Fun Thread, I Hope...If You Can Be Any Player for One Match...

[RaulRamirez]

(from the hypothetical to the fantastic)

If you could be any player in history for one match -- and experience his/her game and emotions firsthand, who would it be.
Which specific match/venue?

It could be current or past, a dominating performance or a very close match, your favorite player, or not...and I guess, win or lose.
But please make it an actual match...not 1985 Nadal versus 1957 Tilden.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

del Potro USO 2009! Final.

 

[gadge]

Novak at the 18 Wimbledon

 

[BlueB]

Novak at the 18 Wimbledon

With Anderson?

 

[BlueB]

I'd be Wawa at RG 15 finals!
A boss performance, plus defeat my own favorite player.

Alternatively, Nole at RG 16 finals, to feel that unique sense of a mega achievement, sun finally coming out under the clouds as I lift the trophy, etc...

 

[El_Yotamo]

Nadal Wimbledon '08 takes it for me

 

[StringGuruMRT]

Becker 91 Aus Open Final

Beating Lendl (again) and achieving number 1 ranking after flirting with it for well over a year!

 

[RaulRamirez]

With Anderson?

His call, but if one match, I'm assuming the semis v Rafa. (Although, I shouldn't assume, as he still had to win the final to capture the trophy.)

 

[ibbi]

Some that come to mind...

Federer v. Nadal, Australian Open 2017
Murray v. Djokovic, Wimbledon 2013
Nadal v. Federer, Wimbledon 2008
Sampras v. Agassi, US Open 2002
Ivanisevic v. Rafter, Wimbledon 2001
Sampras v. Rafter, Wimbledon 2000
Agassi v. Medvedev, Roland Garros 1999
Lendl v. McEnroe, Roland Garros 1984
McEnroe v. Borg Wimbledon 1981
Laver v. Roche, US Open 1969
Lacoste v. Tilden, Davis Cup 1927
Cochet v. Johnston, Davis Cup 1927
Cochet v. Tilden, US Open 1926

 

[RaulRamirez]

Some that come to mind...

Federer v. Nadal, Australian Open 2017
Murray v. Djokovic, Wimbledon 2013
Nadal v. Federer, Wimbledon 2008
Sampras v. Agassi, US Open 2002
Ivanisevic v. Rafter, Wimbledon 2001
Sampras v. Rafter, Wimbledon 2000
Agassi v. Medvedev, Roland Garros 1999
Lendl v. McEnroe, Roland Garros 1984
McEnroe v. Borg Wimbledon 1981
Laver v. Roche, US Open 1969
Lacoste v. Tilden, Davis Cup 1927
Cochet v. Johnston, Davis Cup 1927
Cochet v. Tilden, US Open 1926

Good list...and "wow" to Henri Cochet with two nominated matches!

 

[BlueB]

Some that come to mind...

Federer v. Nadal, Australian Open 2017
Murray v. Djokovic, Wimbledon 2013
Nadal v. Federer, Wimbledon 2008
Sampras v. Agassi, US Open 2002
Ivanisevic v. Rafter, Wimbledon 2001
Sampras v. Rafter, Wimbledon 2000
Agassi v. Medvedev, Roland Garros 1999
Lendl v. McEnroe, Roland Garros 1984
McEnroe v. Borg Wimbledon 1981
Laver v. Roche, US Open 1969
Lacoste v. Tilden, Davis Cup 1927
Cochet v. Johnston, Davis Cup 1927
Cochet v. Tilden, US Open 1926

That's a good list, but damn, that Ivanisevic moment!

 

[The Fedfather]

Federer AO 2007 semi final to experience being in the zone. And the interview with Jim Courier about how incredible I am.

A very close second is Federer 2017 AO final, this one is mainly for the emotions. Very interesting to me what was going through Federer's mind during that match.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

Name: Stanislas "Stan" Wawrinka
Tournament: Roland Garros
Year: 2015
Stage: Final

 

[R. Schweikart]

(from the hypothetical to the fantastic)

If you could be any player in history for one match -- and experience his/her game and emotions firsthand, who would it be.
Which specific match/venue?

It could be current or past, a dominating performance or a very close match, your favorite player, or not...and I guess, win or lose.
But please make it an actual match...not 1985 Nadal versus 1957 Tilden.

Graf 99 FO final.

 

[Swingmaster]

Federer vs Sampras 2001 Wimbledon. Big upset against your idol in his domain.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Lendl beating Mac at the 1984 FO

Fed beating Rafa at 2017 AO.

