The best semifinal ever...

[TheAssassin]

So this Russian is about to play the Australian Open semifinal. The opponent is the world number 1 who won their last 3 meetings and 8 sets, and is on a 27 match winning streak. No loss since the Olympics that happened like 5 months ago? Who cares, it was Marat's 25th birthday so he decided that it's time to dance.

Another stunning Yoeri upload, an hour long highlights of gorgeous tennis by Safin and Federer.

2005 FTW!

 

[MasturB]

Rebound Ace was so good compared to slow plexi.

 

[Red Rick]

murrovic semi was better

if was a battle between light and dark

not some random encounter between a suisse and a russian

 

[NatF]

It instantly puts me off highlights when the aspect ratio is stretched like that. Great match though obvs.

 

[Charlie]

Don't rate this match as highly as some people do but I would definitely welcome a quality match between two all court players or very aggressive baseliners right now. We haven't seen much of that in recent times.

 

[Newcomer]

I have no idea how Safin won this match.

 

[mike danny]

Good choice OP. I liked the music at the beginning.

Although Nadal vs Verdasco AO 2009 is another candidate for best SF.

 

[TJfederer16]

murrovic semi was better

if was a battle between light and dark

not some random encounter between a suisse and a russian

erm no...

This is definitely one of the best matches of all time

 

[Deleted member 688153]

It instantly puts me off highlights when the aspect ratio is stretched like that. Great match though obvs.

If it's stretched enough that Fed's MP goes in I would be more interested.

 

[guitarra]

A very good pick but I'd say Nadal - Verdasco 2009 may be a contender for the best semis in AO in the last 15 years.

As for the other slams - there's many great matches to choose from, e.g. Federer - Djokovic FO 2011.

 

[Mazz Retic]

erm no...

This is definitely one of the best matches of all time

I think either way you go it is preference. I can easily see why someone would prefer one or other match. I would say both are one of the best semi's ever. I'd throw in the forgotten Roddick Hewitt semi on the other side of the draw. That was a cracker too.

 

[Rafa the King]

THE BEST SEMI-FINAL EVER:

 

[NatF]

I think either way you go it is preference. I can easily see why someone would prefer one or other match. I would say both are one of the best semi's ever. I'd throw in the forgotten Roddick Hewitt semi on the other side of the draw. That was a cracker too.

That Hewitt vs Roddick match was really high quality. Some great drama in there too with the middle tiebreak sets. They played another great match at IW not long after.

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

There's something about Federer being defeated that raises a match's value in a lot of people's minds. It's no surprise to me that the greatest match of all time to many pundits is one in which Federer lost. It simply implies that two players both played insane tennis.

 

[Mazz Retic]

That Hewitt vs Roddick match was really high quality. Some great drama in there too with the middle tiebreak sets. They played another great match at IW not long after.

Hewitt dug deep to win that match. They had such a great rivalry. There 2009 Wimbledon match was a great wind back.

 

[dh003i]

I have no idea how Safin won this match.

I think he won it by winning the last point.

 

[TheAssassin]

Rebound Ace was so good compared to slow plexi.

Rebound Ace was slow too.

murrovic semi was better

if was a battle between light and dark

not some random encounter between a suisse and a russian

I am a massive Djokovic fan but no no!

I have no idea how Safin won this match.

He had very low lows but the highs were stunning!

Good choice OP. I liked the music at the beginning.

Although Nadal vs Verdasco AO 2009 is another candidate for best SF.

The intro will make you hyped for the rest of the video even if you never saw the match before.

 

[NatF]

Hewitt dug deep to win that match. They had such a great rivalry. There 2009 Wimbledon match was a great wind back.

Roddick was hitting 130+ mph second serves and hitting the he ball huge. Hewitt was also hitting the ball as big as he ever has in that run. The 4th set was a let down but I'd put the middle two sets up there with any.

 

[Chronos]

This is the match that makes me start to follow tennis.
So at least for me it is the most important one.

 

[David Le]

So most of the ATG SF comes from the AO? Safin vs Federer '05, Verdasco vs Nadal '09, Dimitrov vs Nadal '17

 

[SLD76]

Good choice OP. I liked the music at the beginning.

Although Nadal vs Verdasco AO 2009 is another candidate for best SF.

That and the FO 2012 semi between Nadal and Djoker

 

[NastyWinners]

I'd have to say the best semi-final I have ever seen comes down to either Nadal vs Verdasco at the Aussie or Novak vs Federer at the French.

 

[Djokovic2011]

I'm sure @MichaelNadal will agree with the OP. I know he's a big fan of this semifinal.

 

[ChaelAZ]

I'd throw in the Blake/Aggassi quarter at the 2005 US Open as on par with any of the semis listed.

 

[NatF]

The 2003 QF with Roddick and Aynaoui was just as good. The Agassi vs Safin SF a year before was incredible too.

 

[Waspsting]

I'm partial to the back to back Wimby 5 setters between Agassi and Rafter for entertainment value

This one though is right up there and probably even higher quality - well ahead of the twin Federer-Djokovic 5 setters at USO

On clay, Nadal-Djokovic 2013 is the standout

 

[eman resu]

What about Guga x Ferrero, RG 2000? People here in Brazil say wonders about this match. I watched on tv back then, but was too new at tennis to remember anything. Full highlights would be great.

 

[SinjinCooper]

Lendl-Cash, '84 USO.

