One of the few sports which has been played for a few centuries and more is tennis and in this game, there are some really historic competitions as well. The Championships, Wimbledon is easily the most prestigious of these tournaments, an annual event launched in 1877 with the gentleman’s singles tournament and played on outdoor grass.
The tournament takes place every year at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. Since inception nearly a century and a half ago, only thrice has the competition being kept on hold or postponed: (i) World War I (ii) World War II (iii) Covid-19 pandemic. Today, we’re going to talk about every men’s single winner in the history of Wimbledon…
Ever since 1987, Wimbledon is chronologically the third of the four Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar and it’s usually played around the June-July time every year. Every since the first tournament in 1877, the only times it was missed was between 1915-1918 for World War I, 1940-1945 for World War II, and then 2020 for the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the early days (first 90 years of Wimbledon), players were not paid to play in Wimbledon. As time progressed, the better players started getting commercial deals and started avoiding this tournament because they were being paid elsewhere. That finally led to a change in the structure of Wimbledon and we saw a shift from ‘Amateur Era’ to the ‘Open Era’ from 1968 onwards.
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Regardless of amateur era or the open/modern era, only the greatest in the game have gone on to win the men’s singles titles at Wimbledon. Here, Read Scoops has put up a list of each and every men’s single champion in the history of Wimbledon, right from inception in 1877 till date, updated 20th June 2024, prior to the start of the Wimbledon 2024 tournament. See the full list below:
List of all Wimbledon men’s singles champions
Year | Champion | Runner-up | Nationality | Final Score |
1877 | Spencer Gore | William Marshall | Great Britain | 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 |
1878 | Frank Hadow | Spencer Gore | Great Britain | 7-5, 6-1, 9-7 |
1879 | John Hartley | Vere St. Leger Goold | Great Britain | 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 |
1880 | John Hartley (2) | Herbert Lawford | Great Britain | 6-3, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 |
1881 | William Renshaw | John Hartley | Great Britain | 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 |
1882 | William Renshaw (2) | Ernest Renshaw | Great Britain | 6-1, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 |
1883 | William Renshaw (3) | Ernest Renshaw | Great Britain | 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 |
1884 | William Renshaw (4) | Herbert Lawford | Great Britain | 6-0, 6-4, 9-7 |
1885 | William Renshaw (5) | Herbert Lawford | Great Britain | 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 |
1886 | William Renshaw (6) | Herbert Lawford | Great Britain | 6-0, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 |
1887 | Herbert Lawford | Ernest Renshaw | Great Britain | 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
1888 | Ernest Renshaw | Herbert Lawford | Great Britain | 6-3, 7-5, 6-0 |
1889 | William Renshaw (7) | Ernest Renshaw | Great Britain | 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 |
1890 | Willoughby Hamilton | William Renshaw | Great Britain | 6-8, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 |
1891 | Wilfred Baddeley | Joshua Pim | Great Britain | 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 |
1892 | Wilfred Baddeley (2) | Joshua Pim | Great Britain | 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 |
1893 | Joshua Pim | Wilfred Baddeley | Great Britain | 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 |
1894 | Joshua Pim (2) | Wilfred Baddeley | Great Britain | 10-8, 6-2, 8-6 |
1895 | Wilfred Baddeley (3) | Wilberforce Eaves | Great Britain | 4-6, 2-6, 8-6, 6-2, 6-3 |
1896 | Harold Mahony | Wilfred Baddeley | Great Britain | 6-2, 6-8, 5-7, 8-6, 6-3 |
1897 | Reginald Doherty | Harold Mahony | Great Britain | 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 |
1898 | Reginald Doherty (2) | Laurence Doherty | Great Britain | 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1 |
1899 | Reginald Doherty (3) | Arthur Gore | Great Britain | 1-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 |
1900 | Reginald Doherty (4) | Sydney Smith | Great Britain | 6-8, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 |
1901 | Arthur Gore | Reginald Doherty | Great Britain | 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 |
1902 | Laurence Doherty | Arthur Gore | Great Britain | 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 |
1903 | Laurence Doherty (2) | Frank Riseley | Great Britain | 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 |
1904 | Laurence Doherty (3) | Frank Riseley | Great Britain | 6-1, 7-5, 8-6 |
1905 | Laurence Doherty (4) | Norman Brookes | Great Britain | 8-6, 6-2, 6-4 |
1906 | Laurence Doherty (5) | Frank Riseley | Great Britain | 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 |
Holding the record for the most Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles titles during the Amateur Era is William Renshaw who won the title a total of seven times (1881-1886, 1889), while having one runner-up finish in 1890 as well. Technically though, most of his titles came because of the challenge round format, with just two of them coming after he played the complete Wimbledon tournament draw.
