clayqueen
Talk Tennis Guru
Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time
The Top Ten
1. Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer (2008 Wimbledon Final)
I cannot believe that it has been 10 years since this unforgettable match took place. The memories of this match still feel so recent and raw. Roger Federer at this point had won 5 Wimbledons on the trot. Rafael Nadal, two Wimbledon finals in a row but no reward. Federer was simply too good on grass.
8-year-old me was expecting another one-sided affair. Everyone around me was rooting for the overwhelming favourite, Federer. I for some reason decided to root for the underdog, Nadal. Perhaps to see a new winner of the highly prestigious Wimbledon crown.
Halfway into the match, I thought that Nadal finally broke his duck. Federer, to everyone's surprise, found himself two sets to love down. Nadal was playing the best grass court tennis of his life.
But once again, Federer found some of that grass court magic he carries with himself and mounted a charge. Two thrilling tiebreakers, two sets to Federer, game on.
The sky started to darken as the final set began.
Best match EVER! I have Been watching tennis for over 50 years and this was the ABSOLUTE BEST EVER!new
2. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal (2012 Australian Open Final)
Federer Vs Nadal 2008 Wimbledon finals was simply superhuman, but this Australian Open 2012 match was no doubt the greatest ever. No other match in tennis history beats the class, fitness and the intensity of this.
This is truly a clash of the titans and for that matter one of the greatest events in the world of Sports.+2
The best one ever watched in 30 years as a tennis fan. They gave all from the first ball to last ball. The power, the speed, SHOTS.
3. Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic (2013 Roland Garros Semifinal)
What a match! Thriller
Nadal is the best
4. Roger Federer vs Andy Roddick (2009 Wimbledon Final)
Andy would have won this if he had served first. When a player has to play catch up regarding serve in a final set, he or she tends to be at a disadvantage. My heart went out to Andy but he was magnanimous in defeat.
The only time Roddick was broken was when he was serving to stay in the match at 14-15. Even Federer Fans know their hearts were down for Andy Roddick as a Wimbledon champion.
As a Roddick fan, both my favorite and least-favorite match. He deserved to win it as much as Roger did. His effort was superhuman against his lifelong bogeyman.+2
So tight and entertaining match, it's a shame that it isn't in the top 3.
5. Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic (2014 Wimbledon Final)
Some of the cleanest ball striking I've ever seen. Roger can't break Novak for 3 sets, then, down 5-2 in the fourth, gets consecutive breaks to save the match. True grit. Roger playing so well at 33 against a 27 year old opponent of Novak's caliber simply cements his legacy as the best ever.
The fact that Roger was still able to put up that kind of fight at that age just goes to show his true greatness. Credit to Novak because he raised his game to match and even surpass Nadal and Federer at this point in their careers.
6. Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal (Australian Open 2017 Final)
For most tennis fans, this was the dream final. The two biggest rivals in the history of the sport playing in yet another Grand Slam final after everyone had written them off. The match itself was far better than anyone had expected. It was a scintillating display of exciting baseline rallies, pin-point net play and masterful serving. It was also brimming with drama, especially in the fifth set, where there were plenty of break-point opportunities, close games and momentum shifts.
You couldn't pick a winner until that final Hawk-Eye challenge that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Perhaps not the most elegant way to end it, but certainly a fitting conclusion to what was one of the most suspenseful matches in Grand Slam history. Most people will tell you that their final at Wimby '08 was the greatest match of all time. However, the hype, the story, the drama and the overall quality makes this match my pick.
Down a break in the 5th Federer played some of his best tennis to win against long term rival in one of the most important grand slam finals in history to determine the greatest of all time!
7. Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe (1980 Wimbledon Final)
There are two era's of tennis, the old era which is dominated by wooden rackets and older equipment (essentially pre-graphite), ending at around the early 1990's and the new era where predominantly the technology outgrew the old style of playing and used the lighter carbon-fibre rackets, allowing for more "flamboyant" "squash style" strokes and producing faster ball speeds, which in turn required a different sort of player than the old era.
The difference between the two eras developed a wholly different game - for example, what we in the old era called "hacking" (playing predominantly from the back of the court) where with old wooden rackets you would be more likely beaten by a good net player, especially on grass, in the new era this style became the norm on all surfaces. You only have to Google the state of grass courts in the second week of a slam from the old era vs the new to see how much the game has changed in this respect.
