Best tennis match ever played

Tshooter said:
"Miami Nadal vs. Federer 2004- I remember looking on the internet asking myself who is this kid?!?"

I was lucky to be at that one as well and I thought, wow, this kids 17 (I think he was 17, right ?) and he just beat the #1 player in the world. Imagine that happening today.
Click to expand...

I mean Nadal was a prodigy. His tennis was more simple but more based on fitness. But he has such superior genetics. I mean in his teens he was as strong as some adults. Even today. Most people can't take that punishing on their bodies.

And even Federer said that nadal is the future nr.1 at that time. I don't know if it was after this match or after his first match against Nadal.
 
nadal-hewitt australian open 2005. even though nadal was only 18 man did he produce some great tennis. also hewitt-nalbandian australian open 2005. hewiit played a lot of epic matches that tournament
 
Tshooter said:
Fanatic, I posted two photos, just for you.

www.protennisphotos.com See under "requests" even though you did not request them. ;-)

I don't have exactly the same memories of that match. I felt like each guy blew the other out for two sets and only the 5th being competitive and electric (atmosphere-wise). I also would not describe Blake's reaction after as "happy" but memory is a funny thing so who's to say without asking him and his memory of it is not necessarily any more valid than anyone else there at the time or watching on TV.

There were many other matches I thought more electric and more consistently over the course of the match. The Sampras-Agassi 2001 QF atmosphere courtside was truly up there with the best I've seen. As good as the old connors-borg. Speaking of Connors, Connors-Pannata in 1978 is one of my favorites. Also Sampras-Corretja - absolutely intense atmosphere.
Click to expand...


Thanks a lot for those pics, I wish I could use them as my desktop background, but doesn't seems to work. Also many thanks for the Sampras-Corretja tip.

Your feelings about the Agassi-Blake match (each guy blew the other out for two sets and only the 5th being competitive and electric) are absolutely spot on. It was the way they blew each other out in the first 4 sets which made this match so special to me. The fifth set was just the icing on the cake.
Probably it was because of the fast court, like another poster said, but I haven't seen a match where both players continuously smack the ball like Agassi and Blake did that day ever since.
 
Last edited:
pound cat said:
After his loss to to Gaudio in the French Open final, that was mentally the end of Coria. He must have had nightmares of that match, likely still does.

BTW...what happened to Gaudio? I think he just faded away...maybe still playing some tournamens in S. America?
Click to expand...

He was pretty good in 2004 and eventually just dropped off in 2005 and so on. He wasn't a bad player, just got lucky with that slam imo. Well deserved but its obvious Coria choked. Coria is probably one of the greatest clay court players of the 2000s (right after Nadal and Federer I would say).
 
Best match is hard to say
But best set in termos of amazing power tennis its has got to be the 3rd set in the USOPEN 2011 FINAL

just crazy i have never seen that level in tennis and hardly will see it again.
If you have 10 minutes check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkB6kvt6wfw~


source : following tennis for more than 20 years
 
The best match is the one that was played between RFederer and RNadal at Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in 2011 :p :lol:



Seriously, the Wimbledon 2008 was the best match till date. The drama was epic, nothing even comes close to it.
 
Tennis Fanatic 070 said:
I think the Agassi-Blake QF match US Open 2005 was amazing!! They both were smacking the ball incredibly hard! It certainly was high quality stuff (both the full match and the summary are available on youtube, summary;
Click to expand...

I remember staying up till 5 in the morning to watch that. It was a hell of a ride, and definitely one of the most dramatic matches I've ever seen.

Other favourites...

Nadal-Verdasco Australian Open 2009
Federer-Safin Australian Open 2005
Federer-Nadal Wimbledon 2008
Federer-Nadal Rome 2006
Nadal-Coria Rome 2005
Sampras-Agassi US Open 2001
Rafter-Ivanisevic Wimbledon 2001
Agassi-Rafter Wimbledon 2000
Agassi-Rafter Australian Open 2001 (this wasn't such amazing tennis, but I don't think I've ever seen anything more dramatic)

Wawrinka's matches with Djokovic and Gasquet in Melbourne, and Paris wouldn't be far off. There's a couple of other Australian Open matches - Sampras and Agassi in 2000, and Federer and Nadal in 2009, that would easily make my list if the final sets hadn't been so anticlimactic.

