Roger Federer can make Wimbledon history by winning an eighth title at SW19 next month, but would that cement the Swiss legend's place as the all-time greatest on grass?
Choosing between the likes of Federer, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe is a thankless task – so what if you could take a bit of all of them?
Here, Press Association Sport constructs the Ultimate Wimbledon Champion.
Forehand: Roger Federer
The seven-time champion could have been named at the top of a number of categories but, in his pomp, Federer’s forehand was his most potent weapon. The Swiss used the stroke to dictate points with devastating angle, power and precision.
Backhand: Bjorn Borg
Borg’s looping back-swing became a trademark part of the Swede’s armoury and he unleashed it with particular effect on the backhand side. Deploying levels of top spin unseen before in the game, Borg’s two-hander was an essential part of his five consecutive Wimbledon wins.
Serve: Goran Ivanisevic
Ivanisevic still holds the record for the most aces in a major tournament after he hit 213 en route to winning his sole Wimbledon title as a wild card in 2001. The 6ft 4in left-hander had the height, angle and blistering power to trouble any opponent.
Return: Andre Agassi
Agassi is considered by many to be the greatest returner of serve the game has ever seen and it was a shot that was key to him claiming his one Wimbledon triumph in 1992. The American took the ball early to rush his opponents and was often able to hit a clean winner.
Smash: Pete Sampras
Sampras was an explosive champion, renowned for his serve, forehand and strength at the net. The American will is also remembered for his slam-dunk smash, where he acrobatically leapt up and met the ball mid-air before invariably booming it past a helpless opponent.
Volley: John McEnroe
McEnroe was not blessed with the fastest serve on the circuit but he was still a dedicated serve and volleyer, even on clay, and enjoyed particular success at Wimbledon. McEnroe’s touch, accuracy and fast reflexes were at the heart of his three titles at SW19.
Athleticism: Boris Becker
The lasting image of Becker at Wimbledon is that of a sprightly teenager, diving through the air to scramble another volley over the net. Becker was also fit, fast and remarkably agile, three qualities he used to great advantage during his three Wimbledon triumphs.
Attitude: Jimmy Connors
A street-fighter on the tennis court, Connors simply never knew when to give up and he used to deploy any tactic he could to psyche out his opponent. The American once said: “Some people just don’t seem to understand that it’s damn war out there.”
Crowd-pleasing: Pat Cash
A popular player throughout his career, Cash wrote his name into Wimbledon folklore after his sole success in 1987 when he climbed the stands on Centre Court to celebrate with his team in the players’ box. It was an instinctive and unforgettable reaction that has been copied by many a champion since.
