<p>Nick Kyrgios has stunned the tennis world by his barnstorming run to a first Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon where he will face Novak Djokovic for the title.</p>.<p>AFP Sports looks at five other unlikely men's finalists of the modern era at the All England Club.</p>.<p><strong>David Nalbandian:</strong></p>.<p>Argentina's Nalbandian made his only Slam final at Wimbledon in 2002 where he was comprehensively defeated 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 by Australia's Lleyton Hewitt.</p>.<p>Nalbandian was the first Wimbledon debutant in the Open era to get through to the final.</p>.<p>He was granted special permission to practice on Centre Court on the morning of the match as he had never before set foot in the arena.</p>.<p>"He's strong, he's fast, and if you make just one mistake he'll take it," said Nalbandian of Hewitt.</p>.<p>Nalbandian reached a career high of three in the world in 2006, but never got beyond the semi-finals of the the other three Slams in Melbourne, Paris and New York.</p>.<p><strong>Cédric Pioline:</strong></p>.<p>France's Pioline was ranked 44 when he made the 1997 Wimbledon final, sending 1991 champion Michael Stich into a tearful retirement in a five-set semi-final victory.</p>.<p>In the final, Pioline came up against Pete Sampras and was quickly defeated 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, his second loss to the American in a Slam final after the 1993 US Open final.</p>.<p>It was the fourth of seven Wimbledon titles for Sampras.</p>.<p>"I found myself thinking, 'wow this is too easy'. I don't mean to be disrespectful toward Cedric. It was just that the match was on my racquet, far sooner and with far less difficulty than I expected," Sampras wrote in his biography.</p>.<p>Pioline went on to reach five in the world rankings, collected five career titles and helped France to two Davis Cup wins.</p>.<p><strong>MaliVai Washington:</strong></p>.<p>Washington reached his only Slam final at Wimbledon in 1996 where he was easily defeated by Richard Krajicek 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.</p>.<p>Washington had needed five sets to see off fellow American Todd Martin in the semi-finals, coming back from 5-1 down to win 10-8 in the decider.</p>.<p>He was such an unlikely finalist that he had odds of 300-1 to win the title at the start of the tournament.</p>.<p>The 1996 final also witnessed the appearance of a streaker on Centre Court when, wearing just a pinny, she leapt from the crowd and sprinted across the court.</p>.<p><strong>Boris Becker:</strong></p>.<p>Just 17, Becker raced past Kevin Curren in four sets 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in the 1985 final, becoming the first unseeded player to win the men's title. His flamboyant dives and sweet touch made him an instant hit with the the crowd.</p>.<p>"This is going to change tennis in Germany," said Becker who fired 21 aces past eighth-seeded Curren.</p>.<p>"I am the first Wimbledon winner and now they have an idol."</p>.<p>The young German refused to be intimidated on court, even brushing shoulders with his opponent at a changeover.</p>.<p>"I'm going on court to win, to fight, to do what I can," said Becker who would win the Wimbledon title again in 1986 and 1989.</p>.<p><strong>Chris Lewis:</strong></p>.<p>Unseeded and ranked a lowly 91 in the world, New Zealander Lewis reached his only major final at the All England Club in 1983.</p>.<p>He needed five sets to beat Kevin Curren in the semi-finals, before losing to John McEnroe 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.</p>.<p>"He just had a game that was beyond anything that anybody was able to touch," said Lewis who never managed to get past the third round at any other Slam.</p>.<p>He retired from tennis in 1986.</p>
<p>Nick Kyrgios has stunned the tennis world by his barnstorming run to a first Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon where he will face Novak Djokovic for the title.</p>.<p>AFP Sports looks at five other unlikely men's finalists of the modern era at the All England Club.</p>.<p><strong>David Nalbandian:</strong></p>.<p>Argentina's Nalbandian made his only Slam final at Wimbledon in 2002 where he was comprehensively defeated 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 by Australia's Lleyton Hewitt.</p>.<p>Nalbandian was the first Wimbledon debutant in the Open era to get through to the final.</p>.<p>He was granted special permission to practice on Centre Court on the morning of the match as he had never before set foot in the arena.</p>.<p>"He's strong, he's fast, and if you make just one mistake he'll take it," said Nalbandian of Hewitt.</p>.<p>Nalbandian reached a career high of three in the world in 2006, but never got beyond the semi-finals of the the other three Slams in Melbourne, Paris and New York.</p>.<p><strong>Cédric Pioline:</strong></p>.<p>France's Pioline was ranked 44 when he made the 1997 Wimbledon final, sending 1991 champion Michael Stich into a tearful retirement in a five-set semi-final victory.</p>.<p>In the final, Pioline came up against Pete Sampras and was quickly defeated 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, his second loss to the American in a Slam final after the 1993 US Open final.</p>.<p>It was the fourth of seven Wimbledon titles for Sampras.</p>.<p>"I found myself thinking, 'wow this is too easy'. I don't mean to be disrespectful toward Cedric. It was just that the match was on my racquet, far sooner and with far less difficulty than I expected," Sampras wrote in his biography.</p>.<p>Pioline went on to reach five in the world rankings, collected five career titles and helped France to two Davis Cup wins.</p>.<p><strong>MaliVai Washington:</strong></p>.<p>Washington reached his only Slam final at Wimbledon in 1996 where he was easily defeated by Richard Krajicek 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.</p>.<p>Washington had needed five sets to see off fellow American Todd Martin in the semi-finals, coming back from 5-1 down to win 10-8 in the decider.</p>.<p>He was such an unlikely finalist that he had odds of 300-1 to win the title at the start of the tournament.</p>.<p>The 1996 final also witnessed the appearance of a streaker on Centre Court when, wearing just a pinny, she leapt from the crowd and sprinted across the court.</p>.<p><strong>Boris Becker:</strong></p>.<p>Just 17, Becker raced past Kevin Curren in four sets 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in the 1985 final, becoming the first unseeded player to win the men's title. His flamboyant dives and sweet touch made him an instant hit with the the crowd.</p>.<p>"This is going to change tennis in Germany," said Becker who fired 21 aces past eighth-seeded Curren.</p>.<p>"I am the first Wimbledon winner and now they have an idol."</p>.<p>The young German refused to be intimidated on court, even brushing shoulders with his opponent at a changeover.</p>.<p>"I'm going on court to win, to fight, to do what I can," said Becker who would win the Wimbledon title again in 1986 and 1989.</p>.<p><strong>Chris Lewis:</strong></p>.<p>Unseeded and ranked a lowly 91 in the world, New Zealander Lewis reached his only major final at the All England Club in 1983.</p>.<p>He needed five sets to beat Kevin Curren in the semi-finals, before losing to John McEnroe 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.</p>.<p>"He just had a game that was beyond anything that anybody was able to touch," said Lewis who never managed to get past the third round at any other Slam.</p>.<p>He retired from tennis in 1986.</p>