Clijsters and Capriati at Roland Garros in 2001, Dementieva-Serena at Wimbledon 2009, and Henin-Mauresmo from Wimbledon 2006 are a few great womens ones that spring immediately to mind.
 
kiki said:
Good choice since Edberg played perfect attacking tennis
Likewise Mc Enroe did against Lendl at the 84 Masters, against Connors at 84 W

Other perfect play shows were Hoad at the 1957 Wimbledon final against next yr champ Ash Cooper, Laver three final sets against Ashe at W 69 and of course Nastase demolition of Borg at Stockholm Masters final in 75
BTW some experts consider that Mc Enroe never played any better than in Luxemburg 84 when he trult broke prime indoor Lendl into pieces
I think John himself agrees
Click to expand...

kiki, According to Bud Collins the 1966 US Pro final between Laver and Rosewall (Laver won in five) was the best L/R match he has seen. Since Laver and Rosewall are arguably the two all-time greatest, this could be the GOAT match. Other candidates are the 1963 French Pro final (Rosewall beat Laver in five), Wembley 1964 final (Laver d. Rosewall in five) and 1967 Wembley (Laver again beat Rosewall in five). It's a pity that we don't have any footage of those encounters (or do we have any?). Those matches had all: class, skill and thrill...
 
Last edited:
MichaelNadal said:
Only Nadal and Djokovic have the potential to create that much of a backstory/drama in a match right now. And when they're gone I can't imagine seeing a match with huge drama/backstory for a long time sadly.
Click to expand...

The only match that has the potential to trump the 08 Wimbledon is if Fed and Nadal met in a USO final.
 
I'll echo everyone elses:

Agassi/Blake: Personified the USO late night match!

Verdasco/Nadal (AO 09): the topspin lovers dream!

Nadal/Fed (Wimby 08): Can't top the drama.
 
MichaelNadal said:
Only Nadal and Djokovic have the potential to create that much of a backstory/drama in a match right now. And when they're gone I can't imagine seeing a match with huge drama/backstory for a long time sadly.
Click to expand...

I don't believe that. Folks loved both Fed and Nadal. They don't have the same level of feeling for Novak-Nadal. Novak is just not that popular with fans. I doubt he'll ever rise to the level that Roger or Nadal have. I'm not trying to be mean to Novak, I think that's just the "Q" factor that Novak does not have.
 
BobbyOne said:
kiki, According to Bud Collins the 1966 US Pro final between Laver and Rosewall (Laver won in five) was the best L/R match he has seen. Since Laver and Rosewall are arguably the two all-time greatest, this could be the GOAT match. Other candidates are the 1963 French Pro final (Rosewall beat Laver in five), Wembley 1964 final (Laver d. Rosewall in five) and 1967 Wembley (Laver again beat Rosewall in five). It's a pity that we don't have any footage of those encounters (or do we have any?). Those matches had all: class, skill and thrill...
Click to expand...

yes, and their 72 WCT clash is considered to be the best ever match...but nobody uploaded it...
 
Wimby 08 for me. Unbelievable match, even though Fed lost and it was gutting.

Those moments in the 4th set tie break where Nadal his the forehand pass down the line and then Fed replied with a backhand pass down the line in the next point; we'll never see that again. It was just friggin unreal.
 
Murray over Joker at Flushy last year was my best due to the result, Cash Lendl semi many years back was most exciting Ive watched
 
I remember the 2008 Wimbledon final. I was at a mall and saw that Nadal had taken the first set and a half, so I kept telling my family to get us all home. Spectacular match. On the opposite, I have never wanted to murder a specific person more than the couple of minutes after the 2009 final. I just sat there in front of the TV and thought "No. This isn't happening. Please tell me it was a horrible dream."