 

[NatF]

I'm partial to the back to back Wimby 5 setters between Agassi and Rafter for entertainment value

This one though is right up there and probably even higher quality - well ahead of the twin Federer-Djokovic 5 setters at USO

On clay, Nadal-Djokovic 2013 is the standout

Agree except that I think the Nadal-Djokovic SF is wildly overrated

 

[NatF]

If we're expanding this to other majors then the Connors vs Mac USO 1984 SF has to be mentioned, as does the Borg vs Gerulaitis Wimbledon SF of 1977 etc...

 

[Djokovic2011]

Agree except that I think the Nadal-Djokovic SF is wildly overrated

Even though it wasn't a major, I think the Rome epic between Nadal and Coria is probably the greatest clay court match ever.

 

[KINGROGER]

Rebound Ace was so good compared to slow plexi.

Yeah man.

I wonder how many AO Fed would've won had they not changed the surface? Could see him winning 09, 10, 12. Maybe even 08.

 

[NatF]

Even though it wasn't a major, I think the Rome epic between Nadal and Coria is probably the greatest clay court match ever.

Yeah that match was incredible, pure clay court tennis. Feel for Coria, wish we could have had more of those battles. The potential clay court battles if Ferrero, Kuerten and Coria hadn't have suffered those injuries etc...would have been an incredible era for clay tennis with them and Fedal and of course Djokovic a couple of years later.

 

[TheAssassin]

Even though it wasn't a major, I think the Rome epic between Nadal and Coria is probably the greatest clay court match ever.

Yet another proof that 2005 was stunning.

 

[NatF]

Yet another proof that 2005 was stunning.

2005 is one of the best years of tennis I've ever watched. The AO in particular was incredible, you had Hewitt's run, the Safin vs Federerer epic, other great matches like Agassi vs Johansson etc...

 

[BorgCash]

I remember two great Wimby semis:
1977 - Borg - Gerulaitis;
1988 - Edberg - Mecir.

 

[Djokovic2011]

2005 is one of the best years of tennis I've ever watched. The AO in particular was incredible, you had Hewitt's run, the Safin vs Federerer epic, other great matches like Agassi vs Johansson etc...

I just know the fact that Murray turned pro that year is another factor in making 2005 such a special season for you.

 

[Charlie]

Yet another proof that 2005 was stunning.

2009, as well as 2011-12 to a certain extent were pretty damn cool seasons as well. You can't find many big tournaments in these years and claim they were dull.

 

[NatF]

I just know the fact that Murray turned pro that year is another factor in making 2005 such a special season for you.

It was the year tennis died and it went out with a bang.

 

[True Fanerer]

Fed ends the Djoko streak 2011 FO semis some exciting stuff there. Never forget him screaming and waving that finger

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Juventus vs Manchester United, Champions league 1999.

Keano, Keano, Keano.

Some epic group games too. Including a 3-3 at Old Trafford against Barcelona. Then a 3-3 at Camp Nou.

 

[pc1]

I also like McEnroe/Connors US Open 1984.

 

[TheAssassin]

2005 is one of the best years of tennis I've ever watched. The AO in particular was incredible, you had Hewitt's run, the Safin vs Federerer epic, other great matches like Agassi vs Johansson etc...

Yep. Then Nadal's rise on clay, Agassi's run in Canada and New York, Nalbandian's TMC and of course Federer's usual masterclass. Not his best season results wise but he was on the brink of winning almost every match that he lost that year.

Juventus vs Manchester United, Champions league 1999.

Keano, Keano, Keano.

Some epic group games too. Including a 3-3 at Old Trafford against Barcelona. Then a 3-3 at Camp Nou.

2-2 against Bayern in Munich as well. The great Inter, Juventus and Bayern in knockout stages. Magical comeback in the last two matches. Can't think of many more stunning Champions League runs.

 

[falstaff78]

murrovic semi was better

if was a battle between light and dark

not some random encounter between a suisse and a russian

erm no...

This is definitely one of the best matches of all time

I am a massive Djokovic fan but no no!

@Red Rick my Lord your wit is for no mere mortals

 

[pc1]

Funny line unintentionally by Newcombe at about 2:50 here in hindsight. He talks about Mark Kratzmann winning the US Open juniors and how he wouldn't be surprised about seeing Kratzmann a in semis in the US Open. He mentioned in passing the German boy who Kratzmann beat. It was just a kid named Boris Becker who won Wimbledon the next year.

 

[merwy]

I know I'm pretty much alone in this but I really enjoyed the high intensity throughout the USO 2011 SF between Fed and Djok. It might be my favorite slam SF quality wise, as painful as the result turned out to be.

 

[True Fanerer]

I know I'm pretty much alone in this but I really enjoyed the high intensity throughout the USO 2011 SF between Fed and Djok. It might be my favorite slam SF quality wise, as painful as the result turned out to be.

Enjoyed that match as well. Sort of surprised it wasnt mentioned already tbh. Heartbreaking though in the end

 

[mike danny]

I know I'm pretty much alone in this but I really enjoyed the high intensity throughout the USO 2011 SF between Fed and Djok. It might be my favorite slam SF quality wise, as painful as the result turned out to be.

Fed-Nole USO 2011 was a great match, but not a candidate for the best, because Fed's level clearly dropped after the second set. It only picked back up in the 5th.

The USO hasn't really had a standout GOAT match in the last 15 years unfortunately like the other slams have had.

 

[MasturB]

Rebound Ace was slow too.

Please. In comparison to Plexi rebound looks like medium fast. Other than this year you normally didn't see guys hit through the court on plexi like they did rebound ace.

 

[Thundergod]

So most of the ATG SF comes from the AO? Safin vs Federer '05, Verdasco vs Nadal '09, Dimitrov vs Nadal '17

Most of the great matches in general since about 2000 have been at the AO.