Wimbledon’s Greatest Players – A Historical Overview

SportsBoom has lifted the lid on Wimbledon’s most decorated male players, judging them on the times they have raised the famous golden trophy. These players were instrumental in defining the amateur and Open eras, so pull up a seat and join us on a whistlestop tour!

Key Takeaways from the List

One of the main takeaways from this list is how Roger Federer dominated Wimbledon with eight titles, which is more than any other player in Open history. Although many of his triumphs came in the years before Novak Djokovic made his mark, the hallowed turf of Wimbledon was Federer’s domain. 

He always amazed the crowds with his incredible footwork, and he had one of the best backhands in tennis history, a trademark single-hander that he used to crunch down the line. He was one of Wimbledon’s greatest champions.

Djokovic, meanwhile, has amassed 24 Grand Slam titles during his career, and while nearly half of them have come at the Australian Open, he is one of the greatest all-rounders, and he’s just one shy of Federer’s record. Remarkably, he made the final in 2024 despite a knee issue, and he was also the lowest seed in the men’s championship (12) to win Wimbledon in the Open era since Goran Ivanisevic who triumphed in 2001 as a wildcard, seeing off Pat Rafter in the final.

Pete Sampras, on the other hand, was the original record setter for Wimbledon titles in the Open era, with the majority of his seven titles arriving in the 1990s at the peak of his powers. He was one of the best American tennis players of all time, famed for his massive serve and volley game as well as slam-dunk style smashes that sent shivers down the spines of his opponents.

Björn Borg was the face of men’s tennis in the 1970s, and he was responsible for creating one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history with John McEnroe. The cool and collected Swede was also a force to be reckoned with at the French Open, and it was a shame that he retired at just 26 in 1983. Nevertheless, his legacy endures, and he became more friendly with McEnroe after he hung up his racquet.

Let’s reserve some space for Rod Laver, the wily left-hander, who is widely viewed as one of the greatest tennis players. On this Wimbledon winners list, he had a foot in both camps as he is the only player to clinch this Grand Slam title both as an amateur and a professional.

On the amateur front, Willie Renshaw is the most illustrious amateur player with seven titles to his name, and he won six in a row from 1881 to 1886. No other player has achieved that incredible feat, and he was one of the early trailblazers, along with Laurence Doherty and Wilfried Baddeley.

Wimbledon’s Legacy – Why It’s the Most Prestigious Grand Slam

Put to one side for a moment the incredible Roger Federer Wimbledon record, SW19 continues to attract huge crowds, and it is a highlight of the sporting calendar.

Apart from tucking into strawberries and cream as well as seeing new talent emerge, we love Wimbledon because of the quirky traditions. Well, the attire is something that caught our eye. Unlike other Slams where you can pretty much wear what you want, Wimbledon has an all-white policy. 

A flick through the official Wimbledon rule book makes for interesting reading. For example, shorts and skirts must be completely white except for a single trim of colour on the outside seam that is no wider than 10cm. Tennis soles are also checked so players don’t fall foul to the strict regulations.

Wimbledon, which has been around since the 1870s, is the only Slam that is played on grass, making it very special. Men’s matches at Wimbledon are always best-of-five sets, and grass is a super quick surface, albeit serve and volleying is a dead art. To a certain extent, it is the ultimate test, and the grass-court swing is much shorter compared to its clay and hard counterparts. 

As mentioned, this Slam has produced some intense rivalries, including Borg vs McEnroe, Federer vs Djokovic, and Sampras vs Agassi.