Even though I really liked that match, it just brought out the agony of being a Roddick fan.
 
kishnabe said:
2007 Wimbledon final!
Click to expand...

Apart from all the other matches mentioned here (it's hard to pick a favourite, I can't really do it), this is a great pick. This match is often overlooked, but I think Federer played better in this final than he did in 2008.
 
Surprised none mentioned Sampras vs Korda US OPEN 97, 1/8 finale, won by Korda.

I've never seen shot making like Korda's against Pete: nobody has ever left Pete from the back of the court staring at the ball passing by 30 feet away.

Korda was able to utilise Pete's pace against him and made some amazing shots.

Incredible spectacle, not yet equalled in my opinion, not even by any Fedal encounter.
 
Was just going to say Sampras-Corretja at USO 1996, just watched it this past weekend amazing
 
terribleIVAN said:
Surprised none mentioned Sampras vs Korda US OPEN 97, 1/8 finale, won by Korda.

I've never seen shot making like Korda's against Pete: nobody has ever left Pete from the back of the court staring at the ball passing by 30 feet away.

Korda was able to utilise Pete's pace against him and made some amazing shots.

Incredible spectacle, not yet equalled in my opinion, not even by any Fedal encounter.
Click to expand...

Good one. Overlooked since Korda was a stronger Slam contender. How about a match between Becker and a fellow surnamed "the cat". There, Becker looked totally baffled as well, and that happened in his prime too. Hilarious!
 
Of course Wimby 2008 will always be THE greatest, but
one of my favorites was:

1999 French: Agassi beats Medvedev coming back from 2 sets down. This Match recharged Agassi and he was back!
 
Apologies if these have already been mentioned, I haven't read the entire thread:

Henin-Capriati, 2003 US Open SF <----- seriously this match is amazing, although not mentioned that much
Safin-Federer, 2005 AO SF
Federer-Nadal, 2006 Rome F, 2007 W F, 2008 W F
Sampras-Agassi, 2001 USO QF
V Williams-Davenport, 2005 W F
 
Last edited:
Hingis v Graf in the French final would be my pick on the women's side. Two greats playing their best tennis at exactly the same time. Stunning match.
 
"Surprised none mentioned Sampras vs Korda US OPEN 97, 1/8 finale, won by Korda."

So-so for me though I was sitting in the rafters, which effects the feeling of the match. Didn't Sampras dump his forehand into the net on match point ?

"Was just going to say Sampras-Corretja at USO 1996, just watched it this past weekend amazing"

I've seen thousands of live matches and I always place that at or near the top. Had front row, baseline, for that one. And it was intense. So was the Pete-Andre QF 2001. Amazing atmosphere.
 
Last edited:
BTW has anyone seen the Safin vs. Philippoussis 2000 Paris finals? It's on youtube and the scoreline looks like it would be a classic
 
terribleIVAN said:
I've heard about it, but never saw it.
Mecir was a tricky player and great to watch.
Click to expand...

That's right. Mecir is the guy. I believe it happened at USO. Becker for all his power, explosiveness, could do nothing throughout the match. Mecir not only returned all his shots but directed them in a different angle/corner. Becker was being run ragged. I was simply shocked to see such thing happen. Unfortunately Mecir could never really duplicate such performance more consistently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

DreddyTennis45
  • Poll Poll
Most overrated match on here?
2
Replies
93
Views
7K
JoelSandwich
JoelSandwich
InsideOut900
Match of the year already played?
Replies
23
Views
1K
r2473
r2473
Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil
  • Poll Poll
Best Masters 1000 match since 2009?
2
Replies
57
Views
4K
ibbi
ibbi
akv89
Favorite major tournament of the decade (2000-2009)
Replies
11
Views
1K
jamesblakefan#1
jamesblakefan#1
F
10 Best matches of the decade
Replies
4
Views
905
<3tennis!!!
<3tennis!!!
Back
Top