Points that changed the outcome of a slam

DreddyTennis45

Hall of Fame
These points strike me as crucial points that were lost/won which essentially changed the outcome of a slam:

Wimby 2008: Nadal with a massive serve at the 4-3 and 30-40 down in the fifth set of the final.

Wimby 2009: Roddick's missed volley in the 2nd set TB, would've gone 2 sets up

RG 2009: Federer forehand vs Haas in the 3rd set at 4-3 and 30-40 down.

RG 2011: Federer missed drop shot first set in the final, likely would have gone a set up, probably wouldn't have effected the outcome too much but interesting nonetheless.

AO 2012- that backhand

RG 2013: Djokovic and the net

Wimby 2014: Federer missed overhead in the fifth set of the final

Anyone have any more?
 
These points strike me as crucial points that were lost/won which essentially changed the outcome of a slam:

Wimby 2008: Nadal with a massive serve at the 4-3 and 30-40 down in the fifth set of the final.

Wimby 2009: Roddick's missed volley in the 2nd set TB, would've gone 2 sets up

RG 2009: Federer forehand vs Haas in the 3rd set at 4-3 and 30-40 down.

RG 2011: Federer missed drop shot first set in the final, likely would have gone a set up, probably wouldn't have effected the outcome too much but interesting nonetheless.

AO 2012- that backhand

RG 2013: Djokovic and the net

Wimby 2014: Federer missed overhead in the fifth set of the final

Anyone have any more?

Look at some of Serena's victories like AO03(Clijters),AO05(Sharapova),AO09(Kuznetova),AO10(Azarenka),Wimby09(Dementieva).Maybe not exactly one point in all of them,but Serena was down in the dumps and yet won the match and later the respective Slams.
 
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Cenarius

Guest
That match point missed in the AO 05 SF against Safin.No way Federer was going to lose to Hewitt in the F.
 
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Deleted member 716271

Guest
USO '11 2 MP's saved by ND vs. Fed.

Rafa would have another slam and 3 USO titles.
 
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nowhereman

Guest
King PETE saves MP with an insane stretch volley against Corretja at the '96 USO QF. I bet the MUGs these days couldn't have done that. ROFLMAO.

No, but in all seriousness, that was an insane volley. And considering he was puking by then and totally exhausted, it makes it even more impressive. Gotta give the boy some props.
 
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Finally one that wasn't in the last eight years! Here are a few more, albeit still relatively recent ones:

- Becker's saved match point against Rostagno in the second round of the US Open 1989, when Rostagno approached the net, was in position to play a winning volley, but Becker's attempted pass hit the net cord, went over Rostagno's outstretched racket, and landed in. Had Rostagno won that point, it's likely that Lendl would have won the US Open 1989.
- Edberg's saved break points at 4-6 2-6 3-3 15-40 against Mecir in the Wimbledon 1988 semis.
- Chang's saved break points at 6-1 3-6 4-6 4-4 against Edberg in the Roland Garros 1989 final.
- If I recall correctly, Becker also saved match point against Omar Camporese in the third round of the Australian Open 1991, before going on to win the title. In the same tournament, Edberg double faulted on match point up at 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-6 (6-4) against Lendl in the semis, having earlier served for the match at 5-4 in the 4th. Lendl had a poor record against Becker in Slams and lost the final to him. Edberg had a poor record against Becker overall, but a good record in Slams, and it'd have been interesting to see an Edberg/Becker final that wasn't at Wimbledon. Becker won the AO twice at Melbourne Park, while both Edberg's titles were on grass at Kooyong, but I still think that rebound ace would have favored him over Becker.
- Again, I'm not sure of the exact details, but didn't Agassi save break points against Medvedev at 1-6 2-6 4-4 in the final of Roland Garros 1999?

King PETE saves MP with an insane stretch volley against Corretja at the '96 USO QF. I bet the MUGs these days couldn't do that. ROFLMAO.

No, but in all seriousness, that was an insane volley. And considering he was puking by then and totally exhausted, it makes it even more impressive. Gotta give the boy some props.
 

Roddick85

Hall of Fame
Roddick's missed volley in 09 is by far my #1 choice. I'd then go with Djokovic/Federer USO 10-11. I would have loved to see a Nadal/Federer USO final so that we can say they played all 4 slam finals against one another at least once. This will probably never happen now.
 
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nowhereman

Guest
Finally one that wasn't in the last eight years! Here are a few more, albeit still relatively recent ones:

- Becker's saved match point against Rostagno in the second round of the US Open 1989, when Rostagno approached the net, was in position to play a winning volley, but Becker's attempted pass hit the net cord, went over Rostagno's outstretched racket, and landed in. Had Rostagno won that point, it's likely that Lendl would have won the US Open 1989.
- Edberg's saved break points at 4-6 2-6 3-3 15-40 against Mecir in the Wimbledon 1988 semis.
- Chang's saved break points at 6-1 3-6 4-6 4-4 against Edberg in the Roland Garros 1989 final.
- If I recall correctly, Becker also saved match point against Omar Camporese in the third round of the Australian Open 1991, before going on to win the title. In the same tournament, Edberg double faulted on match point up at 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-6 (6-4) against Lendl in the semis, having earlier served for the match at 5-4 in the 4th. Lendl had a poor record against Becker in Slams and lost the final to him. Edberg had a poor record against Becker overall, but a good record in Slams, and it'd have been interesting to see an Edberg/Becker final that wasn't at Wimbledon.
- Again, I'm not sure of the exact details, but didn't Agassi save break points against Medvedev at 1-6 2-6 4-4 in the final of Roland Garros 1999?
Great list. :)
 

KINGROGER

G.O.A.T.
2010 US open semi final. Federer 5-2 and 40-15 up with 2 match points. Plays a weak first serve to Djokovic who slams a return down the line as hard as he can. Next shot he plays a good serve, stretches his opponent, but then misses a reverse forehand crosscourt easy winner wide.

