| | Wimbledon Tennis Championships Preview - Men | | | From The Sports Network | | Dates: Monday, June 25th through Sunday, July 8th
Site: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, England
Founded: 1868
Centre Court Seating: 15,000; Court 1: 11,429; Court 13: 1,541
Surface: Grass
Annual: 126th for Men
Television: Tennis Channel, ESPN, ESPN 2, TSN
Defending Champion: Novak Djokovic def. Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3
Doubles Champions: Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan def. R.Lindstedt/H.Tecau
Total Purse: $25,254,700 - Women's Singles Purse: $9,073,440
Payouts: 1st Place: $1,808,400; Runner-up: $904,200; Semifinalist: $452,100
| | | Seeded Players | | | Rank | Player | Rank | Player | | 1. | Novak Djokovic - A,U,* | 17. | Fernando Verdasco | | 2. | Rafael Nadal - F | 18. | Richard Gasquet | | 3. | Roger Federer | 19. | Kei Nishikori | | 4. | Andy Murray | 20. | Bernard Tomic | | 5. | Jo-Wilfried Tsonga | 21. | Milos Raonic | | 6. | Tomas Berdych | 22. | Alexandr Dolgopolov | | 7. | David Ferrer | 23. | Andreas Seppi | | 8. | Janko Tipsarevic | 24. | Marcel Granollers | | 9. | Juan Martin Del Potro | 25. | Stanislas Wawrinka | | 10. | Mardy Fish | 26. | Mikhail Youzhny | | 11. | John Isner | 27. | Philipp Kohlschreiber | | 12. | Nicolas Almagro | 28. | Radek Stepanek | | 13. | Gilles Simon | 29. | Julien Benneteau | | 14. | Feliciano Lopez | 30. | Andy Roddick | | 15. | Juan Monaco | 31. | Florian Mayer | | 16. | Marin Cilic | 32. | Kevin Anderson | | | * - Defending champion | | A - Australian Open champion | | F - French Open champion | | U - 2011 U.S. Open champion | |
| | | Players to Watch - Finish Last Nine Years | | | Player (Open Record) | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | | | Novak Djokovic (27-6) | --- | --- | 3rd | 4th | SF | 2nd | QF | SF | Won | | Rafael Nadal (35-5) | 3rd | --- | 2nd | Rup | Rup | Won | --- | Won | Rup | | Andy Murray (24-6) | --- | --- | 3rd | 4th | --- | QF | SF | SF | SF | | Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (13-4) | --- | --- | --- | --- | 4th | --- | 3rd | QF | SF | | Roger Federer (59-7) | Won | Won | Won | Won | Won | Rup | Won | QF | QF | | Feliciano Lopez (24-10) | 4th | 3rd | QF | 1st | 3rd | QF | 1st | 3rd | QF | | Mardy Fish (12-9) | 3rd | 2nd | --- | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | QF | | Bernard Tomic (4-2) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | QF | | Tomas Berdych (23-8) | --- | 1st | 3rd | 4th | QF | 3rd | 4th | Rup | 4th | | David Ferrer (16-9) | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 4th | | Michael Llodra (8-11) | 2nd | 1st | 1st | --- | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | | Mikhail Youzhny (22-11) | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 4th | | Juan M. Del Potro (6-4) | --- | --- | --- | --- | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | --- | 4th | | Richard Gasquet (14-6) | --- | 1st | 4th | 1st | SF | 4th | --- | --- | 4th | | Yen-Hsun Lu (8-8) | --- | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | QF | 3rd | | Andy Roddick (39-11) | SF | Rup | Rup | 3rd | QF | 2nd | Rup | 4th | 3rd | | Jurgen Melzer (12-10) | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | --- | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | | Gilles Simon (9-6) | --- | --- | --- | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | | Robin Haase (3-3) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | --- | 2nd | 3rd | | Nicolas Almagro (5-7) | --- | --- | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | | Marcos Baghdatis (14-6) | --- | --- | 1st | SF | QF | 4th | --- | 1st | 3rd | | David Nalbandian (19-7) | 4th | --- | QF | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | --- | --- | 3rd | | Lleyton Hewitt (39-12) | 1st | QF | SF | QF | 4th | 4th | QF | 4th | 2nd | | Julien Benneteau (6-8) | --- | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 4th | 2nd | | Florian Mayer (11-6) | --- | QF | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | --- | --- | 3rd | 2nd | | Andreas Seppi (8-7) | --- | --- | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | | Viktor Troicki (5-4) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | | John Isner (2-3) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | --- | 2nd | 2nd | | Fernando Verdasco (14-9) | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 1st | 2nd | | Stanislas Wawrinka (9-7) | --- | --- | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 4th | 4th | 1st | 2nd | | Igor Andreev (8-7) | --- | 2nd | 3rd | --- | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 2nd | | G. Garcia-Lopez (6-7) | --- | --- | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | | Sergiy Stakhovsky (1-3) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | --- | 1st | 2nd | | Kevin