What is your favorite men's US Open Final to rewatch?

N

NYTennisfan

Hall of Fame
2002 - Agassi v. Sampras

All the fanfare surrounding it littered with storylines, crowd was insane capped off with Sampras winning his last slam over his biggest rival who he beat 12 years earlier as a teen to win his first slam at the same tournament and riding off into the sunset, a slam that nobody expected him to win as he was a shell of his former self and could barely move anymore. Doesn't get much better than that.
 
Zardoz7/12

Zardoz7/12

Hall of Fame
Del Potro vs Federer - 2009
Murray vs Djokovic - 2012 - Not a high quality match but it helped Murray over the slam winning line.
Djokovic vs Nadal - 2013 - 2011
Federer vs Hewitt - 2004 = This match from Federer was at an unreal level.
Federer vs Agassi - 2005
Nadal vs Medvedev - 2019
 
Holmes

Holmes

Hall of Fame
Kralingen said:
I love to re-watch the 2005 US Open final, it’s an amazing contest, so much fun, right up until the 3rd set tiebreak when suddenly the video crashes and my computer restarts. One day I’ll finish it, I’m sure.
Click to expand...
Let me give you the highlights: Andre's back gives out and he gives a heroic waddle from one end of the court to the other to secure a game.
 
K

Kralingen

Bionic Poster
Holmes said:
Let me give you the highlights: Andre's back gives out and he gives a heroic waddle from one end of the court to the other to secure a game.
Click to expand...
While the commentators ruin their pants and fawn over the incredible level from Federer, I’m sure, “only he could’ve done that”, discounting the 25 UEs he made off the backhand wing in the first 3 sets.
 
jl809

jl809

Legend
It's between 2002 and 2015 for me if I put aside my bias for 2012 which I admit was not great for neutrals. Watched 02 again recently and was blown away by how much better PETE was than I remembered, particularly his serving even at that time.

2015 is a glorious watch, it deserved a 5 setter. Such a fantastic contrast between the ultra-consistent, uber-depth defensive wall and the ridiculously aggressive tennis from the other end of the court. Fed really committed to his strategy like at Shanghai in 2014... one of the best performances I've seen in a slam on a hard court from a 34 year old (he was even better in the SF), all the more remarkable considering what a high stakes strategy it was that was being employed. If Fed had won I would easily regard it as my favourite slam final winning performance by anyone ever

That period where Fed was basically refusing to hit more than 3 neutral shots in a row, taking returns from a meter inside the court and trying to hit winners off regulation stuff like it was 2004, and Djoker was countering with big forehands and the crazy stuff like the B2B lobs, was absolutely electric.
 
Jack the Hack

Jack the Hack

Hall of Fame
Mats Wilander was my favorite player when I was a kid. I've probably watched the 1988 US Open final where he beat Lendl about a dozen times. Many years ago, I even wrote a college paper analyzing the stats from that match!

Anyway, that choice might not be top of mind for most people here. However, at the time, it was a battle for the #1 ranking that year and Mats was trying to overcome a nemesis that owned him on that surface. Wilander brought incredibly precise spot serving, a low backhand slice that Lendl was having a hard time attacking, and well-timed forrays to the net to win in a close 5-setter in almost 5 hours (the longest US Open final in history).

3576795_570_321.jpg


BTW, this website listed the 1988 US Open final as one of the top 5 greatest:

www.essentiallysports.com

5 Greatest US Open Men's Finals - EssentiallySports

Relive some of the greatest US Open Men's finals ever.
www.essentiallysports.com
 
Jack the Hack

Jack the Hack

Hall of Fame
NYTennisfan said:
2002 - Agassi v. Sampras

All the fanfare surrounding it littered with storylines, crowd was insane capped off with Sampras winning his last slam over his biggest rival who he beat 12 years earlier as a teen to win his first slam at the same tournament and riding off into the sunset, a slam that nobody expected him to win as he was a shell of his former self and could barely move anymore. Doesn't get much better than that.
Click to expand...

I have great memories of the 2002 US Open final as well. I was traveling overseas for business and was in Singapore when the final happened. I couldn't get the match on the television in my hotel, so I wandered around in the middle of the night until I found a sports bar that was showing it. Due to the time difference, it was about 2:00 AM and I was there with about 50 other very dedicated tennis fans!

I was rooting for Agassi, but Pete played amazing that day, recaptured his youth, and ended his career at the top of the game in a storybook ending.
 
vandre

vandre

Hall of Fame
1994 uso men's final- agassi v. stich. it was the first time we caught a glimpse of what b.g. could do for a.a. and it was amazing. it was like andre was a different player. so good. it turned out to be the last ride of "mullet agassi" so there's that too! ;)
 
jl809

jl809

Legend
RS said:
2005 because the match forms the best debates on the forum of all the picks here. lol
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I thought no-one can tell me with a straight face that 2001 Agassi or 1995 Agassi doesn't win that match, because maybe even 2002 Agassi would have done, but apparently Agassi is an actual example of a player who peaked when he was 35. See Djoker fans, there's precedent after all....
 
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RS

RS

Bionic Poster
jl809 said:
I thought no-one can tell me with a straight face that 2001 Agassi or 1995 Agassi doesn't win that match, because maybe even 2002 Agassi would have done, but apparently Agassi is an actual example of a player who peaked when he was 35. See Djoker fans, there's precedent after all....
Click to expand...
But recently we have ingaged in relative vs absolute debates were Djokovic fans are willing to consider the possibility Agassi may have been better himself due to the improvements in the game meaning it wouldn’t be Fed fans arguing this on there own but indeed some Djokovic fans who have also been siding with what you wrote here.

