Wimbledon 2024: How is the winner decided if they get to 6-6 in the final set?

The Championships at Wimbledon are steeped in history and tradition, perhaps more than any other tennis tournament. However, there has been a recent tweak in the rules when it comes to tie-breaks, which affects singles matches that reach 6-6 in the final set (the fifth in Men’s matches, the third in Women’s).

The tie-break rules for Wimbledon 2024

In 2022, the Grand Slam Board announced that all four major tournaments - the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open - would adopt a universal rule for fifth-set tie-breaks.

The idea was put in place as a one-year trial after discussions between the WTA, ATP, ITF, and the tennis officiating community. The introduction of the new tie-break format stemmed from the Grand Slam Boards’ hope to enhance the experience for players and fans by increasing the consistency of the rules.

So, what exactly are the tie-break rules at Wimbledon 2024? Simply put, matches that reach 6-6 in the final set will now be decided by a 10-point tie-break. The first player to reach 10 points will win the match, although they must be two points clear to claim the victory (11-9, 12-10 etc).

This was first used in Serena Williams’ first-round defeat to Harmony Tan in 2022. Previously at Wimbledon, matches could continue until a player won by two clear games, such as in John Isner’s quite incredible win over Nicolas Mahut in 2010, which ended 70-68 in the fifth set. It is by some distance the longest tennis match in history, both in terms of games (183) and duration (11 hours 5 minutes over three days).

The longest ever singles final at Wimbledon

Under the previous rules at Wimbledon from 2019 onwards, the two-game advantage to win the fifth set was valid until the score reached 12-12. After that, a classic tie-break would be played to determine the winner.

That is exactly what happened as Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 in the 2019 final, the longest singles final ever played in the tournament at 4 hours 57 minutes.

The change in structure has been implemented in Men’s singles and doubles, Women’s singles and doubles, Wheelchair and Junior events. In every Grand Slam except Wimbledon, the Mixed Doubles, Junior Doubles and Wheelchair doubles play the 10-point tie-break instead of a final set.