Top 5 Men's Performances at Wimbledon

When it comes to stunning performances and pulse pounding tennis matches, Wimbledon is where you turn. There have been some major upsets and some of the greatest tennis ever played on the grass courts in London. Whether, the winner was known from the beginning, or they were one of the many "Cinderella" stories to happen here, it is always a contest worth watching. For me, a stellar performance is not just talent and skill, it is the heart and courage that is poured into the performance. Some of these guys went against all odds and made an impact on the sport of tennis. Here is a look at some of the best personal performances. These aren't always champions, but every one of them overcame some great odds and gave us one of the best performances in the history of tennis.

1980 John McEnroe

One of the best tennis matches to ever take place at Wimbledon was McEnroe Vs. Borg. There are many that are still talking about this match. McEnroe emerged as one of the greatest players to ever knock around the fuzzy, yellow ball, and that match was one of the more memorable points to his career. One of the best performances by McEnroe, however, was not at the '84 tourney, but in 1980. In '84, Everyone knew the match up would be Borg and McEnroe and the two did play admirably. Before McEnroe was a household name, he had to really pour his heart and soul into each game. This year marked the first appearance of McEnroe in the finals, and he truly played like he deserved to be there. After a stunning upset of the former champion, Jimmy Connors, he was astonishingly in the finals. This match also marked the first in a long series of rivalries and grudge matches between these two fierce competitors that is still going on to this day.

McEnroe got off to a great start and Borg quickly fell behind when the match opened. It looked as if McEnroe would trounce Borg in this first meeting, but in the twelfth match, Borg delivered on his signature backhand and he broke McEnroe. This is when the playing started. With Borg getting a taste of blood on that point and McEnroe seeing red from being hit for points, both men stepped up their game. Both players were on fire as they fought to the death all the way to a tie-break. It was here that McEnroe showed his mortal status as he missed a low volley. That one mistake proved to be detrimental and seemed to break McEnroe's concentration. With a backhand passing shot, it was all over and Borg emerged victorious. It just goes to show that "Cinderella" doesn't always go to the ball.

1987 Jimmy Connors

Jimmy Connors has been touted as the best player to ever carry a racket. He had several very impressive years in which he proved this. There is a lot of evidence to back such claims throughout his very illustrious career. There was no greater performance than the one that he gave in 1987. He did not reach the finals that year and was later eliminated by Pat Cash, the '87 Wimbledon Champion. It is not the fact that he beat Pernfors that makes this match stand out. It is the grit and spunk that Connors displayed in this match that make it one of the greatest matches of all time and a true testament to the ability and heart of one of the world's greatest tennis champions.

From the beginning of the tournament, all of the pundits and talking heads in the sports world had written off Connors as being too old for the sport anymore. It was in the fourth round that he was able to silence the critics. As Pernfors began punishing Connors, everyone thought the Connors would slink off the court as an old has been. That is when the fire ignited deep inside this scrappy "old guy" as he came back to win 18 of the 25 remaining games to steal the victory from Pernfors. Playing injured and against someone ten years younger, Connors dug down deep and gave the world one of the most dominating shows to ever hit the grass courts. After the match Connors stated: "My ego was hurt. I had to do something. So I decided to fight even harder."

1996 Richard Krajicek

While this Wimbledon final was not really mentioned outside the world of tennis, it did offer some stunning play. Richard Krajicek showed the world that he was there to play and he was capable of performing on the international stage. After loosing his seed in the tournament, we was allowed back in when Thomas Muster dropped out. This gave him a second shot that he was not going to waste. This last chance mindset really vaulted Krajicek to the final round and drove him to outperform everyone else in the tournament. Krajicek was not the only surprise in this Final's match. His opponent, MaliVai Washington, was another unseeded player and Krajicek could make history being the first person from the Netherlands to win it all. In a tournament of underdogs and freak winners, it was the perfect ending.

Krajicek went to work immediately and mad short work of Washington. With three straight sets, Krajicek swept Washington in one of the shortest matches in the history of Wimbledon. In about an hour and a half of play time, Krajicek emerged as the champion. The only difficult part was the three rain delays that stretched the short match to nearly four hours. It may be that Washington never got his mind off of the first female streaker to flaunt her naughty bits at the two players. Whatever it was, Krajicek dominated the tournament and walked off with a win. One interesting side note is the comment that Krajicek's children made. They are family friends with Sampras, who Krajicek defeated in the fourth round. While walking by the Wall of Honor, they began to read the title winners. 1993-Sampras, 1994-Sampras, 1995-Sampras, 1996-Krajicek, 1997-Sampras, 1998-Sampras, 1999-Sampras, 2000-Sampras. Krajicek's children actually looked at him and told him how sorry they were for Pete!

2006 Roger Federer

Ranked as the best player in the world as of this writing, Federer is an amazing player to watch. 2006 was one of his best years. He won three of the four slams with his only loss at the hands of Nadal in the French Open. He played the entire year with razor sharp precision and a drive that has yet to be rivaled. The Wimbledon final was no exception to this stellar performance.

After dismissing any chance of facing Nadal in the Wimbledon Finals, he of course faced Nadal. It was a brutal match between two emerging foes. After six attempts at Nadal, Federer could not seem to best the tennis great. That all changed in 2006. With the drive and desire this time, Federer stepped his game up a notch. There was also a nagging feeling deep inside Federer that he knew Nadal would dominate him on clay and dirt courts, but the grass would be his. If Federer did not win on the grass now, he would be plagued by Nadal for life. This extra boost and desire combined for some amazing tennis. After wining the first four sets, Federer proved his drive and desire for the championship.

2008 Rafael Nadal

Not to be outdone by his rival Federer, Nadal had an amazing 2008. The rivalry had begun to really heat up between the two and Nadal had yet to get the elusive Wimbledon Championship. This slowly created a burning desire for this title. By the time 2008 came around, this smolder had become a blazing inferno. This inferno really lit a fire in Nadal. This was one of the most amazing tournaments he has ever played. From day one, Nadal was a man on a mission. You could see the desire and passion in his eyes, as well as every stroke he made. With everyone gunning for Nadal, especially Djokovic, it was no easy feat.

Finally emerging into the final round, Nadal was set to face Federer. This rivalry was in full swing at the time, but this time Nadal was out for the kill. There would be no second place for Rafa this year. In what has been proclaimed the greatest match in Wimbledon history, Nadal and Federer gave the world the show they were looking for. After nearly five hours, the longest in history, the game came to a close and Nadal emerged victorious.

*Honorable Mention -2010 Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe

One of the most memorable games of Wimbledon history was the one between Borg and McEnroe in '84. These two have faced each other several times and each of those is a definite treat. After more than 20 years later, they met on the court once again. This match was one exhibition for books. It was not meant for them or for any reason other than to give back to the fans. This is the reason that these two made the list. This match just showed a love for the game and a love for the fans.