That’s why I say what it did. It’s a match that can lead to all kinds of conclusions.
 
K

Kralingen

Bionic Poster
jl809 said:
It's between 2002 and 2015 for me if I put aside my bias for 2012 which I admit was not great for neutrals. Watched 02 again recently and was blown away by how much better PETE was than I remembered, particularly his serving even at that time.

2015 is a glorious watch, it deserved a 5 setter. Such a fantastic contrast between the ultra-consistent, uber-depth defensive wall and the ridiculously aggressive tennis from the other end of the court. Fed really committed to his strategy like at Shanghai in 2014... one of the best performances I've seen in a slam on a hard court from a 34 year old (he was even better in the SF), all the more remarkable considering what a high stakes strategy it was that was being employed. If Fed had won I would easily regard it as my favourite slam final winning performance by anyone ever

That period where Fed was basically refusing to hit more than 3 neutral shots in a row, taking returns from a meter inside the court and trying to hit winners off regulation stuff like it was 2004, and Djoker was countering with big forehands and the crazy stuff like the B2B lobs, was absolutely electric.
Click to expand...
2015 is an underrated watch. I’m not saying the quality is absolutely stunning and it is quite patchy in some parts, but it’s definitely one of the most thrilling and dramatic matches I’ve ever watched, every point really feels like a momentous occasion. Would be a good match to show new fans as well.
 
S

StifleYourself

New User
Hitman said:
USO 1995 - Peak Sampras v Peak Agassi.

It doesn't get much better than that.
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It really was a contrast of styles. Balding Andre in the baggy brown shirt vs Pete looking dapper in white. Pete's S&V game and huge serve against the best returner the game had ever seen (to that point). It was a great match. You posting this sent me back to watch highlights. What I'm most struck by is that the game sounded better before poly strings. That pop that Pete's gut strings made is so much more pleasing than the thud of poly.
 
Federev

Federev

G.O.A.T.
McEnroeisanartist said:
What is your favorite men's US Open Final to rewatch?
Click to expand...
2005 Fedassi. Amazing stuff. Past and future clash w class and power.

2007 Fedovic. Peakerer v. Defiantovic.

2019 Nadvedev. Drama to the uttermost

2022 Alcaruud. Tiny shows he’s the real thing and Ruud didn’t roll over.
 
Impressario

Impressario

Semi-Pro
2011 Djokovic - Nadal. Was meeting some Chinese businessmen and we saw the match together. Was the only time I ever saw Chinese lose their marbles
 
ffw2

ffw2

Hall of Fame
helterskelter said:
I rewatched the tiebreak. The play wasn't quite as bad as I remembered. But the atmosphere? Oof.

If there's ever another pandemic, I honestly would prefer not to hold the event at all than to hold it in that swimming pool sounding empty stadium.
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Is the pandy done?

Will be interesting to see what comes from all this, say, a decade down the road.
 
Vamos Carlos Alcaraz

Vamos Carlos Alcaraz

Semi-Pro
Last year's final because my Carlos won it!

Second favorite: Medvedev winning it!

Third favorite: Thiem's win over Zverev.

Fourth favorites: all of Rafa's wins! :)
 
H

helterskelter

G.O.A.T.
ffw2 said:
Is the pandy done?

Will be interesting to see what comes from all this, say, a decade down the road.
Click to expand...

Good point. My previous post should read, "and/or we decide not to keep just ignoring the one that's already been raging for three and a half years."
 
ffw2

ffw2

Hall of Fame
helterskelter said:
Good point. My previous post should read, "and/or we decide not to keep just ignoring the one that's already been raging for three and a half years."
Click to expand...
Think about how crazily "perpetual crisis mode" has been normalized.

I mean, tech obviously plays a huge role in it all. Compare to 1000 AD, for instance. Folks were toast by 30 — having ended in any number of horrifying ways — but wasn't there likely a sort of blissful ignorance to it?
 
H

helterskelter

G.O.A.T.
ffw2 said:
Think about how crazily "perpetual crisis mode" has been normalized.

I mean, tech obviously plays a huge role in it all. Compare to 1000 AD, for instance. Folks were toast by 30 — having ended in any number of horrifying ways — but wasn't there likely a sort of blissful ignorance to it?
Click to expand...

It has, for sure, and long ago. Hard to tell about 1000 AD. I imagine that if you knew you were likely not to make it past 30 but that some people would randomly make it to 80 and that 1200 years earlier plenty of people made it to 65-70 and some to 80 [that's true of the Roman republic, for example], that would be pretty enraging. So, the only bliss would indeed seem to be in ignorance. Probably very few people did know that there had been previous eras in which people lived far longer.
 
Holmes

Holmes

Hall of Fame
Kralingen said:
While the commentators ruin their pants and fawn over the incredible level from Federer, I’m sure, “only he could’ve done that”, discounting the 25 UEs he made off the backhand wing in the first 3 sets.
Click to expand...
Surpassing even his own lofty standards.
 
T

thrust

Legend
NYTennisfan said:
2002 - Agassi v. Sampras

All the fanfare surrounding it littered with storylines, crowd was insane capped off with Sampras winning his last slam over his biggest rival who he beat 12 years earlier as a teen to win his first slam at the same tournament and riding off into the sunset, a slam that nobody expected him to win as he was a shell of his former self and could barely move anymore. Doesn't get much better than that.
Click to expand...
I AGREE!
 
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