If you could re-live a match but change its end…

NicoMK

NicoMK

Hall of Fame
Hi all,

I wrote something in a different thread and it gave me this idea : imagine that you can re-live a match - any match - and change its end. Which match(es) would it be and why?

Here what I wrote :

The first one would be the US Open 88 final with Ivan winning this one against Mats.

Why? Because despite being Mats' greatest victory, achieving number one etc., he lost interest for the game short after and, at 24, he never won a GS anymore.

Had he lost this final against Ivan, he may have won the Australian in 1989 and other French Opens too and continue fighting for big titles with the Lendl, Becker, Edberg etc. for many more years.

The second one would be the McEnroe-Lendl 1984 French Open final with a win of Mac over Lendl.

I have a huge respect for what Ivan did that day and he truly deserves his first GS title, no question... but even 36 years later, it still breaks my heart to see John playing so well on clay for 14 days but losing this one, missing that easy FH volley on match point, being so close of winning his first FO title but in the end... not having it (still, congrats to Ivan the warrior...).

You can't rewrite history but you can dream that some things happened differently. In tennis, that would be my dream matches to re-watch... but with a different end!

Up to you now!
 
Goosehead

Goosehead

Legend
agree but 1984 fo final mcenroe not have mp..had bp to break lendl 40-A, at 4-4 in 4th set ..

was a long volley though..can still remember the moment it happened watching on tv live age 11.
 
D

Deleted member 766172

Guest
The first would be 2008 Wimbledon. The greatest match of all time should have been won by Fed! I don’t wanna hear it, this is my decision!

Second would be Wimbledon 2019. We all know what happened there.

Then also all of the grand slam finals that Fed lost, should have been won by Fed.
 
Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil

Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil

Talk Tennis Guru
FRV2 said:
The first would be 2008 Wimbledon. The greatest match of all time should have been won by Fed! I don’t wanna hear it, this is my decision!

Second would be Wimbledon 2019. We all know what happened there.

Then also all of the grand slam finals that Fed lost, should have been won by Fed.
Click to expand...
Some people missed it. Tell what happened, don't leave anything out.
 
Enceladus

Enceladus

Legend
For me as Novak fan, primarily RG 2013 SF and USO 2013 final. These two bitter defeats weakened Nole's mental strength for some time. Djoker could beat prime Nadal at RG 2013 and achieve a career Grand Slam three years earlier. As for USO 2013, Djoker would have more USO titles today than Nadal if he won the 2013 final.
 
Mainad

Mainad

Bionic Poster
NicoMK said:
The second one would be the McEnroe-Lendl 1984 French Open final with a win of Mac over Lendl.

I have a huge respect for what Ivan did that day and he truly deserves his first GS title, no question... but even 36 years later, it still breaks my heart to see John playing so well on clay for 14 days but losing this one, missing that easy FH volley on match point, being so close of winning his first FO title but in the end... not having it (still, congrats to Ivan the warrior...).

You can't rewrite history but you can dream that some things happened differently. In tennis, that would be my dream matches to re-watch... but with a different end!

Up to you now!
Click to expand...

He's right there with you (watch to the end): ;)

 
California

California

Semi-Pro
1989 French Open final, would have loved to see Edberg come through with the W!
2019 Wimbledon final, come on Fed. How could you..? Change to a W for Fed
2001 Wimbledon final, have Rafter win his only Wimbledon title...
 
SpaceAce42

SpaceAce42

Banned
agreed there is only one match and one logical choice:

Federer-and-Roddick-2009-Wimbledon-Final.jpg
 
Djokodalerer31

Djokodalerer31

Hall of Fame
Roland Garros 2013 semi-final against Nadal! That stupid overhead Djokosmash, that he is still being mocked for even these days...If he had won that match against Nadal he would obliterate Ferrer in the final!...if we still count his 2016 victory - it would mean he would be the only person in an open era with double career grand slam by now...
 
Fedinkum

Fedinkum

Legend
NicoMK said:
Hi all,

I wrote something in a different thread and it gave me this idea : imagine that you can re-live a match - any match - and change its end. Which match(es) would it be and why?

