The China Mail - Five unlikely Wimbledon finalists

AFP Sports looks at five other unlikely men's finalists of the modern era at the All England Club.

DAVID NALBANDIAN

-- Argentina's Nalbandian made his only Slam final at Wimbledon in 2002 where he was comprehensively defeated 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 by Australia's Lleyton Hewitt.

Nalbandian was the first Wimbledon debutant in the Open era to get through to the final.

He was granted special permission to practice on Centre Court on the morning of the match as he had never before set foot in the arena.

"He's strong, he's fast, and if you make just one mistake he'll take it," said Nalbandian of Hewitt.

Nalbandian reached a career high of three in the world in 2006, but never got beyond the semi-finals of the the other three Slams in Melbourne, Paris and New York.

CEDRIC PIOLINE

-- France's Pioline was ranked 44 when he made the 1997 Wimbledon final, sending 1991 champion Michael Stich into a tearful retirement in a five-set semi-final victory.

In the final, Pioline came up against Pete Sampras and was quickly defeated 6–4, 6–2, 6–4, his second loss to the American in a Slam final after the 1993 US Open final.

It was the fourth of seven Wimbledon titles for Sampras.

"I found myself thinking, 'wow this is too easy'. I don't mean to be disrespectful toward Cedric. It was just that the match was on my racquet, far sooner and with far less difficulty than I expected," Sampras wrote in his biography.

Pioline went on to reach five in the world rankings, collected five career titles and helped France to two Davis Cup wins.

MALIVAI WASHINGTON

-- Washington reached his only Slam final at Wimbledon in 1996 where he was easily defeated by Richard Krajicek 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Washington had needed five sets to see off fellow American Todd Martin in the semi-finals, coming back from 5-1 down to win 10-8 in the decider.

He was such an unlikely finalist that he had odds of 300-1 to win the title at the start of the tournament.

The 1996 final also witnessed the appearance of a streaker on Centre Court when, wearing just a pinny, she leapt from the crowd and sprinted across the court.

BORIS BECKER

-- Just 17, Becker raced past Kevin Curren in four sets 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in the 1985 final, becoming the first unseeded player to win the men's title. His flamboyant dives and sweet touch made him an instant hit with the the crowd.

"This is going to change tennis in Germany," said Becker who fired 21 aces past eighth-seeded Curren.

"I am the first Wimbledon winner and now they have an idol."

The young German refused to be intimidated on court, even brushing shoulders with his opponent at a changeover.

"I'm going on court to win, to fight, to do what I can," said Becker who would win the Wimbledon title again in 1986 and 1989.

CHRIS LEWIS

-- Unseeded and ranked a lowly 91 in the world, New Zealander Lewis reached his only major final at the All England Club in 1983.

He needed five sets to beat Kevin Curren in the semi-finals, before losing to John McEnroe 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.

"He just had a game that was beyond anything that anybody was able to touch," said Lewis who never managed to get past the third round at any other Slam.

He retired from tennis in 1986.

D.Pan--ThChM