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If you notice the above table, each and every winner from 1877 to 1906 were those from Great Britain itself. The tournament saw a little bit of growth and expansion as a global brand when outsiders started winning. Norman Brookes was the first non-Brit finalist in 1905 and then a couple of years later, the Aussie tennis player became the first outsider to win Wimbledon, and then the trend just continued. See here:
Year | Champion | Runner-up | Nationality | Final Score |
1907 | Norman Brookes | Arthur Gore | Australia | 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 |
1908 | Arthur Gore (2) | Herbert Roper Barrett | Great Britain | 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 |
1909 | Arthur Gore (2) | Major Ritchie | Great Britain | 6-8, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 |
1910 | Anthony Wilding | Arthur Gore | New Zealand | 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 |
1911 | Anthony Wilding (2) | Herbert Roper Barrett | New Zealand | 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2, retired |
1912 | Anthony Wilding (3) | Arthur Gore | New Zealand | 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 |
1913 | Anthony Wilding (4) | Maurice McLoughlin | New Zealand | 8-6, 6-3, 10-8 |
1914 | Norman Brookes (2) | Anthony Wilding | Australia | 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 |
1919 | Gerald Patterson | Norman Brookes | Australia | 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 |
1920 | Bill Tilden | Gerald Patterson | USA | 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 |
1921 | Bill Tilden (2) | Brian Norton | USA | 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-0, 7-5 |
1922 | Gerald Patterson (2) | Randolph Lycett | Australia | 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 |
1923 | Bill Johnston | Francis Hunter | USA | 6-0, 6-3, 6-1 |
1924 | Jean Borotra | René Lacoste | France | 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 |
1925 | René Lacoste | Jean Borotra | France | 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 8-6 |
1926 | Jean Borotra (2) | Howard Kinsey | France | 8-6, 6-1, 6-3 |
1927 | Henri Cochet | Jean Borotra | France | 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 |
1928 | René Lacoste (2) | Henri Cochet | France | 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 |
1929 | Henri Cochet (2) | Jean Borotra | France | 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 |
1930 | Bill Tilden (3) | Wilmer Allison | USA | 6-3, 9-7, 6-4 |
1931 | Sidney Wood | Franck Shields | USA | Walkover |
1932 | Ellsworth Vines | Bunny Austin | USA | 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 |
1933 | Jack Crawford | Ellsworth Vines | Australia | 4-6, 11-9, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 |
1934 | Fred Perry | Jack Crawford | Great Britain | 6-3, 6-0, 7-5 |
1935 | Fred Perry (2) | Gottfried von Cramm | Great Britain | 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 |
1936 | Fred Perry (3) | Gottfried von Cramm | Great Britain | 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 |
1937 | Don Budge | Gottfried von Cramm | USA | 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 |
1938 | Don Budge (2) | Bunny Austin | USA | 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 |
1939 | Bobby Riggs | Elwood Cooke | USA | 2-6, 8-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
Amateur era got its name because the professionals started moving away from the game and thus, only the amateurs continued playing here. The format initially included a knockout phase, the All Comers’ Singles. The winner of this phase then played the defending champion in a challenge round, and on six different occasions, the All Comers’ winner won the title because of an absence of the defending champion.