Here what I wrote :

The first one would be the US Open 88 final with Ivan winning this one against Mats.

Why? Because despite being Mats' greatest victory, achieving number one etc., he lost interest for the game short after and, at 24, he never won a GS anymore.

Had he lost this final against Ivan, he may have won the Australian in 1989 and other French Opens too and continue fighting for big titles with the Lendl, Becker, Edberg etc. for many more years.

The second one would be the McEnroe-Lendl 1984 French Open final with a win of Mac over Lendl.

I have a huge respect for what Ivan did that day and he truly deserves his first GS title, no question... but even 36 years later, it still breaks my heart to see John playing so well on clay for 14 days but losing this one, missing that easy FH volley on match point, being so close of winning his first FO title but in the end... not having it (still, congrats to Ivan the warrior...).

You can't rewrite history but you can dream that some things happened differently. In tennis, that would be my dream matches to re-watch... but with a different end!

Up to you now!
Click to expand...
Didn’t Mat Wilander had to deal with recreational drug issues along with his coke buddy Cash around that time? I thought that habit contributed to his slide.
 
NicoMK

NicoMK

Hall of Fame
Fedinkum said:
Didn’t Mats Wilander had to deal with recreational drug issues along with his coke buddy Cash around that time? I thought that habit contributed to his slide.
Click to expand...

As far as I know, he had some issues at the very end of his carrer in 1995 and that was not with Cash. Nothing has been proven true though.

They had a few drinks together the night after the final though. So you can be (real) friends and rivals at the same time ;).
 
Last edited:
Fedinkum

Fedinkum

Legend
NicoMK said:
As far as I know, he had some issues at the very end of his carrer in 1995 and that was not with Cash. Nothing has been proven true though.

They had a few drinks together the night after the final though. So you can be (real) friends and rivals at the same time ;).
Click to expand...
I remember after his amazing 1988 triple slam year, he changed his racket and lost in the first round in AO. That was a real shocker watching that match live.

A few years later (my memory could be deceiving me, perhaps it was a lot later like you said), I gradually noticed both the faces of Mat and Cash started to look leathery like Kieth Richard...ahahahaha...
 
tegg96

tegg96

Semi-Pro
2005 Australian Open....

Lleyton Hewitt had the entire country behind him. Was the 1st big chance of an Aussie taking out the Aus Open since the last aussie winner in 1976 and Pat Cash's 2 attempts in 1987/8. The support for Llyeton was huge. Seeded 3rd, had beaten a young upstart named Rafa Nadal, Nalbandian and Roddick to get to the final. Lost to Safin who played match of his life to win his 2nd and last GS. That year of the Aus Open lifted the popularity of the sport hugely in Aus thanks to Hewitts efforts. Still to this day the 2005 final was largest television audience in Australia history.
 
Last edited:
Martin J

Martin J

Hall of Fame
USO 1980 final
FO 1989 final
Rome 2006 final
FO 2011 final
USO 2011 SF (Fed)


Mac not winning the FO in 1984 was a great thing imo. Ego maniac that he is, he would've never stopped talking about how monstrous, genius, incredible, unparalleled player he is, assuming that he would've won Wimbledon and the USO that year and him gloating about it would be quite annoying.
 
Im(moral) Winner

Im(moral) Winner

G.O.A.T.
Martin J said:
USO 1980 final
FO 1989 final
Rome 2006 final
FO 2011 final
USO 2011 SF (Fed)


Mac not winning the FO in 1984 was a great thing imo. Ego maniac that he is, he would've never stopped talking about how monstrous, genius, incredible, unparalleled player he is, assuming that he would've won Wimbledon and the USO that year and him gloating about it would be quite annoying.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't that happen with Borg if you let him win the USO? Not Borg himself (most likely) because he's rather reserved but the media and the fans
 
kevaninho

kevaninho

Hall of Fame
For Nadals history, id change the 2018 Wimbledon loss to Djokovic.
He easily beats Anderson in the final if he gets past Novak.
This was the last time Nadal was competitive with Djokovic off of clay, and it would've been massive in so many ways, had he came through victorious.

I don't mind all the early Wimby exits in his career. If he had won a 3rd Wimbledon, all would be forgotten LOL

I doubt he has another chance again now.
 