Think Fed wins that tournament if he wins that.
 

metsman

G.O.A.T.
2010 US open semi final. Federer 5-2 and 40-15 up with 2 match points. Plays a weak first serve to Djokovic who slams a return down the line as hard as he can. Next shot he plays a good serve, stretches his opponent, but then misses a reverse forehand crosscourt easy winner wide.

Think Fed wins that tournament if he wins that.
Nah, Fed would likely be in a winning position against Nadal and completely blow it in the final. That's how it has gone in the slams after Fed's peak.
 
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nowhereman

Guest
Nalby has MP against Roddick at the 2003 USO, but Roddick erases it with a huge body serve IIRC. Might have changed Nalby's career had he converted it.
 
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nowhereman

Guest
2010 US open semi final. Federer 5-2 and 40-15 up with 2 match points. Plays a weak first serve to Djokovic who slams a return down the line as hard as he can. Next shot he plays a good serve, stretches his opponent, but then misses a reverse forehand crosscourt easy winner wide.

Think Fed wins that tournament if he wins that.
Nadal probably beats him if he makes it.
 
Nadal probably beats him if he makes it.

I think Nadal would have won in 2010, but I think Federer would have won in 2011.

Wasn't the post actually about 2011? It talks about Federer being up 5-2. I don't think he was up 5-2 in 2010. I think he had the match points at 5-4 and on Djokovic's serve. In 2011, he had the match points at 5-3 and on his own serve. That was probably the greater lost opportunity.
 

SQA333

Hall of Fame
I think Nadal would have won in 2010, but I think Federer would have won in 2011.

Wasn't the post actually about 2011? It talks about Federer being up 5-2. I don't think he was up 5-2 in 2010. I think he had the match points at 5-4 and on Djokovic's serve. In 2011, he had the match points at 5-3 and on his own serve. That was probably the greater lost opportunity.

Nadal would've crushed Federer in 2010.

Federer would've blown some kind of lead in 2011.

Upshot is Nadal becomes one of 2 people to beat Roger at all majors.
 
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nowhereman

Guest
I think Nadal would have won in 2010, but I think Federer would have won in 2011.

Wasn't the post actually about 2011? It talks about Federer being up 5-2. I don't think he was up 5-2 in 2010. I think he had the match points at 5-4 and on Djokovic's serve. In 2011, he had the match points at 5-3 and on his own serve. That was probably the greater lost opportunity.
Agreed. Fed would be the favorite next year, but seeing how it's Nadal I wouldn't be surprised if Fed blows a huge lead and breaks down mentally and ends up losing anyway.
 

Shaolin

G.O.A.T.
Berdych had Fed on the ropes at the AO one year and missed a crucial easy volley or overhead (can't remember exactly).
 
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Deleted member 77403

Guest
These points strike me as crucial points that were lost/won which essentially changed the outcome of a slam:

Wimby 2008: Nadal with a massive serve at the 4-3 and 30-40 down in the fifth set of the final.

Wimby 2009: Roddick's missed volley in the 2nd set TB, would've gone 2 sets up

RG 2009: Federer forehand vs Haas in the 3rd set at 4-3 and 30-40 down.

RG 2011: Federer missed drop shot first set in the final, likely would have gone a set up, probably wouldn't have effected the outcome too much but interesting nonetheless.

AO 2012- that backhand

RG 2013: Djokovic and the net

Wimby 2014: Federer missed overhead in the fifth set of the final

Anyone have any more?

Soon as I saw this thread, ONLY ONE thing came to mind....

 

eagletennis

Semi-Pro
2 Novak matches
Slap shot 2011 US open against Federer.Never saw momentum switch that instantaneously
AO 2012 Nadal had break in the 5. and 30-15 and open whole right side of the court and he missed it
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
My mistake, didn't read the thread so carefully. Points that changed the outcome of a slam.

Olympics, Masters 1000 events, World Tour Finals, etc. can't really be counted then. :(
 

DreddyTennis45

Hall of Fame
The match doesn't bother me that much, that miss made it 30-30, Rafa slipped up himself and that point was only a small part of if. It was an incredible match and I'm happy Rafa was part of it.
2014 AO does really hurt though, so does Wimbledon 2007. But AO 14 for sure hurts the most.

I get what you mean but AO 2014 he was injured and was 2 sets down. AO 2012 he was so close to the finish line and would have beat the AO GOAT too.
 

Steve0904

Talk Tennis Guru
Going off memory so this will be a little foggy, but how about Wawrinka not challenging the call against Djokovic at AO 2013?

Or the point that Anderson had to go up a break and serve for it against Djokovic last year.
 
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