Rank these five 2013 five set classics

I watched 3 of them during lockdown, I'm going to copy and paste my thoughts from the other thread

5.
ibbi said:
Djokovic-Wawrinka, Australian Open 13. First set is one of those magical displays from Stan where he just whoops ass without a care in the world, but the second is a disastrous string of errors, first from Novak, then from Stan, whose first serve goes walkabout once up a set and a break, even the long rallies are pretty prosaic, safe, vertical affairs. Novak just stops missing and makes Stan run a lot more. Highlights are when he does the immortal Stan block back serve that would ruin his life 2 years later in Paris to get that decisive break at 5-5, and then the sweet ass backhand up the line to finally seal as ****ty a set as any all time great match will hopefully ever see. The third they start warming up and there's some good stuff in amongst the mediocrity, and then the fourth is AMAZING.

The fifth they're both clearly feeling it, and so it just becomes two guys serving out without the returner seeming to make much effort, I swear it's worse than Isner-Mahut set 5 until they get to that last game, which is an all timer. Oh, and Stan's failure to challenge what would have been a break at 4-4 in the 5th is just heartbreaking. Anyway, has any match ever had two sets end on two points as good as the last of the 4th an 5th of this one? o_O Still, watching Stan's TIRED, clueless approach on match point is just sad. He clearly had nothing left.

This one isn't in the same league as the 05 and 09 classics for me. Definitely one best appreciated in highlight form. Not sure it'd even make Novak's top trio of five setters that year for me (which is saying something for the matches he played that year).
Click to expand...

4.
ibbi said:
Djokovic-Wawrinka, US Open 2013. First two games go by unassumingly enough, both well played, pretty easy holds, and then Wawrinka goes into Stanimal mode and Novak is completely blown away and unable to live with him. Up a double break Djokovic gets a break back, but Stan quickly sees it out with too much trouble. It's just ferocious hitting from the back of the court, and he absolutely murders Djokovic's second serve.

Second starts much the same with Stan just absolutely bludgeoning the ball, and Novak totally bewildered as to what to do. Stan gets so confident he starts hitting little dinky shots, and slices and playing at net :laughing: . Then once he's up 4-2 the errors start to creep into his game and getting those free points helps Novak back into it, and he totally cuts out all of the errors and gets some of his own big hitting in there too. Totally strolls through the breaker just by keeping his head and letting Stan lose his, which he duly does with stupid errors, and by this point it looks like Novak is going to physically outlast him if nothing else.

Third starts slowly with Stan clearly brought down from his high, but Djokovic unable to pull away and clearly frustrated by it. Then out of nowhere Stan suddenly breaks with a sloppy Novak game, and then suddenly he lights up a bit and sees it out in style. The really telling thing through this second and third set is how Wawrinka is so easily capable of rallying with Novak for 20/30 shots, and outlasting him, which way back then nobody could believe, even after what happened in Australia.

Fourth is pretty dull, sloppy errors creep more and more into Stan's game, he throws away his first service game of the set, and then never plays nearly well enough to get back into it.

Then in the FIFTH is when it becomes special. Third game is an epic that goes on for 20 minutes, and though Stan eventually holds I think it takes the last of the fight out of him for what remains, and Novak pounces and gets great. He starts serving bigger and better (didn't give up a break point in the last two sets), bad ass behind his first serve I don't think Stan even got to deuce, he comes forward more, attacking more, taking away Stan's time and avoiding rallying long with him, keeps him super uncomfortable, and the errors coming. Honestly I like this more than their Australia match this year. Less filler.
Click to expand...

3. Nadal-Djokovic. Too much downtime in between the awesome heights.

2.
ibbi said:
Djokovic-Del Potro, Wimbledon 13. My opinion of a match has never fallen on a rewatch as much as it did with the Stan-Novak AO13 match, and I can now whole heartedly say I don't think my opinion of a match has ever grown as much on a rewatch as it did here. I loved this match while it was going on, but it's always easier to appreciate true greatness on rewatch removed from the madness of the moment, and this epic has it in spades.

Literally not a down moment in the match with perhaps the slight exception of the third set breaker where Delpo makes a bunch of weak errors in a row, but that's very much made up for by the fourth set breaker, which is probably an all timer. They serve well, they return even better (the returning in this match from both guys is incredible) they have awesome rallies, there's plenty of strongly played quick service holds, they hit incredible shots, orthodox and unorthodox (seriously, there's a handful of shots in this match so outside the box I thought I was watching Roger) and so many of these rallies and shots come at pivotal moments.

There's interesting tactical exchanges throughout - Novak clearly trying to make Del Potro run a lot in the first to test his strapped up knee, Delpo responding in the second by coming to net (where he's 10 of 10!) To keep things shorter, Novak responding in the third by coming even more to net. They have Federeresque break point conversion stats, but 90% of those BP's are saved not lost. The weather is magical (if aesthetics matter to you :-D ) the whole thing is played in such good humour, it really is just PERFECT lazy sunday afternoon viewing, I don't think Jelena has ever looked hotter than she does here, and to top it all off you have the bit where Delpo unzips Novak's shirt.

This has always been an easy top tenner of the decade, but I think it's now pretty firmly top 3.
Click to expand...

