The first Wimbledon Gentleman's Final was in 1877. The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships has been held every year since then, except during the First World War, World War II and the Covid-19 pandemic. That means that this year, 2025, is number 138.
Engraving courtesy of Wikipedia
Introduction
Men's tennis was dominated for two decades by three players: Roger Federer (SUI); Rafael Nadal (ESP) and Novak Djokovich (SRB). In the Grand Slams (Australian Open; Paris; Wimbledon and US Open) Djokovich has won 24; Nadal 22 and Federer 20.
Novak Djokovich [El Confidencial] Rafael Nadal [CNN en Español] Roger Federer [BBC]
Since the Open Era began in 1968, when professional players were admitted to the tour for the first time, several players dominated in the Grand Slams at that time.
Bjorn Borg (SWE) won eleven Grand Slams, including six singles titles at Roland-Garros and five at Wimbledon. He never played in Australia.
Andre Agassi (USA) managed eight victories, including a career Grand Slam. He also won the heart of Steffi Graf (GER) arguably the best female tennis player ever.
Bjorn Borg [Int. Tennis Hall of Fame] Andre Agassi [Los Angeles Times]
Jimmy Connors (USA) won eight slams but never won in Paris.
Ivan Lendl (CZE, then USA) also won eight, but couldn't win at Wimbledon.
John McEnroe (USA) and Mats Wilander (SWE) each won seven.
Stefan Edberg (SWE) and Boris Becker (GER) managed six each.
Jimmy Connors [Britannica] John McEnroe [Los Angeles Times]
Hard on their heels Pete Sampras (USA) clocked up 14 Grand Slam titles, including seven at Wimbledon.
Pete Sampras won seven titles at Wimbledon [ESPN Deportes]
Then, along came Federer .....
Roger Federer, a young Swiss player, came up against Sampras in the 2003 final, ..... and beat him!
Federer dominated tennis after that until McEnroe, Nadal and Djokovich emerged. Federer has won more Wimbledon titles - eight - than any other player.
The next generation
Now that Federer, Nadal and Andy Murray have retired, no younger players have picked up the gauntlet. Dominic Thiem (AUT) and Alexander Zverev (GER) have flattered to deceive.
But now, all of a sudden .....
Jannick Sinner (ITA), 23, and Carlos Alcaraz (ESP), 22, have clocked up four and five Grand Slams respectively. Others to keep an eye on next season are Taylor Fritz (USA); Ben Shelton (USA); Flavio Cobolli (ITA); Grigor Dmitrov (BUL) and Jack Draper (GBR).
Jannick Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz after the 2025 Wimbledon Final [The Objective]
Conclusion
In the Wimbledon championships in 2025, some new records were set:
Jannick Sinner became the first Italian ever to win the Gentlemen's singles.
Iga Swiatek became the first ever Pole to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool became the first all-British pair to win the Gentlemen's Doubles since 1911.
Tokito Oda from Japan won the men's wheelchair title for the second time and he's still only 19 years of age!
A year of surprises!
See also:
The Changing face of Women's Tennis
© Sporty Sam
Photos:
BBC, CNN en Español, El Confidencial, ESPN Deportes, Iberfotos (ES), International Tennis Hall of Fame, Los Angeles Times, The Objective, Wikipedia
Acknowledgements:
BBC, SKY News, The Guardian, Wikipedia
Tags:
Alexander Zverev, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray, Australia, Ben Shelton, Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, BBC, CNN en Español, career Grand Slam, Carlos Alcaraz, Dominic Thiem, El Confidencial, ESPN Deportes, first all-British pair, first ever Pole, Flavio Cobolli, Gentlemen's Doubles, Grigor Dmitrov, Grand Slam, Iberfotos (ES), Iga Swiatek, International Tennis Hall of Fame, Ivan Lendl, Jack Draper, Jannick Sinner, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Julian Cash, Lloyd Glasspool, Los Angeles Times, Mats Wilander, Novak Djokovich, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Roland-Garros, SKY News, Sporty Sam, Stefan Edberg, Steffi Graf, Taylor Fritz, The Guardian, The Objective, Tokito Oda, Venus Rosewater Dish, Wikipedia