If you could have your fave player win one match, which would it be?

powerangle

powerangle

Legend
Let's say you could change history, and change the outcome of one match in favor of your favorite player....which would it be?


For me:

1) Federer - this is a tough one, as Fed has suffered several stinging losses, especially to Nadal at the biggest stages. AO 2009 final is maybe an attractive choice as it wouldn't let Nadal run-the-table, and it would "stop the bleeding" so to speak.

Wimbledon 2008 final as well...not so much to stunt Nadal since I like Rafa, but it would be more historically significant for Fed. It would mean 7 straight Wimbledons for him.

YEC 2005 final is not far behind for me. Fed was very close to digging out of the tremendous hole (even double break down in the 5th) in this terrific match against Nalbandian...and it would also mean 5 consecutive YEC titles for him AND equal McEnroe's 82-3 match record.

But if I had to choose one, definitely Roland Garros 2006 final. Would have given Federer a Calendar Year Grand Slam (not to mention even expand on his already insane records/stats that year).

2) Nadal - I would say Wimbledon 2006 final. Imagine what an explosive start that would have been for Rafa, winning the channel slam at age 20 and improving so rapidly. Who knows what kind of flood gate that would have opened. Just mind-boggling.

3) Roddick - A sentimental favorite of mine and he really deserved, imo Wimbledon 2009 final. Hard worker and his best chance at another slam.

So:

Federer: 2006 FO final
Nadal: 2006 Wim final
Roddick: 2009 Wim final
 
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nfor304

nfor304

Banned
with roddick it would have been good if he won wimbldeon 05, and actually developed the rivalry between him and fed that everyone hoped for.

Lleyton hewitt is an easy call: aus open 05.

Pat rafter wimbledon 2000 or 2001.

Sampras: french open 2006. Reaching a final may have convinced him to dedicate more of his season to clay and be a threat at the french.
 
T1000

T1000

Legend
Hewitt - 2005 AO only choice. so close to wining his home slam and he just ran out of gas from a really tough draw

Blake - tough one, either the USO QF 2005 or Olympic semi 2008

Soderling - FO 2009 or 2010

Roddick - any of his Wimbledon finals

Mcenroe - FO 1984

Wawrinka - USO QF 2010

Dimitrov - 2008 rotterdam vs Nadal
 
Joe Pike

Joe Pike

Banned
Graf and the FO 89 final against Sanchez.

A win would have given her a second Grand Slam in a row.
And 9 straight slams.

We wouldn't have those ridiculous female GOAT discussions anymore.
 
Blinkism

Blinkism

Legend
Right now, my favorite player is Nadal and, so far, in his career - I'd say the 2007 Wimbledon final.

He played well enough to be a Wimbledon champion that year - but he was well outclassed, in the end, by an even greater Wimbledon champion.

It took him another year to adjust his game, build his confidence, and keep his cool to actually win Wimby BUT if I had to change 1 result, I'd wish the 5th set of that Wimby final went down more in Rafa's favor :)

Otherwise, there ain't much in Rafa's career that I'd consider disappointments.. the 2005 Miami final was another big match he could have won, but not as significant as Wimbledon, obviously.
 
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P_Agony

P_Agony

Banned
AO 2009 by far. I mean, Fed had that match on his racquet. He was playing well, he was fresh, he had the tougher draw despite Nadal's clash with Verdasco in the semis, and he even won more points. What went wrong there in the 5th set I could never know, but this match shouldn't have even gone to 5 sets, it should have ended in straights or four maximum. Not being able to convert one of this billion BPs in the 3rd set is what, to me, decided the match outcome.

Runner ups:

Wimbledon 2008, Rome 2006, French Open 2006/2007.
 
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A

ashitaka2010

Semi-Pro
Marcelo Ríos, AO final 1998 vs Petr'nandrolone'Korda: in a fair competition
Hicham Arazi, MC final 2001 vs Guga Kuerten
Rafa, the entire WTF 2009 was just painful to watch
 
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Hood_Man

Hood_Man

G.O.A.T.
Wimbledon 2008 - Not only would Federer have won a 6th consecutive Wimbledon, he also would have won one of the most dramatic tennis matches in the open era, and if history continued he would have gone on to win a 7th Wimbledon the following year, thereby beating a record that's stood since the 19th century.

Also... it would have made this year's final a bit more exciting. The second Federer lost to Berdych I knew the final would be a straight sets bore, even more so when Djokovic failed to win the 2nd set in the semi.

Of course it wouldn't have mattered because Nadal would be about to win his first Wimbledon, vanquishing his demons from that heartbreaking loss against Federer in the 2008 final, after being 2 sets to love up and having match points in the 4th set.

Don't be annoyed at me Nadal fans, I'm not taking anything away from Rafa, I simply hate inevitable results. I actually rooted for Del Potro in last years' USO Final, I wanted it to go to 5 sets. I just didn't want Federer to lose the fifth one...
 
aceX

aceX

Hall of Fame
Del Potro 2009 French Open, Beating Fed in the Semi then Sod in the final. Everyone would have been like "holy f**k federer was denied!"
 
F

Fearhanded

Banned
Federer- Wimbledon 2008.

Also FO 2007- It was agonizing to watch. Federer was outplaying Nadal in games and getting break points left and right and just couldnt do anything.
 
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S

single_handed_champion

Professional
1. Nadal : I am going to cheat here and pick a TOURNAMENT instead of a single match, AO 2010, so he could complete the calendar Slam. Runner-up: 2007 Wimby final. I honestly feel he was the better player for most of that match.