HetTheGreaterer

HetTheGreaterer

Banned
If I'll have to select just ONE
I'd go with 2009 USopen final, feder was never the same after that match, it was the start of his mental crumbles which followed in the years after
 
Cashman

Cashman

Hall of Fame
1990 Australian Open final. Edberg was playing incredible tennis that tournament, and the match-up against Lendl was highly anticipated. Seeing him retire with a torn stomach muscle in the third set was a huge anticlimax.

I don’t even care who won, I just wanted to see the match go the distance. It could have been one for the ages.
 
junior74

junior74

Talk Tennis Guru
Wawrinka to challenge the wrong call, serve it out and go on to win AO2013 :cool:

Obviously Wimbledon 2019. Good meme, though.
 
NicoMK

NicoMK

Hall of Fame
Fedinkum said:
A few years later (my memory could be deceiving me, perhaps it was a lot later like you said), I gradually noticed both the faces of Mat and Cash started to look leathery like Kieth Richard...ahahahaha...
Click to expand...

Indeed they seem to be good friends… and not too leathery :cool:;)

 
Karma Tennis

Karma Tennis

Legend
NicoMK said:
imagine that you can re-live a match - any match - and change its end. Which match(es) would it be and why?
Click to expand...

@NicoMK, what a great question and thread.

Easy one for me ...

1987 Australian Open Final - Pat Cash defeats Stefan Edberg.

1988 Australian Open Final - Pat Cash defeats Mats Wilander.

The Australian, Pat Cash made the Final of the LAST Australian Open played on Natural Grass (on Centre Court, Kooyong Tennis Club) and the FIRST Australian Open played on Hard Court (on Centre Court, Flinders Park, now known as Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park)

Pat lost both Finals in 5 Sets to two of the greatest Swedish players to ever play the game.

Pat wins both of those Finals, he probably becomes one of the greatest Australian tennis players of all time. So close, yet so far.

(My Goodness Nico, I just posted this while you were posting the video of Pat and Mats.!!!)
 
NicoMK

NicoMK

Hall of Fame
Karma Tennis said:
@NicoMK, what a great question and thread.

Easy one for me ...

1987 Australian Open Final - Pat Cash defeats Stefan Edberg.

1988 Australian Open Final - Pat Cash defeats Mats Wilander.

The Australian, Pat Cash made the Final of the LAST Australian Open played on Natural Grass (on Centre Court, Kooyong Tennis Club) and the FIRST Australian Open played on Hard Court (on Centre Court, Flinders Park, now known as Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park)

Pat lost both Finals in 5 Sets to two of the greatest Swedish players to ever play the game.

Pat wins both of those Finals, he probably becomes one of the greatest Australian tennis players of all time. So close, yet so far.

(My Goodness Nico, I just posted this while you were posting the video of Pat and Mats.!!!)
Click to expand...

Yep Karma Tennis, I agree, Pat deserved at least one of these two finals. Came close twice, then never reached a GS final again. Too bad. Injuries didn't help, if I remember well…
 
NicoMK

NicoMK

Hall of Fame
Goosehead said:
agree but 1984 fo final mcenroe not have mp..had bp to break lendl 40-A, at 4-4 in 4th set ..

was a long volley though..can still remember the moment it happened watching on tv live age 11.
Click to expand...

I was talking about the volley that he misses on match point against him. Easy one especially for Mac… but still he misses it…
 
Goosehead

Goosehead

Legend
NicoMK said:
I was talking about the volley that he misses on match point against him. Easy one especially for Mac… but still he misses it…
Click to expand...
yikes. soz. yeah that mp was bad,

suppose we can overlook it as an error even though really it is a ufe, he looked and was totally wasted at the end.
 
Shaolin

Shaolin

G.O.A.T.
FRV2 said:
The first would be 2008 Wimbledon. The greatest match of all time should have been won by Fed! I don’t wanna hear it, this is my decision!

Second would be Wimbledon 2019. We all know what happened there.

Then also all of the grand slam finals that Fed lost, should have been won by Fed.
Click to expand...

This exactly. I don't need to add anything.
 
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