History 2010s
2010: The Royal Occasion
Her Majesty the Queen finally returned to the All England Lawn Tennis Club during the 2010 Championships, and the excitement surrounding her visit was commensurate with the length of her absence. It had been 33 years since Her Majesty had spent a day at Wimbledon, back during her Silver Jubilee celebrations of 1977 – a year marked by the victory of Virginia Wade.
With the past very much represented in the Royal Box, Her Majesty was taken to meet both the present and the future of tennis. Accompanied by HRH the Duke of Kent, who was president of the AELTC at the time, the Queen took a walk around the ground, stopping at Court 14 to watch youngsters from the Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative practise. Her Majesty then greeted the top four seeds in the ladies' singles – the Williams sisters, Caroline Wozniacki and Jelena Jankovic and leading men's players Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick and Roger Federer.
The presence of Elizabeth II on Centre Court did not throw British hope Andy Murray off his stride as he dispatched of Finn Jarkko Nieminen in straight sets.
2010: John Isner v Nicolas Mahut
The first round match of The Championships 2010 on Court 18 between a French qualifier, world No.148 Nicolas Mahut, and giant American 23rd seed John Isner, did not feature on many radars. But all that changed midway through Wednesday afternoon, when journalists began to notice the two men had reached 12-12 in the fifth set.
When Isner quickly surpassed the record for the most aces in a Wimbledon match, the crowds around the grounds could sense that something special was going on. Five teams of ball kids came and went, line judges were refreshed and the scoreboard gave up the ghost at 50-50 in the final set, but Isner and Mahut kept on going. At just gone 9pm, and with darkness falling on SW19, the two were cheered from the court with the scores at 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(7) 6-7(3), 59-59 and with the match clock reading exactly 10 hours.
With the world now watching, they were at it again the next afternoon. Yet another milestone was passed when the match reached 11 hours, and five minutes later it was all over. With Mahut serving at 68-69, 30-all, Isner produced a forehand pass to earn his fifth match point, before threading a backhand pass down the line to wrap up a 70-68 final set. This record-breaking match remains the longest in the sport's history.
2011: Petra Kvitova
In the women's draw, a new champion was crowned when 21-year-old Petra Kvitova zoomed past all-comers to become the first left-handed female singles winner at The Championships since Martina Navratilova in 1990 and the first Czech champion since Jana Novotna in 1998.
Kvitova had signalled her grass-court credentials a year earlier where, as an unseeded player, she reached the semi-finals before falling to eventual champion Serena Williams.
Having beaten fourth seed Victoria Azarenka in the 2011 semi-finals, the eighth seed found herself up against 2004 champion, Maria Sharapova, in the final, with Navratilova and Novotna watching on from the stands.
Barely showing a hint of nerves, Kvitova cruised to a 6-3, 6-4 victory and became just the third left-handed champion after Ann Jones and Navratilova. She would go on to finish the year with a perfect 19-0 record indoors, which included the season-ending championships in Istanbul.
2011: Novak Djokovic v Rafael Nadal
At the 125th Championships in 2011, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic became the first man not named Federer or Nadal to lift the Challenge Cup since 2002. Becoming world No.1 in the same swoop, he continued an extraordinary year, which saw him win the Australian Open, and then complete an almost unheard of 43-match winning streak up to the semi-finals of the French Open.
Djokovic underlined his new status as the world's top player by shattering Nadal's 20-match winning streak to add his name to the roll of honour at The Championships for the first time.
The 24-year-old Serb, with his country's president watching from the Royal Box, won 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 and took his win-loss record for the year to an astonishing 48-1. He would finish the season with an impressive 70-6 record, including three Grand Slam singles crowns, in what many regarded as the best season in the modern era.
2012: Roger Federer v Andy Murray
The first Wimbledon final completed under a closed Centre Court roof broke records for many reasons. Roger Federer equalled the achievement of Pete Sampras and William Renshaw in winning a seventh singles title at Wimbledon, his 17th Grand Slam singles title in total, and regaining the world No.1 spot as a 30-year-old, meanwhile Andy Murray became the first British man to compete in a Wimbledon singles final since Bunny Austin in 1938, the hopes of the nation once again on his increasingly broad shoulders. It was a victory for Federer, who triumphed 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 with a flawless display. And it was bitter defeat for Murray, who managed to utter , "I'm getting closer," before breaking down in tears as his supporters, the crowd, and the nation wept with him. His time at Wimbledon would come.