I still remember this like it was yesterday, it was a beautiful summer day outside but I was glued to my T.V. set. I agree that this should be number 1, probably most of the younger voters have never seen it.new
This remains without a doubt the greatest match ever. Federer-Nadal 2008 may be second, but there is no way it surpasses Borg-McEnroe.
8. John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut (2010 Wimbledon 1st Round)
I felt like I was watching a fight amongst gladiators in this match, that to give up would be to hand over your life. The gutsiest of performances in any sport that I have ever witnessed.
9. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal (2013 US Open Final)
The way rafa come up in 3 rd set 4-4 (0-40) was truly amazing.
Rafa is the best
It was a beautiful match, not too long, but with intensity and very technical rallies.. Certainly, the way Rafa come up in 3 rd set 4-4 (0-40) was truly amazing
10. Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer (2019 Wimbledon Final)
This is one of the greatest matches of all time just lasting shy of 5 hours, a collision of the top 2 seeds, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in a rematch of the 2014 Wimbledon Final, it started with the first set with neither player being able to break each other and it going a tiebreak which went to Djokovic 7-6, (7-5) with each player trading mini breaks, however it seemed Djokovic lost all of his momentum going into the second set as he lost 1-6, the third set started and in similar form to the first set, neither player was able to break each other and yet again the set went to a tiebreak and Djokovic won the third set 7-6 (7-4), in almost the same fashion as in the second set, Djokovic lost his momentum and Federer dominated Djokovic and was serving for the set 5-2, at this point Djokovic hadn't had a break point, but he gained a break point but Federer leveled the game to deuce and he eventually broke Federer and held onto his serve to bring the set to 5-4, Federer eventually.
Closest and longest championship match I've ever seen. Although Djokovic won the tie-breaker...thought Federer's play over entire match was better. Could have gone either way...consider this more like a draw.
One of the most intense finals the tennis world has ever seen. Two titans of the game putting fans through an emotional roller coaster with nearly 5 hours of the finest tennis one can watch, culminating in one of the greatest plot twists in Wimbledon history and its first ever 5th set tiebreak.
www.thetoptens.com
The Top Ten
1. Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer (2008 Wimbledon Final)
I cannot believe that it has been 10 years since this unforgettable match took place. The memories of this match still feel so recent and raw. Roger Federer at this point had won 5 Wimbledons on the trot. Rafael Nadal, two Wimbledon finals in a row but no reward. Federer was simply too good on grass.
8-year-old me was expecting another one-sided affair. Everyone around me was rooting for the overwhelming favourite, Federer. I for some reason decided to root for the underdog, Nadal. Perhaps to see a new winner of the highly prestigious Wimbledon crown.
Halfway into the match, I thought that Nadal finally broke his duck. Federer, to everyone's surprise, found himself two sets to love down. Nadal was playing the best grass court tennis of his life.
But once again, Federer found some of that grass court magic he carries with himself and mounted a charge. Two thrilling tiebreakers, two sets to Federer, game on.
The sky started to darken as the final set began.
Best match EVER! I have Been watching tennis for over 50 years and this was the ABSOLUTE BEST EVER!new
2. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal (2012 Australian Open Final)
Federer Vs Nadal 2008 Wimbledon finals was simply superhuman, but this Australian Open 2012 match was no doubt the greatest ever. No other match in tennis history beats the class, fitness and the intensity of this.
This is truly a clash of the titans and for that matter one of the greatest events in the world of Sports.+2
The best one ever watched in 30 years as a tennis fan. They gave all from the first ball to last ball. The power, the speed, SHOTS.
3. Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic (2013 Roland Garros Semifinal)
What a match! Thriller
Nadal is the best
4. Roger Federer vs Andy Roddick (2009 Wimbledon Final)
Andy would have won this if he had served first. When a player has to play catch up regarding serve in a final set, he or she tends to be at a disadvantage. My heart went out to Andy but he was magnanimous in defeat.
The only time Roddick was broken was when he was serving to stay in the match at 14-15. Even Federer Fans know their hearts were down for Andy Roddick as a Wimbledon champion.
As a Roddick fan, both my favorite and least-favorite match. He deserved to win it as much as Roger did. His effort was superhuman against his lifelong bogeyman.+2
So tight and entertaining match, it's a shame that it isn't in the top 3.
5. Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic (2014 Wimbledon Final)
Some of the cleanest ball striking I've ever seen. Roger can't break Novak for 3 sets, then, down 5-2 in the fourth, gets consecutive breaks to save the match. True grit. Roger playing so well at 33 against a 27 year old opponent of Novak's caliber simply cements his legacy as the best ever.
The fact that Roger was still able to put up that kind of fight at that age just goes to show his true greatness. Credit to Novak because he raised his game to match and even surpass Nadal and Federer at this point in their careers.
6. Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal (Australian Open 2017 Final)
For most tennis fans, this was the dream final. The two biggest rivals in the history of the sport playing in yet another Grand Slam final after everyone had written them off. The match itself was far better than anyone had expected. It was a scintillating display of exciting baseline rallies, pin-point net play and masterful serving. It was also brimming with drama, especially in the fifth set, where there were plenty of break-point opportunities, close games and momentum shifts.
You couldn't pick a winner until that final Hawk-Eye challenge that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Perhaps not the most elegant way to end it, but certainly a fitting conclusion to what was one of the most suspenseful matches in Grand Slam history. Most people will tell you that their final at Wimby '08 was the greatest match of all time. However, the hype, the story, the drama and the overall quality makes this match my pick.
Down a break in the 5th Federer played some of his best tennis to win against long term rival in one of the most important grand slam finals in history to determine the greatest of all time!
7. Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe (1980 Wimbledon Final)
There are two era's of tennis, the old era which is dominated by wooden rackets and older equipment (essentially pre-graphite), ending at around the early 1990's and the new era where predominantly the technology outgrew the old style of playing and used the lighter carbon-fibre rackets, allowing for more "flamboyant" "squash style" strokes and producing faster ball speeds, which in turn required a different sort of player than the old era.
The difference between the two eras developed a wholly different game - for example, what we in the old era called "hacking" (playing predominantly from the back of the court) where with old wooden rackets you would be more likely beaten by a good net player, especially on grass, in the new era this style became the norm on all surfaces. You only have to Google the state of grass courts in the second week of a slam from the old era vs the new to see how much the game has changed in this respect.
I still remember this like it was yesterday, it was a beautiful summer day outside but I was glued to my T.V. set. I agree that this should be number 1, probably most of the younger voters have never seen it.new
This remains without a doubt the greatest match ever. Federer-Nadal 2008 may be second, but there is no way it surpasses Borg-McEnroe.
8. John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut (2010 Wimbledon 1st Round)
I felt like I was watching a fight amongst gladiators in this match, that to give up would be to hand over your life. The gutsiest of performances in any sport that I have ever witnessed.
9. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal (2013 US Open Final)
The way rafa come up in 3 rd set 4-4 (0-40) was truly amazing.
Rafa is the best
It was a beautiful match, not too long, but with intensity and very technical rallies.. Certainly, the way Rafa come up in 3 rd set 4-4 (0-40) was truly amazing
10. Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer (2019 Wimbledon Final)
This is one of the greatest matches of all time just lasting shy of 5 hours, a collision of the top 2 seeds, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in a rematch of the 2014 Wimbledon Final, it started with the first set with neither player being able to break each other and it going a tiebreak which went to Djokovic 7-6, (7-5) with each player trading mini breaks, however it seemed Djokovic lost all of his momentum going into the second set as he lost 1-6, the third set started and in similar form to the first set, neither player was able to break each other and yet again the set went to a tiebreak and Djokovic won the third set 7-6 (7-4), in almost the same fashion as in the second set, Djokovic lost his momentum and Federer dominated Djokovic and was serving for the set 5-2, at this point Djokovic hadn't had a break point, but he gained a break point but Federer leveled the game to deuce and he eventually broke Federer and held onto his serve to bring the set to 5-4, Federer eventually.
Closest and longest championship match I've ever seen. Although Djokovic won the tie-breaker...thought Federer's play over entire match was better. Could have gone either way...consider this more like a draw.
One of the most intense finals the tennis world has ever seen. Two titans of the game putting fans through an emotional roller coaster with nearly 5 hours of the finest tennis one can watch, culminating in one of the greatest plot twists in Wimbledon history and its first ever 5th set tiebreak.