The organisers finally got rid of Wimbledon’s challenge round system in 1922. The best-of-12-points tie-break was introduced in 1971 for the first four sets of the game, played at eight games all until 1978. It was moved to six games all since 1979, but ever since the start of the Wimbledon men’s singles, the tournament was always played in the 5-set format.
Wimbledon men’s winners post World War II
Year | Champion | Runner-up | Nationality | Final Score |
1946 | Yvon Petra | Geoff Brown | France | 6-2, 6-4, 7-9, 5-7, 6-4 |
1947 | Jack Kramer | Tom Brown | USA | 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 |
1948 | Bob Falkenburg | John Bromwich | USA | 7-5, 0-6, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 |
1949 | Ted Schroeder | Jaroslav Drobný | USA | 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 |
1950 | Budge Patty | Frank Sedgman | USA | 6-1, 8-10, 6-2, 6-3 |
1951 | Dick Savitt | Ken McGregor | USA | 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 |
1952 | Frank Sedgman | Jaroslav Drobný | Australia | 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 |
1953 | Vic Seixas | Kurt Nielsen | USA | 9-7, 6-3, 6-4 |
1954 | Jaroslav Drobný | Ken Rosewall | Egypt | 13-11, 4-6, 6-2, 9-7 |
1955 | Tony Trabert | Kurt Nielsen | USA | 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 |
1956 | Lew Hoad | Ken Rosewall | Australia | 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 |
1957 | Lew Hoad (2) | Ashley Cooper | Australia | 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 |
1958 | Ashley Cooper | Neale Fraser | Australia | 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 13-11 |
1959 | Alex Olmedo | Rod Laver | USA | 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 |
1960 | Neale Fraser | Rod Laver | Australia | 6-4, 3-6, 9-7, 7-5 |
1961 | Rod Laver | Chuck McKinley | Australia | 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 |
1962 | Rod Laver (2) | Martin Mulligan | Australia | 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 |
1963 | Chuck McKinley | Fred Stolle | USA | 9-7, 6-1, 6-4 |
1964 | Roy Emerson | Fred Stolle | Australia | 6-4, 12-10, 4-6, 6-3 |
1965 | Roy Emerson (2) | Fred Stolle | Australia | 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 |
1966 | Manuel Santana | Dennis Ralston | Spain | 6-4, 11-9, 6-4 |
1967 | John Newcombe | Wilhelm Bungert | Australia | 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 |
Wimbledon – men’s singles winners in Open Era
The only person to have multiple titles in both the eras was Australia’s Rod Laver who had two in the amateur era and two in the open era as well. Sweden’s Björn Borg was a revelation early in the open era as he won five consecutive titles between 1976-1980, while Peter Sampras and Novak Djokovic are other heroes at Wimbledon, with seven titles each to their name.
However, no men’s player has a better record at Wimbledon Championships than Roger Federer, someone who has a total of eight titles at this grass court competition. He has the most men’s singles titles at Wimbledon while also having five consecutive titles between 2003-2007 which is a joint-highest in terms of successive titles, tied with Borg.
