Best performances in a losing effort?
- Thread starter weakera
- Start date
HetTheGreaterer
Banned
Federer 2019 Wimbledon final
(Fed gave absolutely everything he had to beat himself)
(Fed gave absolutely everything he had to beat himself)
junior74
Talk Tennis Guru
dropshotlikeitshot
Professional
Wawrinka AO 4R 2013.
Legend of Borg
G.O.A.T.
Wimby 2019 final
still surreal how Fed managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
I still think that was his last chance for #21
hes probably losing to Stakhovsky or his cousin at this year's SW19
still surreal how Fed managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
I still think that was his last chance for #21
hes probably losing to Stakhovsky or his cousin at this year's SW19
njhmusicman
Semi-Pro
Roddick Wimbledon F 2009
Federer Wimbledon F 2008
Nadal AO F 2012
Federer Wimbledon F 2008
Nadal AO F 2012
guitarra
Professional
He almost trolled himself there
Wawrinka AO13. That hurt.
That was Stan's TOP3 match ever I think. Short only of 2015 RG final. It still hurts cause having won that it's quite likely he'd go all the way. Good thing is he avenged this loss a year later although in my book their 2014 AO match was nowhere near 2013 AO match quality wise.
guitarra
Professional
Roddick WM 2009 is a good call. Was not Andy's fan and I wanted Roger to win but I felt so sorry for him that day. He arguably played the best tennis of his life during the whole tournament including in the final and came just short. The truth is as well he choke incredibly with that volley in 2nd set TB. The rest is history.
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RS
Bionic Poster
51 aces damm.
He was probably the better player in each of first 4 sets... easy FH misses on key points cost him what should’ve been a 4 set win.
then of course the MPs.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
junior74
Talk Tennis Guru
It always makes me sigh when Roddick is called a weak player. Roddick would have made a serious impact, had he peaked 2016-2020.
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
He was also hitting winners everywhere off both wings. Very mentally tough effort for AA to weather that.
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
Fred RG 2008
weakera
Talk Tennis Guru
He didn't play that well
Breakpointerer
Legend
Was just about to poast this
mightyrick
Legend
I'm not sure what people's criteria are here. Does it have to be a five-set match? I think Federer has played better than RG 2008. I think Roddick played better in his US Open win than Wimbledon 2009. He didn't choke in his US Open win.
There are two matches that stick out in my mind as the best player performances in their career -- but lost the match:
Santoro against Federer at the US Open 2004 (Santoro lost in straight sets -- but never played a better match in his life)
Coria against Nadal in Rome 2005.
There are two matches that stick out in my mind as the best player performances in their career -- but lost the match:
Santoro against Federer at the US Open 2004 (Santoro lost in straight sets -- but never played a better match in his life)
Coria against Nadal in Rome 2005.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
McEnroe Wimbledon 1982. He outplayed Connors but lost anyway. A very unheralded match.
weakera
Talk Tennis Guru
guitarra
Professional
Nadal's AO 2019 is not too bad either. He didn't lose a set coming into this final. What a tournament by Rafa!
JoelSandwich
Hall of Fame
Fed 06 Rome, AO 05 and 09
Nadal Wimbledon 2007
Verdasco AO 2009
Roddick Wimbledon 2009
Agassi USO 2001, AO 04
Wawrinka AO 13
Becker 1996 Hannover Final
Mac 1980 Wimbledon, FO 84
Nadal Wimbledon 2007
Verdasco AO 2009
Roddick Wimbledon 2009
Agassi USO 2001, AO 04
Wawrinka AO 13
Becker 1996 Hannover Final
Mac 1980 Wimbledon, FO 84
RelentlessAttack
Hall of Fame
Djokovic Madrid 09
RS
Bionic Poster
You mean Fed Santoro USO 2005.
He should have took a few extra seconds to compose himself. At 40-15 I'd bet he had media headlines of glory and greatness filling his mind or he wasn't in the moment. It's all coulda, shoulda though.
SamprasisGOAT
Hall of Fame
Sampras 2000 Australian vs Agassi
Agassi 2001 vs Sampras at us open
Agassi 2001 vs Sampras at us open
Hitman
Bionic Poster
I thought of this straight away. Federer's best every performance on clay, and Nadal still edged him out. Ferocious five set thriller.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
That is a pretty comprehensive list.
I would add
Djokovic v Del Potro W 2013
Nadal v Del Potro W 2018
Federer v Del Potro RG 2009
Tipsarevic v Federer AO 2008
Hewitt v Nalbandian AO 2011
Breakpointerer
Legend
How about Younes El Aynaoui vs Roddick 2003 AO?
SamprasisGOAT
Hall of Fame
Notice how Djokovic and Sampras don’t feature. Because they mainly won tight matches against there main rivals in the big moments
The Green Mile
Bionic Poster
Rafa Doha 2010. In fact, i'm gonna watch some highlights right now
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Sampras was a freaking legend of big matches. Djokovic does have AO 2014 v Wawrinka as a stand out though.
SamprasisGOAT
Hall of Fame
Also maybe 2013 at the French?
Enceladus
Legend
Of those, which wasn't mentioned in this thread:
Borg US Open 1980 F
Connors US Open 1980 & 1984 SFs
Lendl US Open 1988 F & Wimbledon 1989 SF
Edberg Wimbledon 1991 SF (otherwise only 4-set match, but Edberg didn't lose his service during the whole match)
Rafter Wimbledon 2001 F
Djokovic French Open 2013 SF
Borg US Open 1980 F
Connors US Open 1980 & 1984 SFs
Lendl US Open 1988 F & Wimbledon 1989 SF
Edberg Wimbledon 1991 SF (otherwise only 4-set match, but Edberg didn't lose his service during the whole match)
Rafter Wimbledon 2001 F
Djokovic French Open 2013 SF
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Yes, I would add that also. Best Djokovic played against Nadal at RG for sure, even better than when he beat him in 2015.
Murray v Djokovic AO 2012 to go along with Nadal v Djokovic AO 2012, both played as well as they could and Djokovic beat them both back to back
Isner v Nadal RG 2011 - The big man played as good as he could against Nadal, took him to five.
Dimitrov v Nadal AO 2017 - The best match Dimitrov played at slam level IMO
Anderson v Djokovic W 2015 - Was two games away from beating peak Djokovic and defending W champion
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Agassi v Rafter W 2001 semi was insane also, Henman v Ivanisevic also deserves to be mentioned.
RS
Bionic Poster
Depends on if your just considering form. For example Nadal of RG 11 was quite away from his best form to allow Isner to get him to 5.
OldschoolKIaus
Hall of Fame
Ivanisevic WIM F 1998
Hitman
Bionic Poster
I thought the topic is about the guy who lost, Isner played as well as he possibly could in that match, even if Nadal didn't
RS
Bionic Poster
Yeah it depends what you look for. Shape of thread changed a bit with any general match a player played well in a loss imo.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
If it is both players playing amazing, then you can just list all the epic matches, it is basically the same thing. For instance I personally think
Corretja v Sampras USO 96 qualifies because Corretja played as well as he possibly could and still lost, but Sampras wasn't close to his best IMO because he was sick on the court among other things.
The Green Mile
Bionic Poster
Shout out to Haase against RBA at Auckland, heartbreaking loss tbh
Martin J
Hall of Fame
Had Jimbo won that match, he would've had a solid chance to win his sixth USO title and become a record holder in Open Era. He still owned Lendl in big matches and was definitely comfortable playing him at the time.
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