Grand Slam finals represent the peak of tennis drama with unforgettable moments that turn great players into legends. From the electric Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe clash at Wimbledon 1980 to the epic Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer showdown at Wimbledon 2008, these matches are more than just contests. They are the greatest Grand Slam finals ever played, filled with epic tennis battles, emotional twists, and defining moments in tennis history.
Spanning Wimbledon history, French Open classics, US Open comebacks and Australian Open drama, these historic tennis finals stand out for their intensity and impact. Captured through IMAGO’s tennis image archive, each Grand Slam final moment is preserved in stunning, archival tennis photography. Relive some of the most epic tennis matches in Grand Slam history, explore legendary rivalries, and revisit the best finals ever through these iconic tennis photos and match highlights.
6. Steffi Graf vs Monica Seles, French Open 1992
5. Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka, 2012 US Open
4. Venus Williams vs Lindsay Davenport, Wimbledon 2005
3. Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe clash, Wimbledon 1980
2. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal, Australian Open 2012
1. Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer, Wimbledon 2008
In a clash that epitomized the intensity of the French Open, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles delivered one of the best tennis matches in women’s Grand Slam final history. Seles, 19, the top seed and two-time defending champion, faced off against Graf, a former world number one eager to reclaim her dominance. It was a battle of 1 vs 2, and it surely felt like that.
The match unfolded as a thrilling three-set battle. After 18 games and 91 minutes of back and forth, Seles ultimately triumphed 6–2, 3–6, 10–8. This encounter is often cited among Steffi Graf’s greatest matches and remains a defining moment in both players’ careers.
5. Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka, 2012 US Open
The 2012 US Open final between Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka delivered one of the greatest comebacks in women’s tennis history. It was a clash of power, grit, and Grand Slam pedigree, as Serena, a 14-time major winner, faced the then world No. 1 Azarenka in a battle that went down to the wire.
Azarenka looked in control for most of the match. After losing the first set, she rallied back to win the second and then went up 5-4 in the third, just one game away from winning her first US Open title. But Serena, known for her big-stage resilience, broke back, held serve, and then broke again to win 7–5 in the deciding set.
The final score: 6–2, 2–6, 7–5. The match lasted 2 hours and 18 minutes and was the first women’s US Open final to go to three sets since 1995. It remains one of Serena Williams’ most dramatic and emotionally charged Grand Slam victories.
The 2005 Wimbledon final between Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport is remembered as arguably the best women's Grand Slam final ever. While Venus is not known for her singles games as much as her legendary sister Serena Williams, she did bring the heat to Davenport as they put on an all-time classic.
Lasting 2 hours and 45 minutes, the match tested both players’ endurance and will. In the end, following a scintillating final set, Venus Williams emerged victorious with a scoreline of 4–6, 7–6(7-4), 9–7. This match is celebrated for its dramatic final set and is considered one of Venus Williams’ greatest matches, highlighting her resilience and determination on the grand stage. It was Venus' third Wimbledon singles title, and her first major title since the 2001 US Open.
The 1980 legendary Wimbledon final between Björn Borg and John McEnroe is etched in Wimbledon history as a classic rivalry match. The pair had gone head-to-head many times in their careers but nothing stood the test of time more than this showdown.
In a five-set thriller that lasted 3 hours and 53 minutes, the two brought their contrasting styles to full effect and went toe to toe and gave the viewers some much celebrated Grand Slam moments. Over the first four sets, the two never brought their best tennis at the same time, but for the next 34 points, they went all in. The 4th set tie-break lasted a mammoth 34 points, where McEnroe saved five more match points, while Borg saved an equal number of set points.
In the end, Borg defeated McEnroe 1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–7(16–18), 8–6. This historic tennis final is renowned for its intense fourth-set tiebreak and the contrasting styles of the cool Borg and fiery McEnroe, making it one of the most iconic tennis matches ever played.
IMAGO / Sven Simon I Bjoern Borg and John McEnroe at the net.
The 2012 Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal is remembered as one of the most dramatic tennis matches in Australian Open history. The match is the longest tennis final of the Open Era, lasting 5 hours and 53 minutes, ending at 01:37 AM.
Nadal and Djokovic were the top two seeds that year and had met in the previous two Slam finals, at Wimbledon and the US Open. Djokovic won on both occasions in four sets.
The duo resumed their rivalry Down Under with neither leaving any room for the other. While Nadal took the first set, over time, Nole took control of the game. However, Nadal made a strong comeback to take the fourth set with four straight points to force a fifth set this time.
Nadal started the last set on the front foot as well, breaking Djokovic to go up 4-2 in the fifth. However, the Serb's everlasting will power was once again on show as he began to hit with more force. He broke serve, and won five of the last six games for the title with a scoreline of 5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7(5-7), 7–5. This Grand Slam final moment showcased the peak of the Djokovic-Nadal rivalry and is often listed among Novak Djokovic’s greatest matches.
The 2008 Wimbledon final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is widely regarded as the greatest match of all time. Federer and Nadal were ranked 1 and 2, respectively, for most of the last three years and were starting to show their dominance. In fact, the pair had met in the final of the last two Wimbledons as well. Federer had won them both the ties, but in 2007 Nadal had pushed him to five sets.
The duo started strong from their respective baselines from the word go, as both moved from one corner to the other to return the ball. But this time, the tables were turned. Despite some hard-hitting tennis, Nadal took a 2-0 lead even though Roger was 4-1 up at one point in the second set. The Spaniard won five straight games to go up two sets to love.
It was an uphill task for the Swiss, but if anyone could, it would have been him. Despite Nadal having a chance to break him, Federer held on and was also helped by a rain break, which broke Rafa's momentum. It was a game of cat and mouse, and Federer kept moving ahead thanks to his serve, with him eventually levelling the match 2-2 and taking it to the fifth set.
Before the fifth set, there was another rain delay, but this time, it seemed to have helped Nadal. He got his composure back. The game was poised at 7-7 and set to continue, and in the end, it was two too many for Federer. Nadal broke for 8-7, and then surprised Federer with his first serve-and-volley point of the match to go for the title. After 4 hours and 48 minutes of intense tennis, Nadal eventually managed to get the better of Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5-7), 6–7(8-10), 9–7. With the win, Nadal lifted this first ever Wimbledon title and also moved to No.1 in the rankings a month later.
This match is celebrated for its high-quality play, dramatic momentum shifts, and the culmination of the Nadal-Federer rivalry, marking it as one of Rafael Nadal’s greatest matches and a pinnacle in Roger Federer’s illustrious career.
Each of these historic tennis finals is preserved through historic tennis images and archival tennis photography, capturing the essence of these unforgettable moments. Explore the IMAGO tennis image archive to relive these legendary matches and also the coverage of the upcoming French Open and Wimbledon matches.
Photo Selection by André Ziegler