Yes that was a great match, great rallies, exciting, unbelievable. Steve Flink, while I disagree with him at times definitely knows more than 99% of all tennis people.
Nadal tends to be in exciting matches against great players because he's a great counterpuncher. This is not to say he doesn't have a great attacking game, I do think he has one now but he has always, since he was a teen been able to take his opponents best and most powerful shots and redirect them for winners of his own. In order to do that you also have to have great mobility and strokes.
It's not uncommon in history for great players with these attributes to be involved with great matches. Greats like Rosewall, Laver (who was a great counterpuncher too), Borg, Connors, Tilden had numerous exciting matches. A guy like Sampras, who was a great player prevented many great rallies from happening because of his huge often unreturnable serve and his excellent volley. Sampras' groundies were okay but not the greatest either.
Also a lot of these matches recently tend to be played on the slower surfaces of today which allow the better rallies. It's hard to have great rallies on a beat up grass court with bad bounces and often no bounces at all.
Here's some choices to me for most exciting-I suppose some of the Laver-Rosewall matches before Open Tennis like the Wembley match Laver won and the 1963 French Pro Rosewall won. Lots of Nadal matches here.
Borg-McEnroe Wimbledon 1980-Not the best played in my opinion and frankly I think a relatively poor match by both but it was exciting. Borg being injured with a torn stomach muscle hurt the match terribly. However it was exciting. In my opinion this match is way overrated. It was exciting but not the top level by both players.
Borg-Gerulaitis Wimbledon 1977-The best type of combination of exciting and a super well played match. One of the greatest Wimbledon matches ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztUAcipzGhs
Laver-Rosewall WCT 1972-A little uneven at times with Laver losing 6-0 in the second but it was pretty well played with great rallies with the exciting ending of Muscles winning. Laver saved a match point in the fifth with an ace.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSXETXKi7OI
Nadal-Federer Wimbledon 2008-Very exciting with Federer being outplayed but hanging in and almost winning. Exciting rallies by two top baseliners with great mobility.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1yfWb0-jqQ
Nadal-Federer Australian 2009-Same as above but actually I enjoyed the rallies more. The final set however was a downer because Federer lost relatively easily. Still a really great match.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiFWbTLkLMA
Nadal-Djokovic Australian 2012-Long grueling rallies by two of the best baseliners ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDWNrvXL9Gs
McEnroe-Connors US Open 1984-One of my favorite matches to watch. Connors was past his prime against a John McEnroe who was at his absolute peak yet he almost won the match. Both played at the top of their form. Super rallies with great contrasting styles. The great serve and volleyer in McEnroe and the great returner in Connors. Both could play well at the baseline and both could play well at the net.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TKUe_OA2ro
Tilden-Cochet Wimbledon semi 1927-Tilden led two sets to love and 5-1 in the third before Cochet rallied to win in five.
There was a Gonzalez-Sedgman match at Wembley that was legendary. I forgot what year that has to be there.
Of course many Hoad and Gonzalez matches too.
Laver-Roche Australian semi 1969-Great match with superb volleying and groundies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FquHcwZByWE
Budge-von Cramm Davis Cup 1937-Combination of great play and excitement. Many have called this the greatest match of all time.
Lendl-Wilander US Open 1988-Long grueling rallies but with net play by both, strategy, different spins and angles. Very well played.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSijoanyk2g
Newcombe-Smith Davis Cup 1973-Smith was the number one player for much of the year. Newcombe was the number one player in Davis Cup for Australian. Well played match and Newcombe, on match point in the ad court moved well into the alley threatening to hit his mighty forehand on second serve for Smith. Smith went for the ace down the middle, missed and that was it. Maybe the best overall match of the year. Smith probably played just as well against Laver in the final match but Laver was on his game and defeated Smith relatively easily in four sets.
One match that could easily be included is the Kodes-Newcombe US Open final of 1973.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-hIaUiA5Qo
Orantes-Vilas US Open semi 1975-Vilas led two sets to love and two love in the third. Lost the third 6-2. Vilas led 5-0 15-40, double match point on Orantes' serve and lost the fourth 7-5 in a display of shotmaking and consistent play by Orantes. Orantes won the match in the fifth and went on to defeat Connors in straight sets in the final. Orantes often was in the zone that tournament.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_pgSPKetrg
Nastase-Smith Wimbledon 1972. The brilliant Nastase versus the excellent serve and volleyer Stan Smith.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZezxpCqbI4
Djokovic-Nadal French Open semi 2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tw4zIci9Oo
Henin-Capriati US Open semi 2003
http://www.youtube.com/results?sear....7j1.8.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.le70zo8AeLU
