Stella Artois Legends

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By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport

JOHN McENROE
(Winner 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984; runner-up 1982, 1983)

McEnroe won the first three Stella Artois titles and appeared in the final for its first six years, losing twice to his great rival Jimmy Connors before claiming a fourth title in 1984. From 1980 onwards McEnroe would also go on to reach the Wimbledon final for five successive years, completing the tournament double twice.

JIMMY CONNORS
(Winner 1982, 1983; runner-up 1986, 1987)

Connors rose to the new challenge presented by McEnroe and reeled off successive final wins over his great rival in 1982 and 1983. His first victory provided the platform to go on and conquer Wimbledon for the second time. His second made him the tournament's oldest winner aged 30 years and 284 days.

BORIS BECKER
(Winner 1985, 1987, 1988, 1996; runner-up 1990)

The fresh-faced German came from nowhere to make the Stella Artois his first tour title in 1985 at the tender age of 17 years and 207 days. He went on to destroy Wimbledon's established order three weeks later and his legend was born. Reclaimed his title in 1987 from Jimmy Connors and kept it the following year in one of his first epic battles with Stefan Edberg. He matched McEnroe with his fourth title 11 years after his first, beating Edberg again having breezed through the tournament without dropping a set.

IVAN LENDL
(Winner 1989, 1990)

The Czech proved an accomplished Queen's Club performer but could never go on to claim the one Grand Slam title missing from his collection. Lendl won his first Stella Artois title beating Christo Van Rensburg in 1989 and a year later overcame Becker. Each time he would go on to Wimbledon full of confidence only to lose in the semi-finals.

STEFAN EDBERG
(Winner 1991; runner-up 1988, 1996)

The two-time Wimbledon champion featured in one of the Stella Artois's finest finals when he lost to Becker in 1988. He finally claimed the title for himself with victory over David Wheaton in 1991. His dominant Wimbledon days might have been over - he would not reach another final - but he did make a throwback Stella Artois final with Becker in 1996, losing in straight sets.

MICHAEL STICH
(Winner 1993)

Stich had upset his compatriot Becker to claim his first and only Wimbledon title in 1991. He did not add to his Grand Slam collection but remained a threat on grass and added his name to the growing roster of double champions when he conquered Queen's two years later with a final win over South African Wayne Ferreira.

PETE SAMPRAS
(Winner 1995, 1999; runner-up 1994, 2000)

Having lost his first Stella Artois final to Todd Martin the previous year, Sampras announced his arrival in 1995 with a final win over Guy Forget, becoming the first man in 10 years to do the Stella-Wimbledon double in the same year. Despite his glut of Wimbledon titles he would only add the Stella Artois once more in 1999, beating Tim Henman in the final. The following year he was beaten by Lleyton Hewitt.

GORAN IVANISEVIC
(Runner-up 1997)

The Croatian's bridesmaid reputation was enhanced in 1997 when - having already lost in two Wimbledon finals - he suffered the same fate against Mark Philippoussis at Queen's. Ivanisevic's badly fading career plunged to new lows when he suffered an embarrassing first round loss to little-known Italian Cristiano Caratti in 2001. Shortly afterwards, his reputation as a plucky loser was shattered for good, as he won Wimbledon just three weeks later.

TIM HENMAN
(Runner-up 1999, 2001, 2002)

It is Henman's misfortune that his prominence came at the same time as two modern tournament greats. Having been pipped by Sampras in his first final in 1999 Henman roared back to two more finals but was beaten each time by Sampras' successor as the best player in the world, Lleyton Hewitt. Henman is the only player to have reached two or more finals and not claimed the trophy.

LLEYTON HEWITT
(Winner 2000, 2001, 2002)

Hewitt's success in 2000 was hardly surprising with the 20-year-old Australian coming off the back of consecutive Grand Slam fourth round appearances in Melbourne and Roland Garros. He wrested the crown from Sampras then defended it twice successfully against Henman, making him the first man since McEnroe in the first three years of the tournament to claim the Stella Artois title in three consecutive years. One more win this year will elevate Hewitt alongside McEnroe and Becker as a four-time winner, and make him the first man in history to complete four in a row.

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