2012: Serena Williams
Serena Williams first began winning Grand Slam singles titles at the end of the 1990s and dominated the sport for decades, when Bill Clinton was still in the White House and Prince William was a schoolboy. In the summer of 2012, approaching 31, having survived a career-threatening foot injury, a pulmonary embolism, and a first-ever Grand Slam first round loss at Roland Garros, she achieved her 14th Grand Slam victory. Winning her fifth Wimbledon singles title on Centre Court, Williams defeated Agnieszka Radwanska in a topsy-turvy three-setter 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, admitting that she simply "got up and got started"
William’s followed up her singles success with a fifth Wimbledon doubles title alongside sister Venus on the same afternoon. Three weeks later, Serena strung together a further six wins to claim Olympic Gold on the very same lawns.
"Winning is so amazing. Each title is special but this is super-special because it’s a huge comeback for me. Oh my gosh, I still can’t believe I was able to come through and win my seven matches."
2012: The British fairytale
Sometimes great things happen to really nice people. 31-year old Jonathan Marray was a British doubles player who was doing his best to afford a living playing the sport he loved when he entered Wimbledon as a wild card, alongside Denmark’s Frederik Nielson. Despite only having played together a few times in the past, the pair caused one of the biggest sensations in men’s doubles history when they beat the No.5 seeds Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 in the final in front of an ecstatic Centre Court crowd.
Marray was the first British winner of the men’s doubles at Wimbledon since 1936. It was the perfect fairytale.
2012: The golden set
Without dropping a single point in the first set in her match against the 2012 French Open finalist, Sara Errani, Yaroslava Shvedova achieved the first 'golden set' by winning 24 straight points. She was the first person to achieve this feat since Bill Scanlon defeated Marcos Hocevar in the first round of the Gold Coast Classic in 1983.
Shvedova's feat - which included four aces and 14 winners - is the first at the All England Club and the first in women’s tennis since the professional era began in 1968.
In 2006, Shvedova almost set that record by rattling off 23 straight points against Amy Frazierr in the last 16 at Memphis. She lost the next point, erasing the chance for the golden set. Shvedova, then ranked No.228, went on to lose the match to her No.7-seeded opponent in three sets, 1-6, 6-0, 6-0.
In 2012 at the All England Club, however, the wild card and Roland Garros quarter-finalist proved too strong for her No. 10-ranked opponent. She earned 24 straight points in just 15 minutes, with only her ball toss showing any signs of nerves in those initial six games.
2012: The Olympics at Wimbledon
From Sharapova getting mobbed at the Olympic village, to Serena and Venus glued to the archery and gymnastics, to Ryan Lochte tweeting about Serena, to the Brits staying in the Olympic village... it is fair to say that for tennis players, being part of London 2012 is something they'll never forget. The excitement surrounding pin-trading told you all you needed to know about how much players enjoyed the Olympic experience.
And as for their results? The fact that the three Grand Slam champions of 2012 scooped the women's singles medals, the men's semi-finals featured three of the top four, the men's and women's doubles were won by two of the most dominant doubles partnerships in history, and the mixed doubles by former mixed doubles Grand Slam champions, proves that the Olympic tennis was by no means a lightweight event.
7.9 million viewers watched the women's final between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova in the USA, 10million watched the men's final between Andy Murray and Roger Federer on the BBC, as Murray proudly won Olympic gold.
But perhaps most importantly, was the way the fans who came to Wimbledon embraced the occasion. Yes, there were crying babies, but there were also flags, team tracksuits, chants, and an atmosphere the like of which you could only have during an Olympics.
"The atmosphere in all of the stadiums, when everyone's won gold medals in all of the sports, everyone's just been so happy and pumped. I'm just glad I've been able to contribute to that," Murray said.
