If you missed Djokovic vs Nadal yesterday morning then I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you missed an absolute classic tennis match. Pundits have labelled it as “extraordinary”, “super-human” and the Sunday Times went so far as to call it “the greatest tennis victory of all time”. We have been spoiled by mens tennis in the last decade. Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray would all dominate in any other decade than this and that’s without forgetting the fastest server of all time, Andy Roddick and players like Lleyton Hewitt and David Nalbandian. Was this final then the pinnacle of the mens game or is there a candidate more worthy of such praise? We’ll have a look back at yesterday’s match and then at some other matches that can be described as epics.
Nadal vs Djokovic had a little bit of everything: incredible winners, silly mistakes, tension, rivalry and a whole heap of drama. It really was reminiscent of a Hollywood movie at times. Before the match, Nadal said that he was going to attack Djokovic, play aggressively and look for winners but he also thought that ultimately it would not be enough. He would prove to be ominously accurate in his prediction but interestingly his tactic appeared to work nicely in the first set. Djokovic struggled to cope with the intensity and Nadal duly wrapped it up 7-5. The second set was nearly all Djokovic as Nadal struggled to maintain that aggression that had served him so well in the first; double faulting to hand the set to Djokovic. Into the 3rd and it was all one way traffic for Djokovic as he outhit, outperformed and out thought Nadal. At that stage, it looked as though he’d race through the fourth set and claim another Grand Slam title in another final against Nadal.
The fourth set changed everything. It was the first time since the opening set that this match looked like being a classic. The momentum switched between both players virtually every game and the hitting was ruthless although neither player could find the all important break of serve. A little rain break halfway through the set didn’t exactly ease the tension either. The inevitable tie-break didn’t disappoint. Fabulous hitting brought Djokovic a 5-3 lead before Nadal somehow battled back to get set point at 6-5, which he converted off an unforced error. He celebrated like he’d won the match while Novak was left to ponder how he let that lead slip. It all pointed towards a sensational final set.
Fifth sets are always intriguing affairs. There’s a mix of adrenaline and exhaustion running through their bodies and an excruciating pain from hours of mental fatigue. The best players usually produce their best tennis during the final set. This set though was something else. It was relentless and pulsating tennis with neither man wanting to give an inch and lest we forget in all this praise of Djokovic that Nadal actually was a break up during that fifth set. In fact, he was so close to going 5-2 up but sport can be very cruel at the best of times. Nadal will be ruing how he missed a simple backhand that would have virtually sealed the match for him.
From then on, Djokovic always looked to have the superior game, despite Nadal’s dogged resistance. Djokovic fought back, broke Nadal and held serve to secure the final set 7-5. What was so impressive about Djokovic in this match was the fact that he was able to go toe-to-toe with Nadal over 6 hours whilst playing some unbelievable tennis but the fact that he had played out an exhausting five setter with Murray just two days beforehand. Also, he not only matched Nadal’s stamina but beat it, with the Spaniard needing to rest on the net before the trophy presentation. I said that Djokovic wasn’t my tip for the tournament but he proved me wrong. Last year was definitely not a fluke season and has earned the right to be mentioned among the greats of the game.
5 Other Epic Matches:
Federer vs Nadal – Wimbledon 2008
In my opinion this is still the greatest match of all time. The two greatest players of all time, in prime form, going head to head for nearly five hours with two rain breaks and darkness setting in by the time Nadal finally won the match. The standard of tennis was higher than in yesterday’s final and Federer’s comeback was extraordinary.
Federer vs Roddick – Wimbledon 2009
With the absence of Nadal due to injury, the 2009 tournament was always going to be missing something but Roddick did his best to rectify that. The quality wasn’t as high as the previous year but it was a fascinating battle nonetheless. Roddick somehow managed to hold serve despite what Federer threw at him and the fifth set felt like it was never going to end.
Isner vs Mahut – Wimbledon 2010
The longest match in history, finishing 70-68 to Isner in the final set. Obviously in a match that long, the standard of play is not going to be very high by the end of it. Even non-tennis fans were hooked on this match and there was a real metronomical rhythm throughout the fifth set. More importantly, this is a match that we will never see the like of again.
Borg vs McEnroe – Wimbledon 1980
Federer vs Nadal before Federer and Nadal were even born. A passionate rivalry, controversy and THAT tie-break. It had it all.
Ivanisevic vs Rafter – Wimbledon 2001
Has there been a more popular Wimbledon champion than Goran Ivanisevic? To Brits, this is the year that Tim Henman blew his best chance of winning Wimbledon but Goran took advantage of his fortuitous semi-final win to beat Pat Rafter in an epic five setter.
Sorry all of those matches are from Wimbledon but history says that’s where the best matches have all taken place. As for 2012 in tennis, it looks set to be a brilliant year. Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray all look strong so we’ll see where they take us across the next 11 months!