Longest Wimbledon Finals of the Open Era

As a Strategic Content Architect specializing in tennis history and statistics, I can provide a comprehensive overview of the longest Wimbledon finals in the Open Era, including details on the recently concluded Alcaraz-Sinner and Swiatek-Anisimova matches.

Wimbledon, the oldest and arguably most prestigious tennis tournament, has seen numerous marathon matches throughout its history. In the Open Era, certain finals stand out for their exceptional duration, captivating audiences with their sheer endurance and dramatic swings.

Longest Men’s Singles Finals

The record for the longest Wimbledon men’s singles final in the Open Era belongs to the epic encounter between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in 2019. This monumental match lasted an astounding 4 hours and 57 minutes, with Djokovic ultimately prevailing 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12. This final also notably featured the first-ever fifth-set tie-break contested in a Grand Slam final.

Prior to 2019, the 2008 final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal held the distinction of being the longest, clocking in at 4 hours and 48 minutes. Nadal emerged victorious in that classic contest with a score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7.

The Alcaraz-Sinner Final (2025)

The recent 2025 Wimbledon men’s singles final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, while a significant match in their burgeoning rivalry, was not among the absolute longest in Open Era history. Sinner defeated Alcaraz in four sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4) in a match that lasted 3 hours and 4 minutes. While this was a compelling contest and a rematch of their five-hour, 29-minute French Open final earlier the same year, its duration at Wimbledon does not place it among the top five longest men’s singles finals at the tournament.

Longest Women’s Singles Finals

The longest Wimbledon women’s singles final in the Open Era, measured by the number of games played, was the 1970 match between Margaret Court and Billie Jean King. Court defeated King 14-12, 11-9, a match that encompassed 46 games.

Another notable long women’s final in terms of games was the 2005 clash between Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport, which went to 39 games (4-6, 7-6(4), 9-7).

The Swiatek-Anisimova Final (2025)

In stark contrast to the longest finals, the 2025 Wimbledon women’s singles final between Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova was one of the shortest in Open Era history. Swiatek dominated the match, winning 6-0, 6-0 in a mere 57 minutes. This lopsided victory marked the most one-sided women’s Wimbledon final in over a century and was the first time a woman won the final without dropping a single game since 1911.