Nenad Zmonjic & Daniel Nestor - Getty Images

Daniel Nestor Completes Golden Slam with Wimbledon Victory

July 5, 2008

Toronto-native Daniel Nestor and Serbian partner Nenad Zimonjic won the gentlemen’s doubles championship of Wimbledon today by defeating Swede Jonas Bjorkman and Kevin Ullyet of Zimbabwe 7-6(12), 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-3. With the victory, Nestor joins American Andre Agassi and the Australian doubles team of Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde as the only men in the Open Era to win all four Grand Slams as well as an Olympic gold medal. Nestor and Zimonjic will also take over the top ranking on the Stanford ATP Doubles Race.

“I join the millions of Canadian tennis fans in expressing a heart-felt congratulations to Daniel, our Golden Slam champion, and his entire family” said Michael S. Downey, president and chief executive officer, Tennis Canada. “Daniel continues to exude professionalism, fair play and patriotism. He is a wonderful role model for our young Canadians and I am so proud of his remarkable accomplishment today. His victory today is an exclamation point on a hall of fame career.”

Committing only six unforced errors throughout the match, Nestor and Zimonjic served a total of 19 aces and made good on three-of-six break opportunities. The tandem split the first two sets in tie-break fashion before being able to take control of the match in the third set at a windy All England Lawn Tennis Club. Upon winning the last major title that has eluded him, Nestor, 35, turned to the Players Box with his arms raised in victory, acknowledging his wife, Natasha, and Davis Cup captain Martin Laurendeau.

Zimonjic played with tenacity and courage after breaking his radial bone in his left wrist late Thursday in their semifinal match. He scored three of the pair’s four points in the concluding game, including a circus-like return from 15-feet off the court. The Wimbledon crown was the first Grand Slam win for the 32-year-old.

"It's very exciting and I thought we played a great match," said Nestor. "We focused really hard It's one of those matches where you don't want to give an inch. Every game and point is tough. You feel like you have to focus really hard because you're playing against one of the best competitors over the years, singles and doubles, Bjorkman. Ullyett is playing great doubles, too. They beat the Bryans and they're confident. Just like that first set. It was a little bit of nerves out there, and in finally we broke through. They kept up their level in the second, and, you know, we were fortunate to get a break. I thought we started playing better in the third and forth, especially returning. The whole match we served well."

Individual doubles players who won a Career Golden Slam:

Daniel Nestor

2000 Sydney Olympics Gold medal with Sebastien Lareau

2002 Australian Open with Mark Knowles

2004 US Open with Mark Knowles

2007 French Open with Mark Knowles

2008 Wimbledon with Nenad Zimonjic

Gigi Fernandez

1992 Barcelona Olympics Gold Medal with Mary Joe Fernandez

1996 Atlanta Olympics Gold Medal with Mary Joe Fernandez

Captured 17 Grand Slam doubles titles between 1988 and 1997

Singles players who won a Career Golden Slam:

Steffi Graf (1988)

Andre Agassi (1992, 94, 95, 96, 99)

Doubles teams that won a Career Golden Slam:

Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde (1992, 93, 95, 96, 2000)

Serena Williams and Venus Williams (1999, 2000-01)