The Closest Latin America Has Come to Winning Wimbledon

As the Wimbledon 2025 semifinals unfold, the absence of Latin American tennis players in the decisive stages of the tournament once again underscores a historical constant: Latin America has yet to capture the coveted grass court trophy during the Open Era, which began in 1968.

Even though Chilean Nicolás Jarry and Argentinian Solana Sierra reached the Round of 16 this edition, over the years, several figures from the continent have made a significant impact at the All England Club, achieving memorable performances that deserve to be remembered.

While in the men’s category the only final was led by the Argentinian David Nalbandian in 2002, and in the women’s, the most notable finalist was Gabriela Sabatini in 1991, the region does have a champion from before the Open Era: the Brazilian Maria Bueno, who won Wimbledon in 1959, 1960, and 1964, and remains a South American tennis icon.

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One of the trailblazers was Guillermo Vilas. Even though he famously quipped that ‘grass is for cows,’ the Argentinian reached the quarterfinals in 1975 and 1976, bowing out to Roscoe Tanner and Bjorn Borg, respectively. His legacy on grass is part of a career distinguished for adapting even on less favorable surfaces.

Ecuadorian Andrés Gómez, the 1990 French Open champion, also made a mark in Wimbledon in 1984 and 1987, reaching the tournament’s second week. Although grass wasn’t his favorite surface, he managed to compete at a high level against players like Pat Cash and Henri Leconte.

A particularly remarkable case was that of Chilean Ricardo Acuña, who in 1985 started from the qualifying rounds and managed to defeat top-ten player Pat Cash and number 23 David Pate, reaching the round of 16. His journey was halted by Jimmy Connors, but Acuña had already made history as the first Chilean to get so far in London.

The Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten, famous for his triumphs at the French Open, also made his mark on the grass by reaching the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 1999, where he was defeated by Andre Agassi. While his overall record on grass was modest, that tournament showcased his versatility as a competitor.

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The most remarkable performance came from David Nalbandian. In 2002, the Argentine reached the final of the tournament after a series of surprising victories. Although he was defeated by Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets, he became the only South American to compete in a final at the iconic All England Club. In other editions, he also reached the round of 16 (2003) and the quarterfinals (2005).

That same year, Ecuadorian Nicolás Lapentti also delivered a remarkable performance, reaching the quarterfinals after winning five-set battles against opponents like Jamie Delgado, Andrei Pavel, and Arnaud Clément. His campaign was halted by none other than Nalbandian himself, in what marked South America’s best Wimbledon showing in recent history.

Another standout name was Brazilian Andre Sá, who reached the quarterfinals in 2002 after defeating Feliciano López. He made it to that stage ranked 90th in the world, delivering one of the tournament’s biggest surprises and climbing into the top 65 of the global rankings following his participation.

The Chilean Fernando González, nicknamed “The Bomber of La Reina”, reached the quarterfinals in 2005, where he fell to Roger Federer. Although grass wasn’t his specialty, his power and determination enabled him to compete with the best on all the world’s tennis stages.

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🇦🇷 Juan Martín del Potro está a un set de su segunda semifinal en Wimbledon. pic.twitter.com/ubNkM7Y9TJ

— bet365 España (@bet365_es) July 11, 2018

Juan Martín del Potro, one of the region’s top talents, starred in some of Wimbledon’s most memorable battles. In 2013, he reached the semifinals, losing to Novak Djokovic in five sets, and in 2018, he was defeated by Rafael Nadal, also in five sets. These performances solidified his place among the world’s best.

Guido Pella amazed the world in 2019 by reaching the quarterfinals. After defeating the previous year’s runner-up, Kevin Anderson, and pulling off an epic comeback against Milos Raonic, he eventually fell to Roberto Bautista Agut. The same happened with Chilean Christian Garín in 2022, when he lost against Nick Kyrgios in the quarterfinals.

Wimbledon continues to be a challenge for Latin American tennis, but these names are proof that talent, perseverance, and competitive spirit have managed to make their mark on one of the world’s most demanding stages.