Unveiling Chris Lewis: The Remarkable Journey of the 91st Ranked Player to the Wimbledon Championship Match

Chris Lewis: The Wimbledon Final Surprise

The Unpredictability of Wimbledon Finals

In the world of tennis, it is often expected that one of the ‘Big Four’ – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, or Andy Murray – emerges victorious at Wimbledon. In fact, if Novak Djokovic justifies his pre-tournament favorite status this year, it will mark the 20th consecutive time that one of these elite players claims the men’s singles title. Such dominance leaves little room for surprises in the finals.

Rarely has a surprise finalist emerged from outside the top 10 rankings to challenge these tennis giants. Over the past two decades, only three times has a runner-up defied expectations and come from beyond the world’s top 10 to face off against Federer, Nadal, Djokovic or Murray in a final showdown.

A Journey Filled With Twists and Turns

One man who knows all about causing an upset in a Wimbledon final is Chris Lewis. Forty years ago, this New Zealander astonished both fans and pundits alike when he reached the men’s singles final as the world number 91 – an incredibly unlikely position given his opponents’ ranking.

Lewis fell head over heels for tennis as a young boy after witnessing his idols compete in a tournament back home in New Zealand. It was during that moment that he made up his mind to become a professional tennis player and set his sights on nothing less than winning at Wimbledon.

“Wimbledon became my ultimate life’s dream,” he recalled passionately while reflecting on those early days.

However, Lewis’s journey to realizing his dream wasn’t a straightforward one. Despite winning the boys’ title at Wimbledon as the world number one junior in 1975, he struggled to replicate that success on the senior stage.

By the time 1983 rolled around, Lewis found himself grappling with poor form and lacking any sign of a breakthrough in Grand Slam tournaments. In fact, things seemed to be spiraling downwards for him.

“I had been playing professional tennis for nine years and was currently experiencing the worst performance slump of my career,” Lewis confessed.

A bout of food poisoning shortly before Wimbledon during the French Open only added insult to injury by eroding his confidence further.

A Turning Point at Wimbledon

Surprisingly enough, it was this lackluster period that served as a catalyst for Lewis’s resurgence at Wimbledon. Determined not to tread water anymore, he made a pivotal decision – seeking guidance from Australian tennis legend Tony Roche who also happened to be his former idol turned coach along with assistance from fellow New Zealander Jeff Simpson.

The trio embarked on an intense physical training regimen prior to Championships. Their hard work paid off immediately when Lewis triumphed in two grueling five-set matches within his first three rounds – marking his maiden entry into a Grand Slam fourth round.

Overcoming Obstacles

As success began knocking on his door, nerves crept in too. The night before facing Nigerian Nduka Odizor in the last-16 match – someone who had already ousted fourth seed Guillermo Vilas – sleep eluded him completely. Lewis resorted to an unorthodox solution: taking an hour-and-a-half pre-match nap right on the floor of the locker room bathroom.

“Playing some of the best tennis I’ve ever played,” Lewis would later recall, validating the efficacy of his unconventional pre-match routine.

A hard-fought quarter-final victory against American Mel Purcell, who held a higher ranking than Lewis just like all but one of his seven opponents that Wimbledon, secured him a spot in the semi-finals.

A Historic Achievement

Standing between Lewis and an appearance in the Wimbledon final was South African-born Kevin Curran – a grass-loving 12th seed who had previously defeated world number one Jimmy Connors during the tournament. The stage was set for an epic showdown.

“The match of the Championships,”  – this semi-final clash pushed both players to their limits until Lewis emerged victorious after three hours and forty-five minutes of nail-biting tennis.

Lewis became New Zealand’s first representative in a Wimbledon singles final since before World War One. The excitement back home reached unparalleled heights with telegrams inundating British Telecom – they had never received such an influx of messages for any other player throughout Wimbledon history.

“It was truly remarkable!” exclaimed Lewis, recounting how even New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon took time out to personally congratulate him over the phone.

The Final Showdown

In front of him stood John McEnroe – another formidable opponent known for his fiery temperament on court. While many may have doubted Lewis’s chances against this fierce competitor, nothing could diminish his spirit nor dampen his determination to emerge victorious at Centre Court.