Most epic match of every year this century

[InsuranceMan]

@Underdog
2022 should be Alcaraz Sinner tbh
AO ‘22 was great and all with the improbability and the comeback, sure, but the USO match had just as much atmosphere imo and was better quality, also will age with time like it already has

 

[ibbi]

Millman Federer
Tsitsips Kokkinakis
Murray Kokkinakis

Is this some new level of trolling?

Is this?

 

[Milanez82]

Millman Federer
Tsitsipas Kokkinakis
Murray Kokkinakis

Is this some new level of trolling?

There might be some semblance of logic behind it

 

[Enceladus]

2001: Ivanisevic d. Rafter, Wimbledon F
2002: Hewitt d. Ferrero, YEC F
2003: Roddick d. El Aynaoui, Australian Open QF
2004: Safin d. Agassi, Australian Open SF
2005: Safin d. Federer, Australian Open SF
2006: Nadal d. Federer, Rome Masters F
2007: Federer d. Nadal, Wimbledon F
2008: Nadal d. Federer, Wimbledon F
2009: Nadal d. Federer, Australian Open F
2010: Djokovic d. Federer, US Open SF
2011: Djokovic d. Federer, US Open SF
2012: Djokovic d. Nadal, Australian Open F
2013: Djokovic d. Wawrinka, Australian Open 4th round & Nadal d. Djokovic, French Open SF
2014: Wawrinka d. Djokovic, Australian Open QF
2015: Djokovic d. Murray, French Open SF
2016: Murray d. Tsonga, Wimbledon QF
2017: Federer d. Nadal, Australian Open F
2018: Djokovic d. Nadal, Wimbledon SF
2019: Djokovic d. Federer, Wimbledon F
2020: Djokovic d. Thiem, Australian Open F
2021: Djokovic d. Nadal, French Open SF
2022: Alcaraz d. Sinner, US Open QF
2023: Alcaraz d. Djokovic, Wimbledon F

Note: For 2013, I can't decide if Nole vs. Stan on AO or Rafa vs. Nole on RG was better, both were epic clashes that culminated in a long fifth set, so I mentioned both matches.

 

[GoatNo1]

2011 Djo vs Fed USO
2014 shared with Djo vs Fed Wimbledon
2016 not particularly great match, Djo on decline already. Not sure what else to nominate.

agree with everything. nole was lucky to make it to the finals in 2016 with his physique and form. had 2 RET and a WO on the way there.

 

[Oval_Solid]

Alcaraz d. Djokovic, Wimbledon F

 

[BlueB]

Alcaraz d. Djokovic, Wimbledon F

It's on the OP list, already...

 

[Federev]

For those with a more refined and avant guard sensibility…

2009 Novak Haas WB QTR
2013 Federer Seppi AO 3rd RD
2014 Tomic Rafa AO 1st RD
2015? Kyrgios Rosol Turkey Open F
2023 Novak Sinner QTR. WB

 

[Razer]

Nice thread OP

It should be listing top 5 matches Per Year from 2000 till 2023
That would be a cool list, there are multiple matches in some years which are hard to separate ..... In 2005 you have Nadal vs Coria and you have Safin vs Federer.... Both of them deserve mentions.... so we need a wider net.... at least top 3 or top 5 matches per year

2000: Kuerten v. Safin, Hamburg
2001: Ivanisevic v. Rafter, Wimbledon
2002: Haas v. Federer, Australian Open
2003: Roddick v. El Aynaoui, Australian Open
2004: Safin v. Agassi, Australian Open
2005: Nadal v. Coria, Rome
2006: Nadal v. Federer, Rome
2007: It's one of those two Wimby QF's. I refuse to pick between them.
2008: Nadal v. Federer, Wimbledon
2009: Nadal v. Verdasco, Australian Open
2010: Del Potro v. Blake, Australian Open
2011: Djokovic v. Federer, US Open
2012: Djokovic v. Nadal, Australian Open
2013: Wawrinka v. Gasquet, Roland Garros
2014: NISHIKORI V. WAWRINKA, US OPEN
2015: Maybe... Fognini v. Nadal, US Open? Tennis was very un-epic for a few years here.
2016: Del Potro v. Cilic, Davis Cup
2017: Federer v. Nadal, Australian Open
2018: Djokovic v. Nadal, Wimbledon
2019: Djokovic v. Federer, Wimbledon
2020: Federer v. Millman, Australian Open
2021: Tsitsipas v. Kokkinakis, Australian Open
2022: Nadal v. Medvedev, Australian Open
2023: Murray v. Kokkinakis, Australian Open

Wimbledon and Roland Garros are kind of disadvantaged by the fact that they don't really have (many anyway) night matches, and even when they do the Roland Garros ones are certainly basically garbage given the conditions. Nothing is as epic as a night match. I just did this off the top of my head, so I probably forgot a bunch.

2001: Ivanisevic d. Rafter, Wimbledon F
2002: Hewitt d. Ferrero, YEC F
2003: Roddick d. El Aynaoui, Australian Open QF
2004: Safin d. Agassi, Australian Open SF
2005: Safin d. Federer, Australian Open SF
2006: Nadal d. Federer, Rome Masters F
2007: Federer d. Nadal, Wimbledon F
2008: Nadal d. Federer, Wimbledon F
2009: Nadal d. Federer, Australian Open F
2010: Djokovic d. Federer, US Open SF
2011: Djokovic d. Federer, US Open SF
2012: Djokovic d. Nadal, Australian Open F
2013: Djokovic d. Wawrinka, Australian Open 4th round & Nadal d. Djokovic, French Open SF
2014: Wawrinka d. Djokovic, Australian Open QF
2015: Djokovic d. Murray, French Open SF
2016: Murray d. Tsonga, Wimbledon QF
2017: Federer d. Nadal, Australian Open F
2018: Djokovic d. Nadal, Wimbledon SF
2019: Djokovic d. Federer, Wimbledon F
2020: Djokovic d. Thiem, Australian Open F
2021: Djokovic d. Nadal, French Open SF
2022: Alcaraz d. Sinner, US Open QF
2023: Alcaraz d. Djokovic, Wimbledon F

Note: For 2013, I can't decide if Nole vs. Stan on AO or Rafa vs. Nole on RG was better, both were epic clashes that culminated in a long fifth set, so I mentioned both matches.

