LONDON — This year marks several significant anniversaries in the history of Wimbledon, the prestigious tennis tournament known for its rich tradition and momentous matches.
Fifty years ago, in 1975, Arthur Ashe made history by becoming the first and only Black man to win the singles title at Wimbledon, defeating the reigning champion, Jimmy Connors, with a score of 6–1, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4 in a thrilling final. That same year, Billie Jean King clinched her sixth and final singles championship at the All England Club by comfortably beating Evonne Goolagong 6-0, 6-1. Her victory also marked the 19th of 20 Wimbledon trophies she would secure across singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles categories.
In 1980, tennis legend Bjorn Borg earned his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title by narrowly overcoming his rival, John McEnroe. Their encounter ended with a score of 1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–7 (16), 8–6, and is still celebrated as one of the greatest tennis matches ever played. The dramatic fourth-set tiebreaker, nicknamed The War of 1816, remains a highlight in tennis lore.
The year 1985 saw Anne White causing a stir at Wimbledon when she appeared for her first-round match against Pam Shriver in a striking white bodysuit. Although it adhered to the tournament’s all-white dress code, the outfit attracted criticism. When the match was delayed due to darkness, White was informed that her attire was not preferred by the All England Club. She opted for a more conventional outfit when play resumed, and Shriver eventually won the match.
In 1990, Martina Navratilova claimed her ninth Wimbledon championship by conquering Zina Garrison 6-4, 6-1 in the final. This victory marked her 18th and final Grand Slam title, tying her with Chris Evert for the Open Era record at the time.
Fast forward to 2000, when Pete Sampras snagged his seventh and last Wimbledon trophy with a hard-fought 6–7 (10), 7–6 (5), 6–4, 6–2 win against Patrick Rafter. This victory also secured his record 13th Grand Slam title, a record that would later be surpassed by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
A decade later, in 2010, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut engaged in the longest tennis match in history, battling it out for 11 hours and 5 minutes across three days. Isner eventually edged out Mahut with a 70-68 victory in the fifth set, which led to significant rules changes, mandating tiebreakers at 6-all in final sets of men’s and third sets of women’s matches at major tournaments.
In 2015, Serena Williams achieved her second “Serena Slam” by winning four consecutive Grand Slam titles, although not within a single calendar year. Her 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Garbiñe Muguruza made her the oldest woman in the Open Era to win a major singles title. This victory prepared Williams for a quest for a true Grand Slam later that year at the U.S. Open, a quest she narrowly missed after falling to Roberta Vinci in a surprising semifinal upset.
Most recently, five years ago in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of Wimbledon for the first time since World War II. Announced in April during a nationwide lockdown in Britain, the decision drew expressions of disappointment from many, including tennis star Roger Federer, who simply tweeted, “Devastated.”