Anderson (1-3) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | --- | 1st | 2nd | | Juan Ignacio Chela (4-8) | 2nd | 2nd | --- | 1st | 2nd | --- | --- | 1st | 2nd | | Ryan Harrison (1-1) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 2nd | | Milos Raonic (1-1) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 2nd | | Albert Montanes (6-10) | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | | P. Kohlschreiber (6-7) | --- | --- | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | | Thomaz Bellucci (3-3) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 2nd | --- | 3rd | 1st | | Nikolay Davydenko (7-10) | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | | Marcel Granollers (2-5) | --- | --- | --- | 1st | --- | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | | Alex. Dolgopolov (1-2) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 2nd | 1st | | Marin Cilic (5-5) | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | 4th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | | Janko Tipsarevic (9-8) | --- | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | | James Blake (7-9) | 2nd | --- | 1st | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | | Kei Nishikori (0-3) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | --- | 1st | 1st | | Tommy Haas (20-11) | --- | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | SF | --- | 1st | | Radek Stepanek (15-9) | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | QF | 1st | 3rd | 4th | --- | 1st | | Ernests Gulbis (2-4) | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | --- | 1st | | Juan Monaco (0-4) | --- | --- | 1st | --- | 1st | --- | 1st | --- | 1st | | Pablo Andujar (0-2) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | --- | 1st | | Carlos Berlocq (0-4) | --- | --- | --- | 1st | 1st | 1st | --- | --- | 1st | | Donald Young (0-2) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | --- | --- | 1st | | Sam Querrey (5-4) | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 4th | --- | | Fabio Fognini (3-3) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | --- | | Juan C. Ferrero (22-10) | 4th | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | QF | 2nd | QF | 1st | --- | | | 1st - First Round Loser | QF - Quarterfinalist | | 2nd - Second Round | SF - Semifinalist | | 3rd - Third Round | Rup - Runner-up | | 4th - Fourth Round | --- - Did not play | |
| | | Past Men's Champions and Runners-Up | | | Year | Winner (runner-up and scores) | | 2011 | Novak Djokovic def. Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 | | 2010 | Rafael Nadal def. Tomas Berdych, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 | | 2009 | Roger Federer def. Andy Roddick, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 16-14 | | 2008 | Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7 | | 2007 | Roger Federer def. Rafael Nadal, 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-2 | | 2006 | Roger Federer def. Rafael Nadal, 6-0, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 | | 2005 | Roger Federer def. Andy Roddick, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 | | 2004 | Roger Federer def. Andy Roddick, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 | | 2003 | Roger Federer def. Mark Philippoussis, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) | | 2002 | Lleyton Hewitt def. David Nalbandian, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 | | 2001 | Goran Ivanisevic def. Patrick Rafter, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 | | 2000 | Pete Sampras def. Patrick Rafter, 6-7 (10-12), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-2 | | 1999 | Pete Sampras def. Andre Agassi, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 | | 1998 | Pete Sampras def. G.Ivanisevic, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (11-9), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 | | 1997 | Pete Sampras def. Cedric Pioline, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 | | 1996 | Richard Krajicek def. MaliVai Washington, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 | | 1995 | Pete Sampras def. Boris Becker, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 | | 1994 | Pete Sampras def. Goran Ivanisevic, 7-6, 7-6, 6-0 | | 1993 | Pete Sampras def. Jim Courier, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 | | 1992 | Andre Agassi def. Goran Ivanisevic, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 | | 1991 | Michael Stich def. Boris Becker, 6-4, 7-6, 6-4 | | 1990 | Stefan Edberg def. Boris Becker, 6-2, 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4 | | 1989 | Boris Becker def. Stefan Edberg, 6-0, 7-6, 6-4 | | 1988 | Stefan Edberg def. Boris Becker, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 | | 1987 | Pat Cash def. Ivan Lendl, 7-6, 6-2, 7-5 | | 1986 | Boris Becker def. Ivan