Roger Federer has been named Wimbledon's greatest-ever champion in a landslide vote by Express Sport readers. The Swiss legend secured 51% of the vote, more than all other nominees combined, beating out icons such as Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, and Martina Navratilova.
Overwhelming Victory in Readers' Poll
The poll featured a star-studded lineup of Wimbledon champions from different eras, including men's and women's singles winners. Nominees included Novak Djokovic, Bjorn Borg, Andy Murray, Pete Sampras, Boris Becker, and Roger Federer from the men's side, and Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Steffi Graf, and Martina Navratilova from the women's side.
Federer's 51% share of the vote was a clear majority. The remaining votes were distributed as follows: Novak Djokovic and Bjorn Borg each received 12%, Martina Navratilova 10%, Steffi Graf 5%, Serena Williams and Andy Murray 3% each, Pete Sampras 2%, and Boris Becker and Venus Williams 1% each.
Praise from Peers
Federer's greatness is recognized not only by fans but also by his competitors. Speaking ahead of the 2015 Wimbledon final, Novak Djokovic called Federer the greatest of all time, stating: "He's one of the people that actually made me a better player. In the matches against him, I went through a lot of different emotions and things that allowed me to understand what I need to do to become a better player and to win against him and win grand slam trophies. He's so good and so consistent: we shouldn't spend too many words about him. We all know how good he is: he's the greatest ever. There's not enough praise for what he does."
Andy Murray also weighed in during his playing days, saying: "It's tough to say [who the best-ever is], I guess, that someone is outrightly the best player of all time. I mean, Sampras is obviously great, as well, and had some unbelievable runs… So I think that sort of five years of dominance, the runs here and at Wimbledon, winning five in a row, and even at the French, he's definitely a better clay court player than Sampras. He's coming up against definitely the best clay court player of all time in Nadal. That's why I think that, you know, there's a very strong argument for him being the best player."
Federer's Wimbledon Legacy
Federer's Wimbledon record includes eight men's singles titles, the most of any player in history. He won five consecutive titles from 2003 to 2007, and added three more in 2009, 2012, and 2017. His elegant playing style and consistency on grass have made him a fan favorite at the All England Club. The poll confirms his enduring popularity and status as the greatest champion in Wimbledon history according to Express Sport readers.
