The 5 most surprising Wimbledon champions of the last 50 years
Professional tennis revolves around the four Grand Slams—the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open—the biggest tournaments held annually. Wimbledon, the oldest tennis tournament in the world, is the finest of them all, having churned out champions since 1877. It’s considered the most prestigious tournament—and players long to win, in part because it’s played on grass, the original tennis surface. Millions of people worldwide tune in every year, and over half a million attend in person.
To play Wimbledon is to keep the tradition alive. At the championships of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, players abide by club rules, including referring to men as “gentlemen” and women as “ladies.” The tournament also famously requires players to wear almost entirely white clothing—not off-white, not cream—permitting a 1-centimeter trim of color around the neckline or sleeve cuffs. In 2022, the club expanded its policy to allow women to wear dark-colored shorts underneath their white skirts or shorts to prevent anxiety caused by wearing white during their menstrual periods.
On July 1, players will vie to take home tennis’ biggest title. The champions will be inducted as club members—an exclusive group of 500 people who can play tennis and croquet there—use the locker rooms and gym, and have dedicated seats on Centre Court. In 2023, Wimbledon also paid out approximately $3.1 million to each singles winner.
In the history of the tournament, there have been some amazing outcomes. ATS.io compiled a ranking of the five most surprising Wimbledon champions of the last 50 years using data from SportsOddsHistory.com. The victors were ranked according to their championship odds before the first round of the tournament, and ties were broken using the player’s championship odds before the final. Player seeds indicate who is likely to take home the title, but the skill and mental fortitude to win can come from a player of any seed—or none at all.