"That's one of the reasons why the Olympics is so great. Everybody gets into it. Everybody gets into sports that they maybe never have watched before, never seen. You know, I'm no different."
2013: Andy Murray
"British man wins Wimbledon." It was a sentence 77 years in the waiting and it was finally uttered when Andy Murray became the first homegrown champion at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936. A year on from his defeat to Roger Federer in his first Wimbledon final, Murray returned in 2013 eager to go one better against Novak Djokovic
It was the fourth time the pair, who were born just seven days apart in May 1987, met in a Grand Slam final, with Djokovic having won two of their previous three encounters. After opening up a 6-4, 7-5, 5-4 lead, Murray came out to serve for the match in front of an overjoyed Centre Court crowd.
In an understandably nervy final game, Murray let slip three championship points before eventually converting at the fourth time of asking when Djokovic sent one final backhand crashing into the net. The euphoria in Murray’s celebration soon turned to a look of disbelief as he made the famous climb up to his box, packed to the brim with his nearest and dearest. The long wait was over.
2013: Marion Bartoli
Marion Bartoli’s maiden Wimbledon triumph was one for the record books. At 28, the Frenchwoman, who had been defeated by Venus Williams in the final six years previously, set a new record by winning her first Grand Slam title at the 47th attempt, two more than Jana Novotna had played when she won at Wimbledon in 1998. After overcoming Sabine Lisicki 6-1, 6-4 in the final, Bartoli took her place on Wimbledon’s roll of honour alongside fellow French winners Suzanne Lenglen and Amelie Mauresmo. She was also the first player of any gender to win The Championships using two hands on both the forehand and backhand. Only two months later, the first-time champion announced her retirement from the sport
2013: Nadal and Federer lose early
Much of the talk ahead of the 2013 edition of The Championships was the projected quarter-final meeting between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. The pair, who at the time held 29 Grand Slam singles titles between them, hadn’t met on grass since the 2008 final.
· In an unexpected turn of events, the quarter-final that materialised from that section of the draw pitted together the unlikely duo of Jerzy Janowicz and Lukasz Kubot, who contested the first ever all-Polish clash on a major stage.
Nadal lost in the opening round for the first time after a straight sets defeat to Belgium’s Steve Darcis. Federer’s loss was equally surprising. The seven-time champion bowed out in the second round, losing in four tightly contested sets to Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky. It was Federer’s earliest defeat at The Championships since losing in the first round in 2002 and ended his run of 36 straight Slam quarter-finals.
2013: Bob and Mike Bryan
Bob and Mike Bryans' career can be summed up in one word, "firsts". The American twins, who’ve made record-setting a hobby, re-wrote history when they defeated first-time major finalists Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to become the first team in the Open Era to hold all four Grand Slams simultaneously.
A remarkable 12 months began and ended on Centre Court. They kick-started their decorated run by winning gold at London 2012 before returning less than a year later with the US Open, Australian Open and French Open trophies in tow. Their four-set win over the first-time major finalists in the Wimbledon final handed them their third title at the All England Club and 15th Grand Slam overall. "Everything now feels like a bonus," said Bob. "We're adding nuts, whip cream and cherries to our great career.”
2014: Novak Djokovic
The 2011 champion Novak Djokovic ruled in SW19 once again in a four-hour 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-4 thriller to deny Roger Federer an eighth title. The Serbian let a Championship point slip from his grasp in the fourth set as Federer stormed through five consecutive games to force a decider.
However, an emotional Djokovic clinched the fifth set to repeat his celebration of eating a blade of grass from the pristine Centre Court turf immediately after match point. "This victory meant so much to me because it was against a great rival in terrific form on his court,” said Djokovic. "Also considering the fact I lost three (straight) Grand Slam finals. It was a huge test and a mental challenge. We were pushing each other to the limits. This one was extra special."
Australian wildcard Nick Kyrgios shot to prominence with a blockbuster performance to oust two-time champion Rafael Nadal, having also saved a record nine match points to prevail past Richard Gasquet in the second round. Ranked at 144, Kyrgios wielded his searing serve and struck 70 winners to become the first man outside the top 100 to defeat a world No.1 at a Grand Slam since 1992 with an enthralling 7-6(5), 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-3 victory.
