In this ranking of the top 10 best Wimbledon men’s finals of all time, you’ll find some names that were not on our list of the top 10 men’s French Open finals. Why? It’s because playing well on grass requires uniquely different skills and qualities than it takes to succeed on clay.

Rafael Nadal, who does appear on this list, is not the same legend at Wimbledon that he is at the French Open. Roger Federer, on the other hand, … well, that’s a different story.

When is the Men’s Wimbledon Final?

The 2023 Wimbledon men’s singles final will take place on Sunday, July 16.

What time is the Men’s Wimbledon Final?

The 2023 Wimbledon men’s singles final will be held at 10 a.m. ET (3 p.m. locally in England) on Sunday, July 16.

Men’s Wimbledon Finals History

Played at the famous All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London, the men’s Wimbledon championship is held on grass courts and is one of tennis’ four major Grand Slam events. Over the years, Wimbledon players have fought to win a trophy famous for having a pineapple on it.

Tennis fans travel in droves to England every July to watch the Wimbledon Championships.

Who has won the most Men’s Wimbledon titles?

Of all the players in Wimbledon history, Roger Federer has the most men’s titles with eight. Other notable Wimbledon winners include Novak Djokovic, William Renshaw, and Pete Sampras (each with seven titles).

Ranking the Top 10 Greatest Wimbledon Men’s Singles Finals of all time

10. Andy Murray defeats Novak Djokovic in 2013

Match Result: 6-4, 7-5, 6-4

The first line in The Guardian article the day after the 2013 Murray-Djokovic match read: “Andy Murray shook free 77 years of unwanted history.” That’s because no British man had won Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936

Scotsman Andy Murray was fresh from a 2012 U.S. Open victory and berth in the 2013 Australian Open final. He found himself trailing his quarterfinal match against Fernando Verdasco by two sets but battled back for victory. He later handled former Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets in a match that was something of a coronation day for a tennis-starved kingdom.

Murray never won another Wimbledon championship.

9. Jimmy Connors defeats John McEnroe in 1982

Match Result: 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 

En route to the 1982 Wimbledon final, No. 2-ranked American Jimmy Connors dropped just two sets. Reigning champion and world No. 1 John McEnroe had only dropped one. They would duel for four hours, 14 minutes in a match that -- at the time -- was the longest Wimbledon final ever played.

Connors had not won a Grand Slam event since 1978, and many doubted whether he would ever win another one. “I was going to fight to the death,” he said in the aftermath of his victory.

McEnroe rebounded from this defeat by winning Wimbledon titles in both 1983 and 1984.

8. Jimmy Connors defeats John McEnroe in 1982

Match Result: 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4

En route to the 1982 Wimbledon final, American world #2 Jimmy Connors dropped just two sets. Reigning champion and world #1 John McEnroe had only dropped one. They would duel for four hours and 14 minutes in a match that at the time would be the longest Wimbledon Finals match of all time.

Connors hadn’t won a Grand Slam since 1978 and was widely questioned whether he would ever win another one. “I was going to fight to the death,” he said in the aftermath of his victory.

McEnroe would win Wimbledon titles in both 1983 and 1984.

7. Arthur Ashe defeats Jimmy Connors in 1975

Match Result: 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4

By winning his 1975 Wimbledon final, Arthur Ashe became the first and only black man to win a men’s Wimbledon title. In fact, he is also the only black man to win the U.S. Open and Australian Open.

After defeating future five-time champion Bjorn Borg in the quarterfinals, Ashe drew fellow American and tournament favorite Jimmy Connors in the final. Connors had recently boycotted the Davis Cup, so Ashe made sure to wear a red, white, and blue outfit, as well as his USA sweatshirt, to the match.

Ashe also won swiftly in four sets.

6. Stan Smith defeats Ilie Nastase in 1972

Match Result: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5

Google “Stan Smith tennis,” and most articles you find will describe “the man behind the shoe.” Indeed, classic adidas Stan Smiths are iconic shoes that really put the “tennis” in “tennis shoes.”

The 1972 Wimbledon final was a contrast in styles: the American Smith relied on his dominant serve, while the Romanian Nastase relied more on creativity. Having lost the 1971 final, Smith would not be denied in a topsy-turvy, five-set affair. He finally broke Nastase on his fourth match-point attempt to capture the crown.

