Wimbledon introduced a final-set tiebreak in 2019. The new rule applied when the deciding set reached 12–12, ending the tournament’s traditional requirement that a player win the final set by two clear games.
The change was first used in a Wimbledon singles match during the 2019 men’s final between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. With the fifth set tied at 12–12, Djokovic won the tiebreak 7–3 and retained the championship. Federer had held two championship points earlier in the set, making the rule change especially memorable.
Before 2019, Wimbledon’s singles finals could continue indefinitely after reaching 6–6 or 12–12. The 2010 first-round match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, which lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes across three days, helped intensify concerns about extreme match lengths.
The rule later changed again. From 2022, Wimbledon adopted a standard final-set tiebreak at 6–6, played to 10 points, bringing the tournament into line with the other Grand Slam events.