How a 17th seed became the only Dutchman to conquer Wimbledon

History · Published 6 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1996, Pete Sampras was the undisputed king of the grass courts. Yet, an unheralded Dutchman with a powerful serve and a sudden tactical shift managed to dismantle the champion, securing a historic victory that remains unmatched in his nation's history.

Richard Krajicek’s 1996 Wimbledon triumph is one of tennis's most storied underdog campaigns. Entering the tournament without a high seeding, Krajicek benefited from the withdrawal of seventh seed Thomas Muster due to injury. This allowed him to move into the 17th seed position, though historians still debate whether he should be classified as an unseeded player. Standing 1.95 metres tall, Krajicek utilized one of the fastest serves on the tour to navigate a difficult draw.

His path to the title required overcoming the era's greatest titans. He defeated former champion Michael Stich in the fourth round and famously took down Pete Sampras in the quarterfinals. During this match, Krajicek demonstrated remarkable technical adaptability, transforming his previously weak slice backhand into an aggressive topspin shot. After defeating Jason Stoltenberg in the semifinals, he beat MaliVai Washington in straight sets in the final to claim the title.

Beyond this singular moment, Krajicek’s career was marked by high-level consistency and occasional controversy. He reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in March 1999 and amassed 17 singles titles. While his professional life was defined by athletic excellence and humanitarian efforts—earning the ATP Arthur Ashe Humanitarian award in 2000—he was also known for a 1992 outburst regarding equal pay in Grand Slam tennis. Following his retirement in 2003, he transitioned into tournament direction and philanthropy, founding a foundation to build sports facilities for Dutch youth.

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