5. Goran Ivanisevic defeats Patrick Rafter in 2001

Match Result: 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7

The current coach of reigning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, Croatian former world No. 2 Goran Ivanisevic lost three Wimbledon finals in the 1990s, including a heartbreaking five-set defeat to Pete Sampras in the 1998 final.

Following that 1998 loss, Ivanisevic failed to reach even a major quarterfinal for three years. Entering Wimbledon 2001, the lanky Croatian, ranked No. 125, was only invited to the tournament as a wild card. En route to the final, he faced four current or future world No. 1 players.

His finals opponent, world No. 3 Patrick Rafter, told Ivanisevic: “You came from nowhere leading up to that tournament. You were really bad, actually. I saw you play in Rosmalen the week before. You were not good.”

The Ivanisevic-Rafter match went the distance and then some. By capturing the fifth set 9-7, Ivanisevic became just the second-ever Open-era winner to have to win more than seven games in the final set to capture a title.

4. Novak Djokovic defeats Roger Federer in 2019

Match Result: 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 13-12 (7-3)

Ranking the 2019 men’s Wimbledon final fourth on this list is a testament to the quality of the entries ahead of it.

This match had everything. There was the buildup of world No. 2 Roger Federer defeating longtime rival and world No. 3 Rafael Nadal in a thrilling semifinal. There was the legacy of knowing that this would end up being Federer’s last-ever Grand Slam final, and at 37 he was the oldest man to reach a major final since 1974.

The evenness of this match can be best summed up by the fact that the decisive fifth set needed to be determined by a “double-tiebreaker” (at 12-12) -- the first in the Wimbledon final’s history.

“I had my chances, so did he. In a way I’m happy. But Novak was great. Well done. I still feel good. I can still stand. Back to dad and husband. It’s all good,” said a defeated Roger, classy as always.

The match went so long due to a change in Wimbledon’s tiebreaker rules.

3. Roger Federer defeats Andy Roddick in 2009

Match Result: 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5 (7-5), 3-6, 16-14

If you’re confused as to why the fifth set in the epic Federer-Roddick 2009 Wimbledon final didn’t go to a “double-tiebreak”, reference the aforementioned ESPN article highlighting the change in the tiebreaker rule.

In terms of total games played (77), this was the longest-ever Grand Slam final. Federer had previously defeated former world No. 1 Andy Roddick twice in Wimbledon finals, and the Swiss star carried an 18-2 head-to-head record against the American.

“I threw the kitchen sink at him, but he went to the bathroom and got his tub,” said a befuddled Roddick after the match. Roddick had two break points at 8-8 in a wild fifth set, but Federer held and pounced at 15-14. It was Federer’s sixth Wimbledon victory in seven years. Continue reading this list to learn about the final he didn’t win.

2. Bjorn Borg defeats John McEnroe in 1980

Match Result: 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (16-18), 8-6

Sweden’s cool world No. 1-ranked Bjorn Borg was coming off four consecutive Wimbledon titles when he arrived in London in 1980. John McEnroe, the fiery American ranked No. 2 in the world, was the upstart challenger who had won the 1979 U.S. Open. They had a contrast in styles popularly described as “Fire & Ice.”

McEnroe was booed as he walked onto Centre Court, but he proceeded to hang tough with the player considered the best ever on grass. In a wild, 34-point fourth-set tiebreaker, McEnroe saved an astounding four set points. A tiebreak in the fifth set wouldn’t be enough, however, as a dominant Borg finally broke the young American. The Swede only dropped seven service points in the final set.

1. Rafael Nadal defeats Roger Federer in 2008

Match Result: 6-4, 6-4. 6-7. (5-7), 6-7 (6-8), 9-7

Before this match, tennis fans around the world wondered if Rafael Nadal could win outside of a clay court. The other question: Could Roger Federer make it six Wimbledon titles in a row?

After this match, those same tennis fans wondered if they had just witnessed the greatest tennis match of all time.

Words can hardly do this match justice. The best way to describe it is to suggest that readers watch the highlights. So, go ahead and do it.

Parameters of Rankings

Rankings were based on the level of notoriety of the finalists, the quality of the match itself, the length of the match, and any historical importance surrounding the given final.

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