In response to the tragic spread of the Covid-19 virus that is impacting many people all over the world, the ATP, WTA, ITF and challenger tours have all been put on hold for the next 11 weeks, up until June 7 (and likely to be longer).
This suspension will present a range of challenges for professional tennis, stretching from the players and staff down to fans, yet it is undoubtedly the correct decision and has been made in the best interest of everyone involved.
With almost all other sporting codes and leagues taking similar action, the pandemic will leave many sports fans, myself included, deprived of something they love and with large amounts of time to fill.
In light of all this, I have composed a list of great tennis matches and moments to relive for those who are missing their tennis fix or just want to lighten their mood.
Best Match Ever Played:
2008 Wimbledon Final – Rafael Nadal Vs Roger Federer
Widely known as the greatest tennis match ever played, the 2008 Wimbledon Final encompassed all the reasons people love tennis and displayed two of the sport’s most celebrated competitors.
It was the best of many incredible matches between two men who have dominated tennis since 2004 until now and have formed one of the great sporting rivalries in history.
At the time, Roger was clearly the world’s best player having spent 231 consecutive weeks as world number one and had won the previous 5 Wimbledon titles, defeating Nadal in 2006 and 2007.
Yet, the 22-year-old Spaniard had just won his 4th French Open and as said by Jonathon Overend, “Nadal was edging closer but still Federer was the king. It was beautifully set up.”
Rafa took the opening two sets, both 6-4, before a fightback from the defending champion sent the match to an enthralling 4th set tiebreak where Federer saved multiple championship points, before taking it to a fifth.
A rain interrupted 5th set played late into the London evening with the match set to be called off at 8-8 due to it getting too dark. Yet, at 7-7, Nadal finally broke Federer’s serve and held his own to win his maiden Wimbledon title.
In 4 hours and 48 minutes of play, Nadal prevailed 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5-7), 6-7(8-10), 9-7.
It was the first time that the tennis world began to consider Nadal in the same conversation as Roger for the greatest of all time.
For anyone interested in looking deeper into this match and the general rivalry between Roger and Rafa, the book and film ‘Strokes of Genius’, written by L. Jon Wertheim is an incredible illustration, to make the most of this time.
Best Australian Open Match:
2012 Men’s Final – Novak Djokovic Vs Rafael Nadal
It is very hard to go past the longest final in grand slam history between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The pair battled for a gruelling 5 hours and 53 minutes before the Serbian claimed his 5th Grand Slam title, prevailing 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5-7), 7-5.
The match was played deep into the Melbourne night, finishing at 1:37am and leaving both players completely exhausted, with Rafa at the time calling it the toughest loss of his career.
The devastation came as a result of Nadal being up a break 4-2 in the fifth but not able to hold on, a testament to the willpower shown by Novak Djokovic.
The match will be remembered for many reasons.
For Nadal’s celebration on his knees after winning an 88 minute fourth set in a tiebreaker and for Djokovic’s sheer joy after triumphing in the toughest mental and physical match of his career.
But mostly for a grand slam final that lasted almost 6 hours with three 70+ minute sets and didn’t even go beyond 7-5 in the fifth, attestation to the unparallel rallying and relentless determination from two of the sport’s greatest competitors.
Best French Open Match:
1999 Women’s Final – Steffi Graf Vs Martina Hingis
Heading into the 1999 Roland Garros Final, Martina Hingis was undoubtedly the best player in women’s tennis, with the 18-year-old being the world number one and having already won 5 grand slam titles.
She was coming up against 30-year-old, 21 time grand slam champion Steffi Graf who had not won a slam in almost 30 months.
The odds were quite heavily in Hingis’ favour, yet there was growing interest in the match after Graf defeated 2nd seed Lindsay Davenport and 3rd seed Monica Sales on her way to the final.
As anticipated, Hingis came out of the blocks firing taking the opening set 6-4 and gaining an early 2-0 lead in the second.
An incident in the third game of the second set regarding a line call had Hingis furious, and caused the already biased French crowd to become completely hostile towards the 18-year-old.
It sparked a fightback from Graf as she managed to get the match back on level terms at 4-4, before Hingis responded giving her a chance to serve for the title at 5-4.
On the back of the crowd, Hingis began to crumble, losing her serve twice consecutively and falling 7-5, to level the match at a set a piece.
A full turn around saw Graf continue on and claim the third set 6-2, to win her 22nd major title.
It was a fitting way for Steffi Graf to end her French Open career, and for Martina Hingis may have been her last chance to win a grand slam, with the onslaught of young Americans arriving in the following years.
Best Wimbledon Match (excluding 2008 Men’s Final):
1980 Men’s Final – Bjorn Borg Vs John McEnroe
Known by many as the greatest tennis match of all time, the 1980 Wimbledon Final encompassed everything sports fans love.
A rivalry for the ages between tennis’ Swedish angel Bjorn Borg contrasted by 21-year-old hot-tempered American John McEnroe, or in short Ice Vs Fire.
On Wimbledon’s prestigious centre court in 1980, the first signs of boos towards a player were heard, amongst an otherwise well-mannered crowd.
