Jimmy Connors v Mikael Pernfors, Wimbledon, 1987
Connors’s reputation as one of the toughest battlers in tennis was secure after this amazing fourth-round result. Pernfors sailed into a 6-1, 6-1, 4-1 lead against the 34-year-old, who was nursing a leg injury. But Connors won 18 of the last 25 games, taking the match 1-6, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2.

Michael Chang v Ivan Lendl, Roland Garros, 1989
The context made this an extra-special comeback. Chang, 17, ousted the three-times French Open champion and world No 1, coming from two sets down while fighting dehydration and leg cramps. The teenager went on to win the tournament, his only grand-slam title, after this 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 fourth-round triumph.

Connors v John McEnroe, Wimbledon, 1982
Connors was three points away from defeat by his great rival in the final, but recovered to beat his compatriot, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4.

Dinara Safina v Elena Dementieva, Roland Garros, 2008
Safina became the first woman in the professional era to recover from match-point down in successive grand-slam matches. Two days after she ousted Maria Sharapova, she beat her fellow Russian, 4-6, 7-6, 6-0.

Expert View

For the first time, Murray looked like a man of destiny

Simon Barnes

• More

• Post a comment