2. Federer : FO final '07 so he could complete the calendar Slam (Rafa had some foot issues and I would not begrudge Rafa the defense of his first Slam i.e. RG '06).

3. Justine Henin : Wimbledon final 2006, easy.

Some other sentimental picks : Dementieva RG final 2004, McEnroe 1984 RG final (even if Lendl deserved to win).
 
C

CCNM

Hall of Fame
Do these have to be games they actually played in? If so Svetlana Kuznetsova-2007 US Open final, Marcos Baghdadis-2006(?) Australian Open final.
 
P

President of Serve/Volley

Semi-Pro
Federer in 2005. Beat Safin at AO, he wins the AO.

Beat Nadal at FO.. and wins the FO.

He wins the Masters Cup and goes undefeated....

and Sampras in 1996.... Wins the tiebreak, wins the match, and beats Stich in the final to win the French Open.
 
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J

jukka1970

Professional
BrooklynNY said:
Sampras 96 to Krajicek. Safe to say if Pete won that, he would have been on his way to 8 straight Wimbledons
Click to expand...

really, I mean, I'm all for picking anyone, but I think your assumption that Sampras would have won is nothing short of arrogant. Though that's what I always thought of Sampras was arrogant. I mean I realize the ones that made it through weren't exactly the picks of the field, but they still got to their positions by playing well.

Jukka
 
R

recreationalplayer

Semi-Pro
Still a McEnroe fan

1984 French Open: McEnroe over Lendal


Roddick was a "what might have been" favorite over Fed at the Big W until he gave up at the US Open this year. Not taking anything away from his opponent, even if Roddick had lost and not given up I would still respect him for giving it his all, as in his last appearence at the Big W finals, but this time he just gave up.
 
powerangle

powerangle

Legend
CCNM said:
Do these have to be games they actually played in? If so Svetlana Kuznetsova-2007 US Open final, Marcos Baghdadis-2006(?) Australian Open final.
Click to expand...

Yeah, a match that they played in, that you could change the result for them from a loss to a win. :)
 
Hood_Man

Hood_Man

G.O.A.T.
CCNM said:
Do these have to be games they actually played in? If so Svetlana Kuznetsova-2007 US Open final, Marcos Baghdadis-2006(?) Australian Open final.
Click to expand...
If not I'd have to go for Henman at the 2004 French Open.

The grass-court playing Englishman, who'd never even reached the 4th round suddenly wins his first Major in Paris on clay, beating that season's most successful clay court player, and he does it by serving and volleying.

And nobody would have expected it, unlike his 4 "disappointing" semi final losses at Wimbledon.

Now that would have been something to see.
 
M

Manus Domini

Hall of Fame
single_handed_champion said:
1. Nadal : I am going to cheat here and pick a TOURNAMENT instead of a single match, AO 2010, so he could complete the calendar Slam. Runner-up: 2007 Wimby final. I honestly feel he was the better player for most of that match.

2. Federer : FO final '07 so he could complete the calendar Slam (Rafa had some foot issues and I would not begrudge Rafa the defense of his first Slam i.e. RG '06).

3. Justine Henin : Wimbledon final 2006, easy.

Some other sentimental picks : Dementieva RG final 2004, McEnroe 1984 RG final (even if Lendl deserved to win).
Click to expand...

I'll cheat here too and name two, Fed RG 2006 and 2007, two Calendar slams for Fed, two less majors for Rafa (his first major was in 2005 btw)

Ryan Harrison, his loss in R2 this year, wanted to see him go far
 
fedhingis515

fedhingis515

Semi-Pro
Federer: 2007 Roland Garros Final
Hingis: 1999 Roland Garros Final
Clijsters: 2004 Australian Open Final
Graf: 1989 Roland Garros Final
Sampras: 1996 Roland Garros Semifinal
Henin: 2007 Wimbledon Semifinal. I would have said 2006 but after her stunt against Mauresmo in Melbourne I was glad she lost.

I could go on and on.
 
kishnabe

kishnabe

Talk Tennis Guru
Federer Wimbledon 2008.....I don't like crying because of a match! Too emotional at that time! I couldn't get over it for 2 weeks!

Never will happen again...thank god for the roof!
 
Legend of Borg

Legend of Borg

G.O.A.T.
Borg: 1981 Wimbledon Final- Would have liked his retirement to end with one last hurrah on CC.

Goran: 1998 Wimbledon Final- Goran was so close to taking a two set lead in the breaker, but managed to lose it. Sampras continues on to the title.

Coria: 2004 RG Final- Heartbreaking stuff....

Federer: 2009 AO Final- 19 BPs and a 14th Slam on the line. Ends up breaking the record later in the year, but still a match he could have very well won.
 
snowwhite

snowwhite

Professional
Hood_Man said:
Wimbledon 2008 - Not only would Federer have won a 6th consecutive Wimbledon, he also would have won one of the most dramatic tennis matches in the open era, and if history continued he would have gone on to win a 7th Wimbledon the following year, thereby beating a record that's stood since the 19th century.

Also... it would have made this year's final a bit more exciting. The second Federer lost to Berdych I knew the final would be a straight sets bore, even more so when Djokovic failed to win the 2nd set in the semi.

Of course it wouldn't have mattered because Nadal would be about to win his first Wimbledon, vanquishing his demons from that heartbreaking loss against Federer in the 2008 final, after being 2 sets to love up and having match points in the 4th set.

Don't be annoyed at me Nadal fans, I'm not taking anything away from Rafa, I simply hate inevitable results. I actually rooted for Del Potro in last years' USO Final, I wanted it to go to 5 sets. I just didn't want Federer to lose the fifth one...
Click to expand...

hahaha funny post.
 
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