As always, this year’s tournament served up action, drama, and a slew of memorable moments. Here are some of them.
What a two-week whirlwind it has been at the All England Club! And just like that, one of tennis’ most anticipated events has come to a close.
We have a new Ladies’ (and first-time Grand Slam) champion in Linda Noskova, who beat Czech compatriot Karolina Muchova. Over at the Gentlemen’s side, Italy’s Jannik Sinner successfully defends his Wimbledon title against world no. 2 Alexander Zverev of Germany (thank heavens, with Zverev’s domestic abuse allegations hanging over him).
For doubles, the champions are Harri Heliövaara and Henry Patten (Gentlemen’s), Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic (Ladies’), and Marcelo Arévalo and Jeļena Ostapenko (Mixed Doubles).
As always, this year’s Wimbledon served up action, drama, and a slew of unforgettable moments. Here are some of them.
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5. Serena Williams returns to Centre Court
In the weeks leading up to Wimbledon, no storyline drew more attention than Serena Williams’ return. The GOAT’s appearance at the All England Club—though fleeting it may have been—was a reminder of the lasting influence she holds on the sport’s biggest stage. Wimbledon is among her favorite tournaments, where she has won a total of 14 titles across all categories.
Though Serena lost her comeback match to Australia’s Maya Joint, who is 24 years her junior, and later withdrew from doubles because of a knee injury, seeing her swing her racquet once more on Centre Court was still a sight to behold.
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4. Roger Federer’s viral photo at the Royal Box
I’m sure we can all agree that the Swiss tennis legend is one of the game’s greatest, boasting 103 career singles titles, a record eight of those won at Wimbledon. Aside from his massive title haul, however, what makes Roger an all-time fan favorite is his love for the game, even off court. Proof of this is a viral photo of him sitting all by his (near) lonesome at the Royal Box.
The July 8 match between Alexander Zverev and Jiri Lehecka started at 8:30 pm, and by then, most of those in the Royal Box had decided to go home—but not Roger. The 44-year-old stayed and continued to be absorbed in the game, watching from the front row until 11 pm when the game was suspended because of Wimbledon’s curfew (more on this in a bit!).
Journalist Jon Wertheim explained the story behind the shot in Andy Roddick’s podcast: “He’s (Roger’s) like, ‘I remember what it’s like for the next set of players to come out. The Royal Box is empty, everyone’s away, and it’s kind of awkward, and I wanted to be out there.’” Mad respect for the icon who respects his fellow tennis players as well!
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3. Coco Gauff beats Wimbledon’s curfew
Another viral moment was when Coco Gauff beat both Belinda Bencic and the strict 11 pm Wimbledon curfew on July 6. In viral photos and videos, we see Coco tapping her wrist as if it were a watch, as she dishes out an impressive—and most punctual—victory a mere two minutes before the curfew strikes. Making the win sweeter is that it was the American’s first quarterfinal at the tournament.
A note on the Wimbledon curfew: Yes, folks, there is a strict 11 pm curfew at Wimbledon. The rule is not one of the All England Club’s age-old traditions, but rather it follows local planning rules. According to Reader’s Digest, Merton Council, the London borough that hosts Wimbledon, imposed the limit after Centre Court’s retractable roof was fitted in 2009, allowing games to continue late into the night. Neighboring residents weren’t thrilled about this, so the curfew was introduced to protect the area from late-night noise, while also ensuring that tennis fans can still catch the last trains home.
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2. Novak Djokovic wins Wimbledon’s longest quarterfinal
The men’s tennis GOAT showed us all over again why he is the ATP’s undisputed best of the best when he came through a grueling five-set match against third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime on July 7. The thriller lasted five hours and 15 minutes, making it the longest quarterfinal ever at The Championships.
The win is all the more remarkable because the 39-year-old, 24-time Grand Slam champion defeated a player who’s 14 years younger than he is, proof of the Serbian’s amazing longevity and athleticism. The win also made him Wimbledon’s oldest semi-finalist in more than 50 years. Nole, as he fans fondly call him, also beat the Wimbledon curfew, delivering the winning smash at eight minutes before 11 pm.
Novak, however, bowed out in the semis after losing to eventual champion Sinner. The loss means his dream record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title is still elusive, so is his goal of equalling Roger’s record eight singles titles at Wimbledon (Novak has seven).
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1. Alex Eala’s deep run
Call me biased, but as a Filipino, our very own Alexandra “Alex” Eala’s magical run at Wimbledon is most definitely the most unforgettable. As a tennis fan since high school, I never thought I’d see the day a Filipino player represent our flag in tennis’ oldest and most prestigious tournament. Then, lo and behold, talented and charismatic Alex burst onto the global tennis scene, proudly carrying our flag every step of the way.
Alex’s Wimbledon 2026 wins marked multiple historic firsts for the Philippines at a Grand Slam. The 21-year-old became the first Filipino to win a main-draw singles match and the first Filipino to reach later rounds (until the fourth round) of a Grand Slam in the Open Era, milestones that have etched themselves deeply in Philippine sports history.
She also stunned defending Wimbledon champion Iga Świątek in the third round on Centre Court, no less, a victory that cemented the impact of her run and further signaled she can beat the game’s elite on the biggest stages. As of writing, Alex has beaten six top 10 players, including Iga (whom she has beaten twice already), Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Elina Svitolina, Jasmine Paolini, and Madison Keys.
Beyond Alex’s on-court wins are her equally remarkable off-court feats. Her dream Wimbledon run has caught the eye of tennis greats, including 59-Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova, who called Alex one of her three favorite current tennis players, together with Iva Jovic and Maja Chwalinska. Speaking live on BBC’s Wimbledon coverage, Martina said that Alex is “building a whole new craze in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Bringing more fans into tennis.”
Alex’s deep run at Wimbledon also generated nationwide excitement, drawing comparisons to other unifying sports icons in the Philippines, such as Manny Pacquiao, Hidilyn Diaz, and Carlos “Caloy” Yulo. Most importantly, she’s inspiring a new generation of Filipino athletes—especially girls—to pick up a tennis racquet and dream of their own Wimbledon run.
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