Unsurprisingly, everything negative was directed at McEnroe from the moment he entered the court, with the American playing in just his first Wimbledon final.
After a slow start, dropping the first set 6-1, Borg rallied to gain control taking the next two sets 7-5 and 6-3.
With the match in the balance, the 4th set entered a tiebreak.
To date, it still remains one of the greatest tiebreaks of all time with McEnroe saving 5 match points and hitting ten winners in the tiebreak alone, to take it 18-16 and setup a decider.
Borg did not go away, serving flawlessly in the 5th and losing just 2 points off his seven service games. The firepower of McEnroe ensured an epic decider but it was the calm and collected Bjorn Borg who proved too good, prevailing 8-6 to win his 5th consecutive Wimbledon.
The crowd applauded McEnroe as he left the court despite their earlier criticism of him, revealing their appreciation for the event they had just witnessed.
For Bjorn Borg, 1980 was his last Wimbledon title with the Swede retiring from the sport at just 26 years old having won 11 grand slam titles.
John McEnroe went on to win three of the next four Wimbledon’s and finished with 7 majors in total.
Their match in 1980 will forever be remembered by everyone who watched it and remains the greatest match of their short but illustrious rivalry.
The 2017 film ‘Borg vs McEnroe’ tells the story of their match in 1980 and their contrasting rivalry, for anyone who is interested.
Best US Open Match:
1984 Women’s Final – Martina Navratilova Vs Chris Evert
Out of all 80 matches played between Navratilova and Evert, the 1984 US Open Final is believed to be the most captivating of this phenomenal rivalry.
It took place on September 8, a day dubbed ‘Super Saturday’ at the US Open and known as the best single day in tennis history. Both men’s semi-finals went to five sets with Ivan Lendl overcoming the 19-year-old Australian Pat Cash and John McEnroe defeating Jimmy Connors.
Yet the Women’s final was the highlight of the day with Evert and Navratilova meeting for the 61st time and preparing to split their even 30-30 head to head record.
Martina entered the encounter in career best form, being on a 54 match win streak and having won the past five grand slams. A similar story was expected in Flushing Meadows, with Martina having turned the once 28-13 Evert record back to even and finally looking to set it in her favour.
However, with the American crowd fully behind her, Evert rediscovered some of her best tennis to take the first set 6-4, to which the stadium erupted.
Evert described the roar as “louder than anything I have ever experienced in my life”, in Johnette Howard’s ‘The Rivals’.
As expected, Navratilova responded in the second set, breaking Evert’s serve and holding onto her own to take it 6-4 and set up a decider. In the third, Navratilova proved the champion she had become, once again breaking Evert at 1-1 and serving incredibly well to close out the set 6-4.
In being so close but once again not able to defeat Navratilova, Evert felt a sense of despair.
“It was the most devastated I’ve ever felt after a tennis match,” she said in ‘The Rivals’.
Martina went on to win her next 19 matches taking her streak to 74, which is still unbeaten today, and made the next 11 Grand Slam Finals.
Highest Quality Match:
2013 Australian Open 4th Round – Novak Djokovic Vs Stanislas Wawrinka
Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic played out some of the most extraordinary contests ever witnessed, most notably three consecutive 5 setters at the Australian Open between 2013 and 2015.
The best of these came in the 4th round of the 2013 Australian Open, with world number one Djokovic meeting Stan in a highly anticipated match on Rod Laver Arena.
Wawrinka was showing promising signs on the tour but was yet to break through and progress past the quarter finals of a grand slam.
Though, it must be said he wasn’t playing in the easiest era with Djokovic, Nadal, Murray and Federer taking the large majority of titles and holding the top four ranking spots.
Wawrinka came out blasting winners from the opening point, claiming the first set 6-1 and leading 5-2 in the second, before a riveting comeback from Djokovic saw him turn the match on its head, winning the second and third sets 7-5 and 6-4, to take control of the match.
Another twist occurred when Stan levelled the match at two sets all after coming through in a tight 4th set tiebreaker, prompting a decider.
Although both players had their ups and downs throughout the first four sets, the marathon 5th set that stretched out over 22 games was played at an unprecedented level with Stan and Novak throwing everything at each other.
On his third match point, the Serbian prevailed 12-10 at 1:41am Melbourne time, in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena crowd.
The victory came after an enthralling 20 shot rally on match point, ending with a crosscourt backhand winner from Djokovic, passing an exhausted Wawrinka at the net.
Post-match, Stan commented on the quality of the match he had just played, despite the loss.
“I think it’s by far the best match I’ve ever played, especially in five sets against the number one player,” the Swiss said.
Upon winning his 6th grand slam, Djokovic also rated the 4th round victory very highly.
“It definitely ranks right at the top,” he said.
Stan Wawrinka went on to get his revenge over Djokovic in the 2014 Australian Open, winning another epic five-setter in the quarter finals, on his way to a maiden grand slam title.
The highlights package for this match is like no other I have ever seen, with the ball striking from both men at a truly remarkable level.
These are my favourite matches for you to have a look at.
Tell us your favourite tennis matches or best tennis memories, and for the time being stay home and stay safe.