Year | Champion | Runner-up | Nationality | Final Score |
1968 | Rod Laver (3) | Tony Roche | Australia | 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 |
1969 | Rod Laver (4) | John Newcombe | Australia | 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 |
1970 | John Newcombe (2) | Ken Rosewall | Australia | 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 |
1971 | John Newcombe (3) | Stan Smith | Australia | 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
1972 | Stan Smith | Ilie Năstase | USA | 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 |
1973 | Jan Kodeš | Alex Metreveli | Czechoslovakia | 6-1, 9-8, 6-3 |
1974 | Jimmy Connors | Ken Rosewall | USA | 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 |
1975 | Arthur Ashe | Jimmy Connors | USA | 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 |
1976 | Björn Borg | Ilie Năstase | Sweden | 6-4, 6-2, 9-7 |
1977 | Björn Borg (2) | Jimmy Connors | Sweden | 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 |
1978 | Björn Borg (3) | Jimmy Connors | Sweden | 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 |
1979 | Björn Borg (4) | Roscoe Tanner | Sweden | 6-7, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
1980 | Björn Borg (5) | John McEnroe | Sweden | 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6 |
1981 | John McEnroe | Björn Borg | USA | 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
1982 | Jimmy Connors (2) | Joh McEnroe | USA | 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 |
1983 | John McEnroe (2) | Chris Lewis | USA | 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 |
1984 | John McEnroe (3) | Jimmy Connors | USA | 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 |
1985 | Boris Becker | Kevin Curren | West Germany | 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 |
1986 | Boris Becker (2) | Ivan Lendl | West Germany | 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 |
1987 | Pat Cash | Ivan Lendl | Australia | 7-6, 6-2, 7-5 |
1988 | Stefan Edberg | Boris Becker | Sweden | 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 |
1989 | Boris Becker (3) | Stefan Edberg | West Germany | 6-0, 7-6, 6-4 |
1990 | Stefan Edberg (2) | Boris Becker | Sweden | 6-2, 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4 |
1991 | Michael Stich | Boris Becker | Germany | 6-4, 7-6, 6-4 |
1992 | Andre Agassi | Goran Ivanišević | USA | 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 |
1993 | Pete Sampras | Jim Courier | USA | 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 |
1994 | Pete Sampras (2) | Goran Ivanišević | USA | 7-6, 7-6, 6-0 |
1995 | Pete Sampras (3) | Boris Becker | USA | 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 |
1996 | Richard Krajicek | MaliVai Washington | Netherlands | 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 |
1997 | Pete Sampras (4) | Cédric Pioline | USA | 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 |
1998 | Pete Sampras (5) | Goran Ivanišević | USA | 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 |
1999 | Pete Sampras (6) | Andre Agassi | USA | 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 |
2000 | Pete Sampras (7) | Patrick Rafter | USA | 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 |
2001 | Goran Ivanišević | Patrick Rafter | Croatia | 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 |
2002 | Lleyton Hewitt | David Nalbandian | Australia | 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 |
2003 | Roger Federer | Mark Philippoussis | Switzerland | 7-6, 6-2, 7-6 |
2004 | Roger Federer (2) | Andy Roddick | Switzerland | 4-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-4 |
2005 | Roger Federer (3) | Andy Roddick | Switzerland | 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 |
2006 | Roger Federer (4) | Rafael Nadal | Switzerland | 6-0, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 |
2007 | Roger Federer (5) | Rafael Nadal | Switzerland | 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2 |
2008 | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Spain | 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 |
2009 | Roger Federer (6) | Andy Roddick | Switzerland | 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 |
2010 | Rafael Nadal (2) | Tomáš Berdych | Spain | 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 |
2011 | Novak Djokovic | Rafael Nadal | Serbia | 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 |
2012 | Roger Federer (7) | Andy Murray | Switzerland | 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 |
2013 | Andy Murray | Novak Djokovic | Great Britain | 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 |
2014 | Novak Djokovic (2) | Roger Federer | Serbia | 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 |
2015 | Novak Djokovic (3) | Roger Federer | Serbia | 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 |
2016 | Andy Murray (2) | Milos Raonic | Great Britain | 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 |
2017 | Roger Federer (8) | Marin Čilić | Switzerland | 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 |
2018 | Novak Djokovic (4) | Kevin Anderson | Serbia | 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 |
2019 | Novak Djokovic (5) | Roger Federer | Serbia | 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 |
2021 | Novak Djokovic (6) | Matteo Berrettini | Serbia | 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 |
2022 | Novak Djokovic (7) | Nick Kyrgios | Serbia | 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 |
2023 | Carlos Alcaraz | Novak Djokovic | Spain | 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 |
2024 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
2025 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
For more updates from Wimbledon winners across the world, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com.
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