Good thread topic!

 

[RaulRamirez]

Lendl beating Mac at the 1984 FO

Fed beating Rafa at 2017 AO.

Good thread topic!

Thanks.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Fed obviously.

Which match? Maybe 2017 AO final.

Or perhaps v Roddick 2007 AO. Fed at his free flowing best.

 

[Nicklo22]

Medvedev 2021 us open final , even though it’s not epic . But to win against 50000 crowd cheering against you makes it quite good .

 

[travlerajm]

Rafter 1997 US Open semi demolition of Chang.

 

[R. Schweikart]

Medvedev 2021 us open final , even though it’s not epic . But to win against 50000 crowd cheering against you makes it quite good .

I think only 24,000 of them were cheering against Med. Meaning less than 50 %.

 

[Milehigh5280]

Djokovic 2011 USO semifinal or 2019 Wimbledon final. I'm fascinated by what's going on in his mind when he's down two match points and the practically the whole crowd wants to see him lose

 

[Mr.Lob]

I'll be Roberta Vinci destroying Serena's dream of a cygs in the 2015 U.S Open semi's. Oh, Serena's tears were delicious... so salty I had to drink with a beer.

And yeah, it was great seeing the huge underdog, Vinci, score the big upset, while enjoying herself so much... despite Serena's grunting, glaring and other intimidation attempts.

 

[The Blond Blur]

Nadal Wimbledon '08 takes it for me

As a Federer and Nadal fan I agree

 

[RaulRamirez]

I don't have a definitive answer of my own, but three from pre-Big 3 Era:

1975 - Arthur Ashe Wimbledon final (over Jimmy Connors)
1980 - Borg Wim final (over Mac)
1983 - Noah - French Open final (over Wilander) -- so much athleticism and pure joy that day, becoming first Frenchman of OE to win RG.
... Equal Time to Big 3:
2008 Rafa - Wim final (over Fed) ...there seems to be sentiment against it, but I truly think that this still was the most momentous match for quality of play, cache and overall impact
2011 Fed - RG Semi win (over Djokovic) -- Of course, Fed has played better matches, but this was arguably his best match at RG, and it must have felt really good at the time for him. I see the sentiment for 2017 AO Final...many to choose from
2018 Djokovic - Wimb Semi (over Rafa) -- He's been more dominant, but such a high-level match to return to the winner's circle after his slump.
...

 

[mixtape]

QF 91 US Open: Connors vs. Haarhuis.

I would love to feel that adrenaline rush and hearing the crowd roar after an epic point.

 

[Bambooman]

Djokovic at the US Open this year. Just to feel the love for the first time.

 

[spottishwood]

Stan Wawrinka at RG'15.

 

[Bubcay]

This must have been an epic feeling - winning the tournament you always wanted the most for the first time....

 

[JackSockIsTheBest]

Thiem - Indian Wells 2019
Final against Mr. Federerererer

 

[NAS]

May be Sampras in yec 96 or 99 Wimbledon final
Other one hewitt in 2001 us Open final

 

[Kralingen]

Andre Agassi AO 1995 final.

 

[toby55555]

Murray 2012 USO F ending 77yrs without a British male GS winner.

 

[MeatTornado]

Gotta go with a first time winner, because I'm sure nothing feels better than that. And I have to imagine no one in tennis history has had a better day than Goran did at the Wimbledon final in 2001. It's the ultimate satisfying tennis moment.

 

[NAS]

Gotta go with a first time winner, because I'm sure nothing feels better than that. And I have to imagine no one in tennis history has had a better day than Goran did at the Wimbledon final in 2001. It's the ultimate satisfying tennis moment.

That is one of the best moment, crowd was electrifying that day

 

[Subway Tennis]

Great thread!

Given the chance it would be pretty cool to play as any of these players:

Sampras 2002 US Open Final
So rare for an All Time Great to go out completely on their own terms. I would love to know how that felt for Sampras.

Murray 2010 Tokyo Final
Murray's highest ever level imo. Must have been amazing to have that many shot options with the ball and just be in the zone executing at will.

Nadal 2005 Roland Garros Semi Final

Serena Williams 2005 Australian Open Semi Final

 

[ForehandCross]

Stan Wawrinka at RG 2015. Or Novak in any big 2011 match.

I just want to know what it is like to feel absolutely unbeatable and the feeling that your victory is inevitable.