Reigning champion Andy Murray reached the quarter-finals without dropping set, but surrendered his title 6-1, 7-6(4), 6-2 against an inspired Grigor Dimitrov.
2014: Petra Kvitova
Mirroring Djokovic, Czech Petra Kvitova also reclaimed the title she captured back in 2011 with a commanding 6-3, 6-0 victory over Eugenie Bouchard.
The 24-year-old needed just 55 minutes to dispatch the Canadian to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish for a second time.
"You always dream as a player to play your best tennis on the biggest stage and that was a thing of beauty,” stated 1999 champion Lindsay Davenport. “You can't even blame Bouchard because she didn't play badly but she just didn't get the chance to play because Kvitova didn't allow her to. I don't think anyone would have been able to play her today."
Meanwhile, five-time champion Serena Williams lost 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the third round to 24th seed Alize Cornet in the American’s earliest Wimbledon exit since 2005.
2015: Serena Williams
Twelve years on from achieving an astonishing first ‘Serena Slam’, Serena Williams held all four Grand Slams once again.
Three victories against former world No.1 players - Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova - proved the American’s prowess.
A 21st singles Grand Slam arrived courtesy of a 6-4, 6-4 scoreline against first-time finalist Garbine Muguruza – joining the American's 2014 US Open, 2015 Australian Open and 2015 Roland-Garros titles in the trophy cabinet.
“At the beginning of the year, this is the one I really wanted to win,” declared Williams. “So that was the first thing and the main thing on my mind.
"I can't believe I am standing here with another 'Serena Slam', it is so cool. It has been a pleasure and an honour to give so many years in this unbelievable place."
2015: Novak Djokovic
Two tie-break sets down against the towering South African Kevin Anderson, defending champion Novak Djokovic was facing a fourth round exit.
However, Djokovic eventually roared back, defying Anderson’s 40 aces. “This was one of the most difficult matches I have played at Wimbledon in my career,” claimed the Serbian. “At times I was helpless with my return.”
Roger Federer put in a majestic performance to topple home charge Andy Murray in straight sets, to book a repeat final with Djokovic.
Same line-up, same result, as the world No.1 ruthlessly dealt with pivotal moments 7-6(1), 6-7(10), 6-4, 6-3 for a third Wimbledon title.
2015: Hingis and Mirza
They were top seeds, but the triumph of Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza was a truly historic occasion.
Their battling, 5-7, 7-6(4), 7-5 victory against Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina made Mirza the first ever Indian to win a women’s doubles Grand Slam.
"Every kid that picks up a tennis racket, this is about winning Wimbledon or playing at Wimbledon one day,” reflected Mirza.
For Hingis, it was her 10th in the category, having last featured in a final at Wimbledon in 1998 en route to lifting the title alongside Jana Novotna.
"It feels like it was in another life," said 1997 singles champion Hingis. “Usually you're lucky to win it once or happy to be out here playing on the Wimbledon grounds. It's above my expectations."
2016: Andy Murray wins again
Andy Murray’s gladiatorial efforts broke the 77 year wait for a British men’s singles champion in 2013. Three years later the Scot lifted the trophy once again amid jubilant scenes on Centre Court.
The second seed soared through the opening rounds and then nullified the power of Australian prodigy Nick Kyrgios. Murray required five sets to tackle the test presented by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but returned to the final with an emphatic victory over Tomas Berdych, before dismantling Roger Federer’s semi-final conqueror Milos Raonic 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(2).
"I'm proud to have my hands on the trophy again," said Murray, who lost three consecutive Grand Slam finals before this triumph, at the 2015 and 2016 Australian Opens and Roland-Garros 2016.
"I've had some great moments here, but also some tough losses. The win feels extra special because of the tough losses."
The shock of the tournament came in the third round, when three-time champion Novak Djokovic’s 30-match winning streak in Grand Slam action was ended by Sam Querrey in the third round.
2016: Serena Williams equals Steffi Graf record
Serena Williams flicked her fingers into the air to signal ‘22’ moments after equalling Steffi Graf's Open era record of Grand Slams.
