Photo: BBC Sports

Mark Knowles and Anna-Lena Groenefeld earned a surprise 7-5 6-3 win over top seeds Leander Paes and Cara Black in the final of the mixed doubles.

In the last match of this year's Championships, the ninth seeds hit back from 5-2 down in the first set to win eight games in a row and take control.

Cara Black stopped the rot by holding her serve and cutting the deficit to 3-1 but it was not enough.

Knowles battled to hold his next serve but he and Groenefeld sealed victory.

Coming on to court shortly after 1900 BST and the epic men's singles final, the players found half-empty stands greeting them.

However despite that they managed to produce an entertaining contest for the late-night spectators.

Things went well for the top seeds early on as they broke Knowles in the fifth game and Groenefeld two games later to lead 5-2.

They then had two set points on Black's serve which the Bahamas/Germany pair saved before they broke back with their second opportunity.

That started the run of games which turned the match as Knowles held, Paes was broken to 30 and Groenfeld held to give her team a 6-5 lead.

They took the set after 49 minutes when a backhand lob from Groenfeld just evaded Black at the back of the court.

Knowles and Groenfeld quickly raced into a 3-0 lead in the second set before Black held to give her and Paes some hope.

They had a break point against Knowles in the next game but could not take it although the Bahamas man needed four game points to make it 4-1.

Paes recovered from 0-30 down to hold serve for the first time in three service games and after Groenfeld and Black also held, it was down to Knowles to serve for the match.

And he held his serve to secure victory with his team's first championship point after an hour and 27 minutes with the match finishing at 2032 BST.

It is the fourth major title of Knowles' career and his first at Wimbledon and is the first major trophy Groenfeld has won.

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