We have come up with our rankings for most memorable tennis matches in tennis history based on four factors including importance of the match, drama, historical significance and greatness of the players involved.
Although we have tried to include matches from year 1980 but you might see recent matches in higher proportion due to increased media exposure and fresher memory of these matches.
Here are our top five picks of most memorable tennis matches:
1. Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal –Wimbledon final 2008
To many minds, this match played on July 6, 2008 till date has been the greatest tennis match ever played anywhere. Federer and Nadal had already shared an appealing rivalry and Wimbledon has been like a home for Federer having won the previous five Wimbledon titles in a row. This match was played for four hours and 48 minutes, the longest tennis final in Wimbledon history. The match ended in a shroud of darkness with Nadal’s 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 victory. Federer finished the match with 89 winners but still lost.
2. John McEnroe v Bjorn Borg, Wimbledon finals, 1980
This was the most dramatic match where 22 minutes and 34 point four set tiebreaker trumps all challengers in terms of drama. Although it cannot be called a more sustained performance of Borg with a score of 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (16-18), 8-6 victory over McEnroe but the match offered intrigue because of contrasting personas and styles of the world’s top two tennis players. The entire match was about the dramatic 18-16 fourth set tie breaker.
3. Chris Evert v Martina Navratilova- 1985 French Open finals
Chris Evert and Navratilova have had massive rivalry throughout their careers. This match was the best of the 80 matches played between these two greatest women tennis players. Navratilova at that time held 33-31 lead against Evert and had won 15 of the previous 16 meetings. But Evert claimed this match with 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 to reclaim the world No.1 ranking at age 30.
4. Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic, Australian Open finals 2012
The energy and emotions Novak Djokovic spent on his win over Nadal in the 2012 Australian finals were evident. This match lasted for 5 hours and 53 minutes where Djokovic and Nadal were the top two players in the world that year. Nadal celebrated his fourth set tie breaker and took a 4-2 lead in the final set. Djokovic however rallied to tie it at 4-4 but seemed exhausted. Djokovic managed to take 6-5 lead, saved a break point before finally holding serve to close it out at 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 victory.
5. Steffi Graf v Monica Seles, French Open 1992
At that time, 18 year old Seles was ranked No.1 in the world and was holding five of the nine grand slams she eventually captured. Graff was No.2 and aged 22 and had won 10 of the 22 major titles she claimed later on. Steffi fought tremendously and saved five match points in 90 minute third set. She saved four of the five match points while serving at 3-5 and also managed to take a lead of 6-5 and 7-6 but eventually Seles prevailed.
