It was the greatest match of all time

[namui]

Djokovic did not really lost focus or really play sloppy in the second set. I think his wild swing in this set was intentional. Federer fired too many line-painting serves and groundstroke winners earlier in the set. Djokovic wildly blasted groundies in order to take away the momentum from Fed, as that would not let Fed dictate the game. The tactic worked towards the end of the second set when Fed lost some momentum but still managed to close the set. It let Djokovic regained the control in the third set, when Fed became flattened.

 

[zachattack1996]

verdasco vs rafa AO 2009. nuf said

 

[Deleted member 55539]

I personally LOVED this match... the intensity and the pace with which federer and djokovic in the first set was just too good to believe..

 

[ttbrowne]

I've been watching tennis since Laver & NBC and I still don't think the Fed/Nadal 2008 Wimbledon was all that. I thought it was okay the first time around but upon rerun...it was mediocre at best.

 

[namelessone]

I've been watching tennis since Laver & NBC and I still don't think the Fed/Nadal 2008 Wimbledon was all that. I thought it was okay the first time around but upon rerun...it was mediocre at best.

Mediocre?

The drama was amazing and the level of play quite damn good.

 

[BreakPoint]

Breakpoint,

I'm very curious to know, which is the greatest match of all time in your opinion. I request you to reply,thanks.

Hard to say as I've seen so many great matches in my life, and of course, there have been many more great matches that I've never seen.

But I think ONE of the greatest was the Isner-Mahut match in the 1st round of Wimbledon last year. The suspense was incredible. The fact that they were both able to stand up late in the 5th set was incredible. AND the fact that Mahut had to hold serve 65 consecutive times in the 5th set in order to stay in match was MIND BOGGLING! The pressure would have crumbled a lesser man. How many other players do you know that can hold serve that many times in a row with the match riding on each service game? Phenomenal!

The Connors-McEnroe-Borg semis and finals of Slam matches in the late-70's and early 80's were also pretty amazing.

 

[zagor]

Hard to say as I've seen so many great matches in my life, and of course, there have been many more great matches that I've never seen.

But I think ONE of the greatest was the Isner-Mahut match in the 1st round of Wimbledon last year. The suspense was incredible. The fact that they were both able to stand up late in the 5th set was incredible. AND the fact that Mahut had to hold serve 65 consecutive times in the 5th set in order to stay in match was MIND BOGGLING! The pressure would have crumbled a lesser man. How many other players do you know that can hold serve that many times in a row with the match riding on each service game? Phenomenal!

The Connors-McEnroe-Borg semis and finals of Slam matches in the late-70's and early 80's were also pretty amazing.

What about Fed-Safin 2005 AO SF? Or 2001 Sampras-Agassi QF?

 

[beernutz]

Both players did not play at a very high level throughout the match. Joker practically conceded the second set.

 

[BreakPoint]

It is because there was alot riding on this match that added to the drama of the match and rankings do matter, e.g
If a player ranked #100-200 beats a seeded player in the first round, even if it is a match of high quality, it would never be considered greatest match of all time, excuses like the seeded player had an off day, was injured, etc etc even if the underdog was playing the match of their life. Name one match where a player outside the top 100 murdered a seeded player in form and it was consdered one of the greatest matches? It will never happen.

How about #100 versus #200, like I said?

Also, I'd say Jaime Yzaga's upset of Sampras in the 4th round of the 1994 US Open was one of the best matches of all time.

 

[zagor]

Just remembered that crazy Roddick match against El Aynaoui in 2003(?) AO.

 

[aprilfool]

The first set was amazing for it's quality. The fourth for it's drama. Certainly among the greatest at Roland Garos.

 

[BreakPoint]

What about Fed-Safin 2005 AO SF? Or 2001 Sampras-Agassi QF?

I never considered 2001 Agassi-Sampras USO QF to be one of the greatest matches. It was good, not nearly great, though.