Lendl, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 | | 1985 | Boris Becker def. Kevin Curren, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 | | 1984 | John McEnroe def. Jimmy Connors, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 | | 1983 | John McEnroe def. Chris Lewis, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 | | 1982 | Jimmy Connors def. John McEnroe, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 | | 1981 | John McEnroe def. Bjorn Borg, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 | | 1980 | Bjorn Borg def. John McEnroe, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6 | | 1979 | Bjorn Borg def. Roscoe Tanner, 6-7, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 | | 1978 | Bjorn Borg def. Jimmy Connors, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 | | 1977 | Bjorn Borg def. Jimmy Connors, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 | | 1976 | Bjorn Borg def. Ilie Nastase, 6-4, 6-2, 9-7 | | 1975 | Arthur Ashe def. Jimmy Connors, 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 | | 1974 | Jimmy Connors def. Ken Rosewall, 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 | | 1973 | Jan Kodes def. Alex Metreveli, 6-1, 9-8, 6-3 | | 1972 | Stan Smith def. Ilie Nastase, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 | | 1971 | John Newcombe def. Stan Smith, 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 | | 1970 | John Newcombe def. Ken Rosewall, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 | | 1969 | Rod Laver def. John Newcombe, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 | | 1968 | Rod Laver def. Tony Roche, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 | | 1967 | John Newcombe def. Wilhelm Bungert, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 | | 1966 | Manuel Santana def. Dennis Ralston, 6-4, 11-9, 6-4 | | 1965 | Roy Emerson def. Fred Stolle, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 | | 1964 | Roy Emerson def. Fred Stolle, 6-4, 12-10, 4-6, 6-3 | | 1963 | Chuck McKinley def. Fred Stolle, 9-7, 6-1, 6-4 | | 1962 | Rod Laver def. Martin Mulligan, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 | | 1961 | Rod Laver def. Chuck McKinley, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 | | 1960 | Neale Fraser def. Rod Laver, 6-4, 3-6, 9-7, 7-5 | | 1959 | Alex Olmedo def. Rod Laver, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 | | 1958 | Ashley Cooper def. Neale Fraser, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 13-11 | | 1957 | Lew Hoad def. Ashley Cooper, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 | | 1956 | Lew Hoad def. Ken Rosewall, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 | | 1955 | Tony Trabert def. Kurt Nielsen, 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 | | 1954 | Jaroslav Drobny def. Ken Rosewall, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 | | 1953 | Vic Seixas def. Kurt Nielsen, 9-7, 6-3, 6-4 | | 1952 | Frank Sedgman def. Jaroslav Drobny, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 | | 1951 | Dick Savitt def. Ken McGregor, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 | | 1950 | Budge Patty def. Frank Sedgman, 6-1, 8-10, 6-2, 6-3 | | 1949 | Ted Schroeder def. Jaroslav Drobny, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 | | 1948 | Bob Falkenburg def. John Bromwich, 7-5, 0-6, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 | | 1947 | Jack Kramer def. Tom P. Brown, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 | | 1946 | Yvon Petra def. Geoff E. Brown, 6-2, 6-4, 7-9, 5-7, 6-4 | | 1945 | Not Held | | 1944 | Not Held | | 1943 | Not Held | | 1942 | Not Held | | 1941 | Not Held | | 1940 | Not Held | | 1939 | Bobby Riggs def. Elwood Cooke, 2-6, 8-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 | | 1938 | Donald Budge def. Henry Austin, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 | | 1937 | Donald Budge def. Gottfried Von Cramm, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 | | 1936 | Fred Perry def. Gottfried Von Cramm, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 | | 1935 | Fred Perry def. Gottfried Von Cramm, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 | | 1934 | Fred Perry def. Jack Crawford, 6-3, 6-0, 7-5 | | 1933 | Jack Crawford def. Ellsworth Vines, 4-6, 11-9, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 | | 1932 | Ellsworth Vines def. Henry Austin, 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 | | 1931 | Sidney Wood def. Francis X. Shields, Walkover | | 1930 | William Tilden def. Wilmer Allison, 6-3, 9-7, 6-4 | | 1929 | Henri Cochet def. Jean Borotra, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 | | 1928 | Rene LaCoste def. Henri Cochet, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 | | 1927 | Henri Cochet def. Jean Borotra, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 | | 1926 | Jean Borotra def. Howard Kinsey, 8-6, 6-1, 6-3 | | 1925 | Rene LaCoste def. Jean Borotra, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 8-6 | | 1924 | Jean Borotra def. Rene LaCoste, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 | | 1923 | William Johnston def. Francis T. Hunter, 6-0, 6-3, 6-1 | | 1922 | Gerald Patterson def. Randolph Lycett, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 | | 1921 | William Tilden def. Brian Norton, 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-0, 7-5 | | 1920 | William Tilden def. Gerald Patterson, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 | | 1919 | Gerald Patterson def. Norman Brookes, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 | | 1918 | Not Held | | 1917 | Not Held | | 1916 | Not Held | | 1915 | Not Held | | 1914 | Norman Brookes def. Anthony Wilding, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 | | 1913 | Anthony Wilding def. Maurice McLoughlin, 8-6, 6-3, 10-8 | | 1912 | Anthony Wilding def. Arthur Gore, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 | | 1911 | Anthony Wilding def. H. Roper Barrett, 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2, Ret | | 1910 | Anthony Wilding def. Arthur Gore, 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 | | 1909 | Arthur Gore def. M.J.G. Ritchie, 6-8, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 | | 1908 | Arthur Gore def. H. Roper Barrett, 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-0 | | 1907 | Norman Brookes def. Arthur Gore, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 | | 1906 | Laurie Doherty def. Frank L. Riseley, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 | | 1905 | Laurie Doherty def. Norman Brookes, 8-6, 6-2, 6-4 | | 1904 | Laurie Doherty def. Frank Riseley, 6-1, 7-5, 8-6 | | 1903 | Laurie Doherty def. Frank Riseley, 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 | | 1902 | Laurie Doherty def. Arthur Gore, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 | | 1901 | Arthur Gore def. Reggie Doherty, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 | | 1900 | Reggie Doherty def. Sidney Smith, 6-8, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 | | 1899 | Reggie Doherty def. Arthur Gore, 1-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 | | 1898 | Reggie Doherty def. Laurie Doherty, 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1 | | 1897 | Reggie Doherty def. Harold Mahoney, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 | | 1896 | Harold Mahoney def. Wilfred Baddeley, 6-2, 6-8, 5-7, 8-6, 6-3 | | 1895 | Wilfred Baddeley def. Wilberforce Eaves, 4-6, 3-6, 8-6, 6-2, 6-3 | | 1894 | Joshua Pim def. Wilfred Baddeley, 10-8, 6-2, 8-6 | | 1893 | Joshua Pim def. Wilfred Baddeley, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 | | 1892 | Wilfred Baddeley def. Joshua Pim, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 | | 1891 | Wilfred Baddeley def. Joshua Pim, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 | | 1890 | William Hamilton def. William Renshaw, 6-8, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 | | 1889 | William Renshaw def. Ernest Renshaw, 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 | | 1888 | Ernest Renshaw def. Herbert Lawford, 6-3, 7-5, 6-0 | | 1887 | Herbert Lawford def. Ernest Renshaw, 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 | | 1886 | William Renshaw def. Herbert Lawford, 6-0, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 | | 1885 | William Renshaw def. Herbert Lawford, 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 | | 1884 | William Renshaw def. Herbert Lawford, 6-0, 6-4, 9-7 | | 1883 | William Renshaw def. Ernest Renshaw, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 | | 1882 | William Renshaw def. Ernest Renshaw, 6-1, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 | | 1881 | William Renshaw def. John Hartley, 6-0, 6-2, 6-1 | | 1880 | John Hartley def. Herbert Lawford, 6-0, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 | | 1879 | John Hartley def. V. St. Leger Gould, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 | | 1878 | Frank Hadow def. Spencer Gore, 7-5, 6-1, 9-7 | | 1877 | Spencer Gore def. William Marshall, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 |
| | NOTES:
Not only did Novak Djokovic reach his first Wimbledon final, he captured the championship with a four-set win over the defending champion, Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic, who was seeded second last year, defeated the two-time Wimbledon winner, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3. Reaching the final match was not a walk in the park for Djokovic, as he needed four sets in the quarterfinals against Bernard Tomic and four sets against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semifinals.
