Throwback Thursday: Pat Cash's famous climb

It proved to be the first of many. This week's Throwback Thursday from the Wimbledon Museum remembers when Pat Cash climbed up into his player box in jubilant celebration...

A winning player’s ecstatic celebrations are one of the highlights of a Wimbledon Final – those first moments when you realise ‘I’ve done it!’ Some punch the air and leap up and down. Some, like Novak Djokovic, decide to eat the grass. Others decide that simply jumping up and down on the court is not enough and want to celebrate with those that helped in their success. Scaling the terrace to reach the player’s box is now one of the iconic celebrations of Wimbledon.

The first player to scale the terrace was Pat Cash in 1987. After his 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 7-5 win against Ivan Lendl, Cash punched the air in celebration and then proceeded to do something that no other player at Wimbledon had ever done before. He ran towards the stands, clambered through the applauding crowd, pulled himself onto the roof of the commentator’s box and embraced his coach Ian Barclay, his father and others sat in the player’s box.

Since then, 14 players have followed suit and leaped through the crowd in order to celebrate with their friends and family. It seems to have become some sort of unofficial tradition. Some of the celebrations have included a few unexpected moments. For example, in 2008, after Rafael Nadal celebrated with his family, he made a sudden U-turn towards the Royal Box in order to greet the Spanish Crown Prince and his wife. In 2013, Murray thanked everyone in his player’s box, started to leave but was instantly called back as he had forgotten to thank his mum, Judy.

The 2014 Championships saw something a little different with regards to this celebration – the introduction of a small gate. The gate was installed before The Championships in order to give players easier access to celebrate with their families. Instead of having to scramble over the seats of spectators and on to a small roof, the players could now have easy access to the box by walking up the steps and along the walkway towards the gate.

Petra Kvitova became the first player to use the gate after her win in this year’s Championships. 

How would you celebrate if you won Wimbledon? Tell us your thoughts below.