Yes, Fed-Safin 2005 QF was pretty darn good. As was their match at the 2004 Master's Cup.

Another incredible match was the 2005 Master's Cup final between Federer and Nalbandian when Nalbandian came back from two sets down and then was way up in the 5th set only to see Federer come all the way back but fall just short. The fact that Federer was playing with an injured ankle also added to the drama.

 

[Cuculain]

Hard to say as I've seen so many great matches in my life, and of course, there have been many more great matches that I've never seen.


The Connors-McEnroe-Borg semis and finals of Slam matches in the late-70's and early 80's were also pretty amazing.

Agree with above
For me the greatest match was the 1984 USOpen Semi between McEnroe and Connors two of the games greatest at the top of their game, polar opposites in style! with the the same fire and desire to win. Fantastic.
Followed by Connors v Lendl in the USOpen final of 82..
the match between Federer and Djokovic was a great one to be sure, but the greatest? I don't think so..it's all subjective anyway..

 

[Deleted member 3771]

LOL at smarter.

Nadal always plays the same way against everyone.

He doesnt have a plan B. Most of the time, he doesnt need a plan B - lucky for him.

Nadal was doing the same thing to djokovic, and he got pwned 4 times in 4 finals...and his confidence has suffered quite a lot. His ego is quite fragile after all. If the unthinkable were to happen tomorrow, he might go into depression.

Those 1 paced shots are useless vs Nadal in a slam because he's fresh in the slams, see the USO final and all the other slam matches they played. They only work vs Tired Nadal after he has played 3 of 4 days back to back like in the 3 set events.


Tomorrow if Fred loses his 4th slam final v Rafa out of their last 4 slam finals, he will most definitely go into depression.

 

[Deleted member 45559]

im a diehard roddick fan but ill be honest i was on the edge of my seat for this entire match cheering for roger every step of the way. both guys played great tennis

 

[Mick]

this morning, J. Mcenroe said it was the greatest match that he had ever seen at roland garros.

 

[bolo]

good match but not really comparable to the best out there. Djokovic played so bad in the 2nd set that he brought down fed's level. Recovered some in the last 2 sets though.

 

[zagor]

this morning, J. Mcenroe said it was the greatest match that he had ever seen at roland garros.

Gee what a surprise,wanna bet he'll proclaim Nadal the GOAT after he wins his 6th FO tomorrow?

 

[Mick]

Gee what a surprise,wanna bet he'll proclaim Nadal the GOAT after he wins his 6th FO tomorrow?

this morning mcenroe said nadal and borg were the greatest clay court players of all time and it would be an amazing win if federer could beat nadal tomorrow.

 

[zagor]

this morning mcenroe said nadal and borg were the greatest clay court players of all time and it would be amazing win if federer could beat nadal tomorrow.

I'm not talking about clay goatness,I have little doubt he'll be so enthusiastic that he'll proclaim Nadal the best player ever period(like he did for Fed at 2009 Wimbledon).

 

[Mick]

I'm not talking about clay goatness,I have little doubt he'll be so enthusiastic that he'll proclaim Nadal the best player ever period(like he did for Fed at 2009 Wimbledon).

nobody would believe that (nadal being the goat of all court surfaces), even the nadal camp.

 

[syc23]

Wimbledon 08 final is still the greatest match IMO. Not just the match but the occasion, drama and incredible shot making from both. This is the one people will remember for years to come.

 

[boojay]

I'd have to agree with the OP's assessment. The level of play was just tremendous from both players. I've never seen a standard of play that high before, particularly in that first set. You literally could not breathe or blink during the rallies. There are no two humans who can strike the ball cleaner and better than those two in that match.

 

[Netspirit]

^ Wimdledon 2008 was plain boring, tennis-wise. Drama is all it will be remembered for.

