his opponent 6-1 in both. Connors fought back to claim the third but Ashe went on to wrap up a 6-1 6-1 5-7 6-4 success, becoming the first black player to win a men's singles title at SW19.


JANA NOVOTNA (1998)
It took three attempts and saw many tears shed along the way but Jana Novotna finally came good in the women's singles final, beating Natalie Tauziat in straight sets. Five years earlier, the Czech had found her way into the hearts of many on Centre Court when she lost the final to Steffi Graf. Then, Novotna had been unable to hold back the tears during the presentation ceremony, famously crying on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent. Novotna had also lost the 1997 final to Martina Hingis but overcame her demons 12 months later to become one of Wimbledon's most popular winners.


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 88,00.html

[absolutely_fabregas]

henman had a few crackers

and murrays v gasquet was epic last year

[niko197]

ivanisevic-henman 3 day match, and finals with pat rafter are the best matches ever.

[absolutely_fabregas]

ivanisevic-henman 3 day match, and finals with pat rafter are the best matches ever.

true.

[rogerthornhill]

Here is a YouTube feature about the truly great Pancho Gonzalez, he won Wimbledon's longest match when he defeated the much younger Charlie Passarell. If he hadn't turned professional he would have been Wimbledon champion but he returned when the sport became open. if you thought that McEnroe was volatile then you should have seen Gonzalez, he was the archetypal streetfighter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd0gJzm_ ... re=related

[Libertine]

Never got into tennis.

Used to be a girls sport at school.
(as in: the girls played tennis and the lads played cricket)

[whee]

Never got into tennis.

Used to be a girls sport at school.
(as in: the girls played tennis and the lads played cricket)

We were forced to play mixed singles at school.

I remember this one girl, when I was 12 or so, I played against was f***ing ace at tennis, and I just couldn't be arsed for it, until this one particular afternoon.

I started the game pretty poorly, and was losing and a few of my mates started taking the piss - "Ahh you're gonna lose to a girl" which pissed me off to be fair.

I morphed into Andre f***ing Agassi and played the best tennis of my career on the planet.

So I started giving her some lip as I was approaching match point - "You're not so hot at this now are you, I don't even like your precious tennis shit"

We're up close to the net in an ace ralley and I go to play a lob shot, unfortunately I didn't catch hold of it enough and it just hung in the air about a foot above her head.

WHACK! She's caught hold of this tennis ball with all her force and it's come flying into me stones.

I remember lying on the deck whimpering like a little bitch. I didn't recover for a good half hour. Safe to say I lost the game and i've played tennis just 3 times since.

[Gunflash]

The fourth set tie-break in the Federer/Nadal 2008 final was brilliant. Nadal set up match point with an enormous forehand passing shot and Federer looked beaten. Then Federer came up with a sublime backhand to save the match point before taking the set and forcing a decider.

[rogerthornhill]

Emotional Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon title defence with knee injury

Full story here -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis ... njury.html

[Andreys_Does_Simples]

Emotional Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon title defence with knee injury

Full story here -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis ... njury.html

If Nadal can get a few more years out of tennis he'l be doing well.

[rogerthornhill]

If Nadal can get a few more years out of tennis he'l be doing well.

Yep, that's very sad but also very true, he seems to be well crocked.