Memorable Moments At Wimbledon

Memorable Moments At Wimbledon

Rosol Takes Down Nadal

Chasing a drop shot in the second set, Rafael Nadal stumbled and tumbled into the net as his racket went flying to the sideline. It just wasn't his day. Nadal rose slowly to cheers from the crowd but found himself off balance the rest of the way and made his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2005. Nadal was overpowered in the second round by Lukas Rosol, a Czech ranked No. 100 in the world, 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

The Longest Match Ever

American John Isner and France's Nicolas Mahut took part in an epic three-day battle at Wimbledon, with Isner finally prevailing 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68. The first-round match, which was twice suspended because of darkness, lasted 11 hours, five minutes -- with the fifth set taking 8 hours, 11 minutes alone. The unbelievable showdown shattered a number of records; Isner finished with 112 aces, and Mahut had 103, with both totals eclipsing the sport's previous high of 78.

Federer Defeats Roddick

Andy Roddick had his serve broken one time in 77 games during the 2009 final, and one time was all Roger Federer needed to win his record-setting 15th Grand Slam title. In an epic 4-hour-16- minute-affair, Federer won 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6,16-14 to eclipse Pete Sampras on the all-time Slam list.

The Greatest Match Ever Played

"This is the greatest match I've ever seen," said John McEnroe. The match -- the longest men's final in Wimbledon history -- was a 4-hour, 48-minute, twice-rain-delayed, five-set spectacle between the world's two most skilled players at the peak of their abilities. At the conclusion, the second-ranked Nadal achieved his first Wimbledon championship, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7, while preventing the top-ranked Federer from winning his record sixth in a row.

Sister vs. Sister

To earn a chance at her first Grand Slam title, it was only fitting that 20-year-old Venus' semifinal match aligned her against younger sister Serena, who had won her first major at the U.S. Open the year before. Venus ousted Serena in straight sets in a powerful display of tennis. Venus then defeated defending champion Lindsay Davenport in the finals to become the first black women's champion at Wimbledon since Althea Gibson.

Martina's Last Stand

Martina Navratilova entered the final against Conchita Martinez hoping to make it 10 Wimbledon titles. But the younger Martinez outplayed the legendary Navratilova, winning in three sets. Poignantly, Martina grabbed a few pieces of grass on her way out and announced her retirement from singles play shortly thereafter.

Agassi Wins First Grand Slam

With tears of joy streaming down his face, Andre Agassi collapsed onto Wimbledon's Centre Court -- he had just won Wimbledon and his first Grand Slam title. Agassi, then 22, withstood a five-set onslaught of serving from eighth-seeded Goran Ivanisevic in the final.

Becker Becomes a Star

In 1985, 17-year-old Boris Becker, a virtual unknown, exploded onto the scene at Wimbledon, where his powerful serve, endless energy and charisma soon made him a star. By defeating Kevin Curren in the final, Becker became the youngest male Grand Slam singles champion (17 years, 7 months).

Borg Defeats McEnroe

In a true clash of opposites, the stoic Bjorn Borg and his baseline game butted against the emotional John McEnroe and his net mastery, a rematch of the previous year's U.S. Open won by McEnroe. This epic test of endurance was highlighted by a 22-minute tiebreaker in which McEnroe fended off five match points to claim the fourth set 18-16. Yet Borg persevered to win the deciding fifth set, claiming his fifth straight Wimbledon crown.

Ashe Upsets Connors

Days shy of his 32nd birthday, Arthur Ashe faced off against the heavily favored Jimmy Connors, the 22-year-old defending champ. Ashe kept Connors off guard all match with a mix of pace and angles, winning in four sets. The victory was Ashe's first Wimbledon title and third Grand Slam overall, but more than that, the victory made him the first black male player to win the championship.

Court Outlasts King

Sealing the title on her sixth match point, Margaret Court outlasted Billie Jean King 14-12, 11-9 in a two-hour, 28-minute match. Court would go on to win the Grand Slam that year, making her the second of only three women to accomplish that feat (Maureen Connolly Brinker, Steffi Graf).