Nice Lists

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

1 - Drama wise Wimbledon final 2019.
2 - Quality wise Wimbledon final 2008.
3 - Battle of will Australian open final 2012.
4 - RG semi final 2013, the same as above but different winner.

Honorable mentions US Open semis Federer-Djokovic 2010-2011, AO 2017 final Federer-Nadal, Wimbedon final 2023 Alcaraz- Djokovic .

 

[Hypo Crisis]

Hello, everyone.
I hope all is well.
So, what are your thoughts on the best/most epic match of the year for every year this century?
I can only properly talk about ‘06 onwards, so;
2006. Nadal v Federer - Rome finals
2007. Federer v Nadal - WB finals
2008. Nadal v Federer - WB finals
2009. Nadal v Federer - AO finals
2010. Nadal v Murray - WTF semis
2011. Federer v Djokovic - RG semis
2012. Djokovic v Nadal - AO finals
2013. Nadal v Djokovic - RG semis
2014. Wawrinka v Djokovic - AO quarters
2015. Wawrinka v Djokovic - RG finals
2016. Wawrinka v Djokovic - USO finals
2017. Federer v Nadal - AO finals
2018. Djokovic v Nadal - WB semis
2019. Djokovic v Federer - WB finals
2020. Djokovic v Thiem - AO finals
2021. Djokovic v Nadal - RG semis
2022. Nadal v Medvedev - AO finals
2023. Alcaraz v Djokovic - WB finals

Wawrinka - Djokovic UO finals was epic ???
Djokovic with injured elbow had insane luck to come to the final at all, and in that final he couldn't do jack sht obviously.
So I bet your prerequisites for an epic match first and foremost should be - Djokovic defeat.
You must have felt epic after his defeats right ?

 

[Underdog]

Wawrinka - Djokovic UO finals was epic ???
Djokovic with injured elbow had insane luck to come to the final at all, and in that final he couldn't do jack sht obviously.
So I bet your prerequisites for an epic match first and foremost should be - Djokovic defeat.
You must have felt epic after his defeats right ?

Honestly, if anything, choosing that match was both:
1. I really like Wawrinka’s game and it’s great tennjs to watch when he redlines.
2. A compliment to Djokovic that even though he wasn’t at his best, he produced a good performance.
There’s nothing to do with Djokovic losing. Quit the obsession.

 

[TsitsiBH]

I have to question your tennis knowledge if you think Wawrinka vs Djokovic at US Open 2016 was better than Del Potro vs Murray in the Davis Cup.

 

[jxs653]

2000. Rafter vs Agassi - Wim
2001. Sampras vs Agassi - USO
2002. Hewitt vs Agassi - San Jose/Hewitt vs Ferrero - YEC
2003. Roddick vs El Aynaoui
2004. Safin vs Agassi - AO
2005. Safin vs Federer - AO

I am glad you included 2001 Sampras vs Agassi USO. The most tension-packed match I've ever watched.

 

[NatF]

I am glad you included 2001 Sampras vs Agassi USO. The most tension-packed match I've ever watched.

Great match, first five rounds of that edition of the USO was so good - shame it pettered out in the SF/F.

 

[RS]

Fed Agassi YEC 03 RR should be 03 but it's not a 5 set match so I guess that may be what stops it.

 

[MichaelNadal]

“What is your favorite Rafa match each year??”

 

[NatF]

Fed Agassi YEC 03 RR should be 03 but it's not a 5 set match so I guess that may be what stops it.

There's a few candidates in 2003 tbh, the AO QF is unironically the beat pick clearly though.

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Quite like it!
I have to give a shared, if not more epic 2001 to Ivanisevic vs Rafter.

Fed Sampras also a great match. Spoilt for choice.

 

[RS]

There's a few candidates in 2003 tbh, the AO QF is unironically the beat pick clearly though.

Other matches in 2003 was actually a 5 setter and way more dramatic but the 2003 RR had the best skillset shown for me but I don't think that's all the question is here.

 

[NatF]

Other matches in 2003 was actually a 5 setter and way more dramatic but the 2003 RR had the best skillset shown for me but I don't think that's all the question is here.

Fair enough, you may be right.

 

[DSH]

The second place for best match of 2018 has to be Nadal vs Del Potro, quarterfinals of Wimbledon 2018.
Underrated match!

 

[Underdog]

The second place for best match of 2018 has to be Nadal vs Del Potro, quarterfinals of Wimbledon 2018.
Underrated match!

Nadal played some epics in 2018. QF and SF at WB, QF at USO and that fifth set at AO versus Cilic could’ve been amazing if he didn’t get injured.

 

[vokazu]

2012

2013

2014

2015

 

[vokazu]

2023 Cincinnati Final. I just watched the replay. It's so epic the way Djokovic and Alcaraz refused to give up. Looked like they both had nothing left in the tank in the end.

Alcaraz hit 42 winners and Djokovic only 19 winners! Crazy. Tennis is a game of errors.