Quality wise, Wimbledon 2008 is nothing compared to Wimbledon 2007 final, Rome 2006 final, AO 2005 semi-final. Even the first 4 sets of AO 2009 final featured a higher-quality Fedal encounter.

 

[Docalex007]

This was certainly ONE of the greatest matches that I've seen. We've been blessed in recent years with Federer, Nadal and now Djokovic because they're so good and keep creating these opportunities where history can be made: Federer going for his record-setting sixth straight Wimby in '08, Nadal as #1 going for his first HC slam at AO '09 and now Djokovic going for the #1 ranking and win streak record.

But one common thread runs through all of these matches. Federer. He has been so good for so long. And so profound has his impact been to the sport and so exalted is his place in the pantheon of tennis heroes, that the greatest storyline we've all witnessed over the last 3-4 years has been his efforts to keep himself on the champion's pedestal. His efforts have been valiant, and his opponents have been relentless. This is the theme that most of us, and certainly all Fed fans, have delighted and agonized over, depending on the outcome of the match, in recent years. In that sense, yesterday's match is right up there with Wimby '08.

I think Wimby '08 was the greatest if you go by the usual criteria (things like importance of match since it was the final, Roger going for #6, Nadal right on Fed's heels in the rankings, a five setter that went into extra games, high quality tennis and of course the match ending in near darkness). But for a Fed fan, yesterday was actually a greater one in some ways, because it was vindication that this great champion is truly the greatest of them all. In spite of the critics, his age, and the dogged pursuit of his rivals, he laid down the gauntlet once again, and against the red hot, Serb who has in years past shown more bravado in challenging Roger than most. His finger wagging at the end said it all. When I saw that I felt this match was right up there with Wimby '08 because despite his recent beatings of Roger, when it counted most (yesterday) the Serb, just like in USO '07, was shown who was the master.

We're all so lucky, thanks to Nadal, thanks to Djokovic, but most of all, to Federer. Frankly, apart from maybe the Borg-McEnroe finals at Wimby, I really can't think of other players and matches where the drama comes anywhere as close as to what we've been witnessing with Federer.

Good post. Definitely sums up my thoughts and emotions, as a diehard Federer fan, from Roger's emphatic and thrilling win yesterday.

I know that in 10, 20... 30 years from now I'll look back on this period which is undoubtedly defined by Federer and Nadal and count myself lucky for having been a keen follower of the game and an admiring fan of Roger's.

 

[35ft6]

The shot making in this match was just insane. When Novak beat Nadal the last time they played, that was sick as well. The clay court tennis of today looks faster than the hardcourt tennis of the 80's. How consistently they can just pound every shot into a corner is unbelievable.

 

[ibbi]

Are people serious with this stuff? The greatest match of all time? Do you think this is the first time that two great players have both played at their highest level at the same time?

Why is it folks are so suckered by something they've just seen? Hell, Soderling and Berdych's semi final here last year was absolutely fantastic too. Just because it wasn't two of the world's top 3, and didn't feature the electric night time atmosphere, doesn't mean we can just sweep it under the rug.

If that's too long ago how about last years US Open final? That was brilliant too. Both men played at a ridiculously high standard, and the scoreline didn't really do it justice.

 

[mellowyellow]

Thread is a fail unless attempt was at a failed thread, then it is very good. Djoko was not playing great and his demeanor for the second set all but gave the set to Fed. It is funny too because if he made Fed earn the second, my feeling was Fed was running out of legs in the 4th. I think a 5th set would have went to Djoko on that notion. Of course that would have been played today, but I think the kid would recover faster and would have played better.

 

[World Beater]

The first set was amazing for it's quality. The fourth for it's drama. Certainly among the greatest at Roland Garos.

this.

the tennis in the 4th especially towards the end of the match was insane.

both guys were incredibly clutch. djoko just made on mistake in the TB, and that was enough.

very little separated them....

 

[eidolonshinobi]

this was a damn good match! Even Johnny Mac said it was the best FO match.