5 greatest Wimbledon men's singles finals of all time

The All England Club Championships or simply the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest and the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. The Championships were first held over a century and a half ago, way back in 1877. Since then, it has been the lifelong dream of every budding youngster to lift the coveted trophy on the Center Court.

The Center Court of the Wimbledon Championships, located at SW19, Church Road, has been witness to some of the most memorable tennis matches of all time. Many legends have walked on the hallowed lawns of Center Court and have contributed to the rich tradition and history of this great tournament. The famed Centre Court has stood the test of time, even withstanding a bomb blast in World War II.

The venue of many an epic battle over the years aptly has the following inscription in the tunnel way to the Court -- "If you can meet with triumph and disaster / And treat those two impostors just the same".

We take a look back at 5 of the greatest men's singles finals in the Open Era:

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#5 Roger Federer vs Andy Roddick (2009)

American Andy Roddick had previously lost to Roger Federer in 3 Grand Slam finals, two of which happened on the Centre Court of Wimbledon. Not having made a Grand Slam final in over 3 years, Roddick was in desperate search of an elusive Grand Slam win against Federer.

Armed with a new attacking flair coupled with improved netplay, Roddick was the 6th seed. His progress to the second week was far from easy as he had to face 3 consecutive 4-set matches before winning a tough 5-setter against Hewitt. A 4-set victory against Andy Murray followed and Roddick booked his place in the final.

Roddick’s serve was broken just once, in the 77th game (last game of the match) of the men’s final. Margins were narrow in the final as that one break of Roddick’s serve, after more than four-and-a-quarter hours of play on Centre Court, was all that Roger Federer needed to take the fifth set 16-14, to become the first man to win 15 Grand Slams, and to regain the World No 1 ranking. It was Roger Federer's 6th Grand Slam title and helped him avenge his painful loss to Nadal in 2008.

The final score was 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 and it was the longest ever Wimbledon final in respect of number of games played.

#4 Jimmy Connors vs John McEnroe (1982)

Jimmy Connors with the 1982 Wimbledon trophy

Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, though compatriots belonging to USA, shared a frosty relationship. Defending champion McEnroe was the top seed and 1974 winner Jimmy Connors was the second seed going into the 1982 Wimbledon Championships.

This match was, without a doubt, the most intense Wimbledon final in history. Connors, the most competitive tennis player of his generation, would do anything to win and the mind games had begun even before the tournament started with Connors making comments about McEnroe's style of play.

Prior to the 1980s final, the duo met twice at Wimbledon, on both occasions in the semi-finals. Both the matches were played at a high tempo with both players trying to get under each other's skin. This final was an all time classic.

Connors’ serving and volleying backed up his evergreen return and baseline groundstrokes. Two key points in the 4th set tie-break decided the outcome of the match and both were won by Connors. The momentum shift enabled Connors to win the 5th set and take the match 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(2–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–4.

#3 Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe (1980)

Borg and McEnroe after the 1980 Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship Final

Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe were like chalk and cheese. They were the polar opposites. Their rivalry is perhaps the greatest of all time, simply due to the nature of the two players involved. Borg, on one hand, was the 'Ice Man' who never displayed any emotion on court and was reserved by nature. McEnroe, on the other hand, was a volatile personality who did not mince words, regularly picking up quarrels with officials.

The scene was set in 1980 for an epic contest between two of the greatest personalities that the game has ever had. The venue was the Centre Court.

McEnroe believed he was the best in the world, but Borg was the 4-time defending champion. McEnroe always said that he had too much respect for Borg to indulge in his normal antics, so he clamped down in intensity.

The key tipping point of the match was the fourth set tie-break where McEnroe saved five championship points to eventually win it 18-16. Any other player would have been crestfallen, but of course Bjorn was different. He never lost his focus and poise, and emerged the victor of the two in the deciding set. The final scoreline read 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6.

#2 Goran Ivanisevic vs Patrick Rafter (2001)

Wimbledon 2001 Champion Goran Ivanisevic

The 2001 Wimbledon Championships was memorable in many ways. It marked the arrival of the future champion and GOAT Roger Federer. A teenaged Federer took out Pete Sampras in the 4th round, in a match heralding the handover of the baton on the Centre Court.

Goran Ivanisevic was not only unseeded but he needed a wildcard to ensure his participation in the tournament. A 3-time runner-up on the Center Court in 1992, 1994 and 1998, this was probably his last chance to win Wimbledon. Ivanisevic needed to be at his very best in all the matches in the run-up to the final.

Rain helped swing the momentum in Ivanisevic's favour in his semi-finals against Tim Henman as he held his cool to book a 4th final at Wimbledon. He was up against Pat Rafter who slayed Andre Agassi in the semi-final. The atmosphere at Centre Court on the day of the final was unlike any other seen in recent memory as legions of fiercely loyal Australians and Croats filled the seats.

The match itself lived up to the hype and frenzy. At 7-7 in the fifth set, Rafter hit probably the best drop volley ever witnessed on the Centre Court. However, he was broken. Ivanisevic serving out the match was the most emotional service game ever as he regularly kissed the tennis ball before tossing it high up and his hands were clearly trembling.

#1 Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer (2008)

The Championships - Wimbledon 2008 - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

The Wimbledon final of 2008 between top seed and 5-time defending champion Roger Federer and his great rival and second seed Rafael Nadal is probably the greatest ever tennis match of all time. Federer had beaten Nadal on previous two occasions in the Wimbledon final and Nadal was attempting to become the first man since Borg to win the double of French Open and WImbledon in the same year.

Tie-breaks, rain delays, championship points saved, break points saved -- the match had it all and it was pure theatre. Nadal took the first two sets 6-4 each and Federer was looking to serve out the third set at 5-4 when rain intervened.

After the rain delay, Federer eventually won the set 7-6. The 4th set saw Federer save championship points before taking it 7-6. A second rain delay brought out the covers again at close to 8pm. When they returned, the lights were starting to fade and the prospect of a Monday finish loomed large.

In the deciding set, Federer was two points away from a record 6th consecutive title before Nadal broke him in the 15th game of the set. Nadal served it out as he won the set 9-7, winning the first of his Grand Slam titles outside Paris. At 4 hours and 48 minutes, the match was the longest Wimbvledon men's singles final.