Nadal, who also captured the Wimbledon title in 2008, had similar difficulty. After winning in straight sets during the first three rounds, Nadal needed foursets against Juan Martin del Potro in the fourth round and four sets again versus Mardy Fish in the quarters and Andy Murray in the semis.
This year, Djokovic is seeded first and has posted a 36-6 record, but he has lost his last three meetings with world No. 2 Nadal after beating him at the Australian Open.
Although he lost in the quarterfinals last week in Halle in a final tune-up for Wimbledon, Nadal is the man to beat, winning the French Open last month and posting a 13-1 mark the past three events. In addition, since losing to Andy Murray at the Sony Ericsson Open, Nadal is 24-2 with titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and Paris.
After missing the 2009 championship due to injury, Nadal stormed past Tomas Berdych in straight sets in the final to capture his second Wimbledon title in in 2010.
Seeded second behind Roger Federer, Nadal struggled in the early rounds, needing five sets and trailing two sets to one in both the second and third rounds. After losing the opening set in the quarterfinals to Robin Soderling, Nadal won the next nine sets against Soderling, Murray and Berdych.
Nadal took the 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 win in a little more than two hours, breaking Berdych's serve four times without getting broken. It was Nadal's eighth career Grand Slam title and second in 2010, following his victory at the French Open.
With his win at the 2012 French Open, Nadal now owns 11 Grand Slams titles and has won five of the last nine Grand Slams.
In 2009, Roger Federer regained his throne at Wimbledon, as he defeated Andy Roddick in a thrilling championship match, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14. The match tied for the second-longest match in Wimbledon history, equaling the 256-minute battle that Jimmy Connors staged with John McEnroe back in 1982.
After losing to Nadal in 2008 in the longest Wimbledon match in history (288 minutes), Federer rebounded with his five-setter over Roddick to capture the championship for the sixth time and tally his 15th of 16 career Grand Slam titles.
Federer's road to the championship was uneventful, as he was stretched to four sets just once, a third-round encounter with Philipp Kohlschreiber. Roddick, on the other hand, was pressed in most of his matches, playing three straight four-setters and then outlasting Lleyton Hewitt in five sets in the quarterfinals. His semifinal win over Andy Murray went four, with a pair of tiebreak wins in the final two sets.
It might have been a forgone conclusion in 2008 that Roger Federer would capture the title that year. He had won five straight Wimbledon crowns, but that was not the case, as a second-seeded Nadal dethroned king Roger in an epic five-set battle.
After losing to Federer in the two previous Wimbledon finals, Nadal ousted the "King of Grass," 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7. With the win, Nadal became the first Spaniard to win on the famed lawns of the British Slam since Manuel Santana in 1966. Nadal also became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year. The marathon match took a record 4 hours, 48 minutes of court time to complete.
Back in 2007, Federer became the first player since Borg (1976-80) to capture five straight Wimbledon titles, as he defeated Nadal in a thrilling five-set marathon. His 11th Grand Slam title was not without drama, as Federer needed nearly four hours to outlast Nadal, 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-2.
The United States leads the list of countries with Wimbledon champions with 33, followed by British Isles (32), Australia (21), France (7), Sweden (7), Switzerland (6), Germany (4), New Zealand (4), Great Britain (3), Spain (3), Czechoslovakia (1), Egypt (1), Netherlands (1), Serbia (1), and Croatia (1).
Total prize money was increased to 16,060,000 pounds, with both the men and women receiving the same amounts. The champion will receive $1,808,400.
Frenchman Gael Monfils withdrew from the championships due to a knee injury.
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