1. Wawrinka-Gasquet. The only thing it doesn't have is the higher stakes of being a later round. For me it is topped only by Wimbledon 2018 semi final number 2 as match of the decade.
 
ibbi said:
I watched 3 of them during lockdown, I'm going to copy and paste my thoughts from the other thread

5.


4.


3. Nadal-Djokovic. Too much downtime in between the awesome heights.

2.


1. Wawrinka-Gasquet. The only thing it doesn't have is the higher stakes of being a later round. For me it is topped only by Wimbledon 2018 semi final number 2 as match of the decade.
Click to expand...

I remember how I couldn't have clicked fast enough when the Wawrinka v Gasquet highlights were finally made available...it more than likely has the single GOAT game in that match. I know you are aware of which one I am talking about.
 
Hitman said:
I remember how I couldn't have clicked fast enough when the Wawrinka v Gasquet highlights were finally made available...it more than likely has the single GOAT game in that match. I know you are aware of which one I am talking about.
Click to expand...
Just watched that game recently - ridiculous stuff!
 
Djokovic v Wawrinka AO 2013- I still remember where I was when I was watching that match and going crazy with excitement in my room being super careful not to wake my roommate.
Nadal v Djokovic RG 2013- The middle three are pretty interchangeable for me, but what separates this one for me was the significance of the match and the drama in the fifth.
Wawrinka v Gasquet RG 2013- Just a brilliant match. I had no expectations, too. Just appreciated their backhands and was looking for a nice afternoon. Got a thrilling one, instead.
Djokovic v Del Potro W 2013- Great match, heartbreaking result for me, hence the low ranking.
Djokovic v Wawrinka USO 2013- Good quality, entertaining match. But I thought it was a bit predictable compared to the other four.
 
The reason why AO 13 Djokovic v Wawrinka is so good is because no one expected that level of play from Wawrinka. Everyone thought it'll be a routine victory for Novak.
That level wasn't something we've really seen from Wawrinka.
So we were doubly impressed, first that it was such a good quality match. And 2 because the quality Wawrinka produced, most of us didn't expect that coming from him.
 
K-H said:
The reason why AO 13 Djokovic v Wawrinka is so good is because no one expected that level of play from Wawrinka. Everyone thought it'll be a routine victory for Novak.
That level wasn't something we've really seen from Wawrinka.
So we were doubly impressed, first that it was such a good quality match. And 2 because the quality Wawrinka produced, most of us didn't expect that coming from him.
Click to expand...
And no one expected Stan to build on that performance. I'm sure most people thought it was just a once in a lifetime performance from Stan with no chance of being replicated.
 
In order of quality/significance:
Djokodal RG
Djorinka AO
Djokovic-Delpo W
Djorinka USO13
Gasquet-Wawrinka RG

For personal enjoyment:
Djorinka AO
Djokodal RG
Djorinka USO
Djokovic-Delpo W
Gasquet-Wawrinka

Djokovic has played so many epics it's not even a joke. He makes tennis worth watching.
 
King No1e said:
In order of quality/significance:
Djokodal RG
Djorinka AO
Djokovic-Delpo W
Djorinka USO13
Gasquet-Wawrinka RG

For personal enjoyment:
Djorinka AO
Djokodal RG
Djorinka USO
Djokovic-Delpo W
Gasquet-Wawrinka

Djokovic has played so many epics it's not even a joke. He makes tennis worth watching.
Click to expand...
Massive underrating of Gasquet Wawrinka in the quality department. That’s either #1 or #2
 
King No1e said:
It is highly underrated, but no way it's above Djokodal RG or Djorinka AO. Those 2 were among the best matches of all time.
Click to expand...
The RG match is quite overrated in terms of quality. In terms of historical significance, I would surely rank it high. But it was just above average for most of the match and only really picked up in the fifth set. The match arguably shouldn’t have gone five. Djokovic played pretty poorly in parts of the first and second set and he was pretty much useless for most of the third. Nadal should have closed it out in four similarly to the 2012 final.

It’s a good match, yeah, but imo it’s the most overrated Djokovic-Nadal match. Stan-Gasquet was excellent for all five sets and neither player really suffered any big dips in quality.

I do agree about the Stan-Djokovic AO 4R match, though. Excellent quality throughout.
 
Djokowrinka is first. I literally had just smoked w 2 friends that don't even watch tennis, and was flipping channels (didn't know it was on) and the 3 of us watched the rest of the match with gandalf, awestruck :D
 
mike danny said:
And no one expected Stan to build on that performance. I'm sure most people thought it was just a once in a lifetime performance from Stan with no chance of being replicated.
Click to expand...
Then Stan hired MaGOATnus Norman and made fabled runs at slams a yearly occurrence until injury decimated him for 2.5 years.
 
I'm only now realizing that this thread overlooks one of the finest classic matches of the decade, which deserves a spot right up there with Djokovic-Wawrinka USO and Delpo-Djokovic W:

Chinese-Orange-Chicken-thumbnail-500x375.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
2017 - 2019 Five set classic countdown
Replies
27
Views
780
Tshooter
Tshooter
Fabresque
Previous rounds at slams that have felt like the final
Replies
38
Views
1K
Deleted member 758560
D
D
Weak or Strong?
2 3
Replies
103
Views
4K
Ann
Ann
Underdog
Most epic match of every year this century
2
Replies
74
Views
3K
vokazu
V
triforce defender
Nadal's Propensity for Classics
Replies
40
Views
3K
NatF
NatF
Back
Top