Wimbledon championship: Remembering the five most memorable tie-break matches

From the most extended tie break in 2010, which ran for 11 hours and five minutes over three days, to the shortest Wimbledon tie break this year between Serena Williams and Harmony Tan, here is a list of the five most memorable tie breakers in Wimbledon history. 

John Isner - Nicholas Mahut (2010)

The famous Wimbledon match played between John Isner and Nicholas Mahut on June 22 ran for 11 hours and 5 minutes, spread over three days. The first four sets were played on the first day when the match was adjourned due to poor natural light. The next day, when the two tennis stars met for the fifth and the final set, the game was again suspended due to a lack of natural lighting. The fifth set continued on the third day, ending in Isner's victory 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68. The fifth set itself lasted for more than 8 hours. The scoreboard couldn't count beyond 47-47 because it wasn't programmed to do so, and the game finally ended at 70-68 in Isner's favour. This match's popularity is due to its length and tediousness, which can no longer be competed against due to the new final set tie break rules implemented this year in Wimbledon. 

Roger Federer - Rafael Nadal (2008)

Hands down, the most epic Wimbledon final was played in 2008 between Federer and Nadal on the centre court. The biggest reason this match makes a list is the evergreen on-court rivalry between the two tennis legends. While Federer's objective was to win a consecutive sixth Wimbledon title to break Bjorn Borg's record, Nadal was aiming for the first Wimbledon title for Spain after a drought of 40 years. Another reason for the popularity of this match is that it became the longest Wimbledon final to have ever been played. The match lasted for 4 hours 48 minutes and ended in Nadal's victory 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5-7), 6-7(8-10), 9-7. 

Roger Federer - Novak Djokovic (2019)

Roger Federer again made the finals of Wimbledon in 2019, and he was also aiming for a record. He had won 8 Wimbledon titles, and winning the 2019 final would have made him the player with the most Wimbledon singles titles. Martina Navratilova is currently holding the record with nine titles. Despite showing one of his best games, Federer lost to Djokovic 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3), who won his fifth Wimbledon title that year. 

John McEnroe - Bjorn Borg (1980)

Yesterday was the 42nd anniversary of this great and memorable tiebreaker final between McEnroe and Borg in the 1980 final of Wimbledon. This game is again incredibly popular due to the historic rivalry between the two tennis stars. When McEnroe saved seven match points, Borg thought he would lose the final; however, he emerged victorious 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6. "Every time I had another match point, John came up with a great shot," said Borg for a 1980 story. Despite McEnroe's incredible game, Bjorn Borg won the 1980 Wimbledon men's singles title for the fifth consecutive year, making this match one of the most excellent tie breakers in Wimbledon history. 

Serena Williams - Harmony Tan (2022)

The recent Serena Williams first-round match with Harmony Tan also makes a list for being the first Wimbledon match to apply the new final set tie break rules. The new rules require the players to aim for 10 points after the 6-6 final set. Serena Williams returned to the tennis court after 52 weeks after she injured a hamstring while playing on the centre court last year. She lost the match after a tiebreaker 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7). Though Williams is still unsure if she'll return to Wimbledon, she felt highly motivated to return to the court to practice for the US Open after losing the first match she played in a year.