The American had retained her Wimbledon title with a 7-5, 6-3 victory to gain revenge over Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber, who had beaten her in Melbourne in January.
Only a single set was surrendered on the way to a seventh Wimbledon title but another trophy would follow. Serena joined Venus as the Williams sisters once again ruled at the All England Club, lifting a sixth women’s doubles trophy.
"It's been incredibly difficult not to think about it," admitted Williams, in the pursuit of a 22nd Grand Slam singles title. "It makes the victory even sweeter to know how hard I worked hard for it. This court definitely feels like home.”
2016: First wheelchair singles events at Wimbledon
In 2016, The Championships reached another major milestone with the introduction of wheelchair singles events for the first time.
Gentlemen’s wheelchair singles and ladies’ wheelchair singles were added to the programme, completing a significant progression from the earlier doubles-only format.
In the inaugural men’s singles event, Britain’s Gordon Reid, pictured below, defeated Stefan Olsson, while Jiske Griffioen won the women’s singles title.
2017: Roger Federer returns in style
A resurgent Roger Federer could hardly contain his emotions as his name was finally etched onto the Wimbledon Roll of Honour for an eighth time.
During the second half of 2016, the Swiss maestro was sidelined with left knee rehabilitation. Fast-forward to the Australian Open of 2017 and Federer seamlessly returned to the confines of a court to take the crown in Melbourne.
The Swiss maintained that momentum at Wimbledon, sauntering past seven opponents without dropping a single set to claim a first Wimbledon title since 2012.
"I think the younger twins think this is a nice view and a nice playground - hopefully one day they'll understand," said an emotional Federer with his wife Mirka and four children in the stands after a 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 win over Marin Cilic in the final."
They come for the finals. It's a wonderful moment for the family and my team.”
2017: Garbiñe Muguruza follows coach into history
Very few players can claim to have defeated a Williams sister in a Grand Slam final, but at Wimbledon Muguruza became the first player to prevail past both Serena and Venus in major singles finals.
Having beaten Serena in the 2016 Roland-Garros final, Muguruza here posted a ruthless 7-5 ,6-0 win over five-time champion Venus.
The 23-year-old staved off two set points in the opener, which then ignited a run of the last nine games to deny Williams a first major title since 2008.
"I had the hardest match today against Venus," said Muguruza, having become the second Spanish woman to win the ladies' singles after Conchita Martinez - her coach - ruled in 1994."
She's such an incredible player. I grew up watching her play - sorry," Muguruza told her opponent. "It’s a dream and I feel incredible to be able to play her here.”
2018: Novak Djokovic defeats 'Marathon Man'
To reach his fifth final Novak Djokovic played the second longest semi-final in Wimbledon history taking five hours 15 minutes to defeat Rafael Nadal in a match that spanned two days and was played under the roof.
That was because of a late evening start forced by the first semi-final lasting even longer, Kevin Anderson taking six hours, 36 minutes to subdue John Isner, the final set finishing 26-24.
Anderson had previously beaten Roger Federer in a four hour, 14 minute quarter-final. Unsurprisingly the South African took a while to get moving in the final and lost 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3).
2018: Angelique Kerber defeats 'Supermom'
The story of the ladies' singles was Serena Williams' extraordinary achievement in reaching the final just ten months after the life-threatening delivery of baby Alexis Olympia.
Ranked No.181 in the world the seven-time champion was seeded No.25 and looking like adding an eighth title as only one top 10 seed reached the second week, and none made the quarter-finals.
However, the No.11 seed, Angelique Kerber, stood tall and reversed the result of the 2016 final defeating Williams 6-3, 6-3.
2019: Introduction of quad wheelchair events
In 2019, The Championships reached another major milestone with the introduction of quad wheelchair singles and doubles events.
This represented a significant expansion of competitive opportunities for players with impairments affecting three or more limbs and reinforced Wimbledon’s commitment to inclusivity at the highest level of the sport.
The inaugural quad singles title was won by Dylan Alcott (pictured below), who defeated Andy Lapthorne in the final. Alcott and Lapthorne claimed the quad doubles title together.