Top 5 tennis matches in the history

[alko]

In the thread about Djokovic, Nadal and Federerd is mentioned the match Australian Open semi-final in 2005 between Federer and Safin.

What are the top 5 matches in the professional top level tennis history?

There are for sure very amazing matches also in the lower classes, or even amateurs. But lets focus now only to the very top level.

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[Say Hey Kid]

Borg vs McEnroe 1980 Wimbledon Final
Borg vs McEnroe 1981 Wimbledon Final
Lendl vs McEnroe 1984 French Open
Sampras vs Agassi 2001 US Open
Federer vs Safin 2005 Aussie Open

 

[Maestro84]

Nadal vs Federer Wimbledon 2008
Djokovic vs Nadal Australian Open 2012
Borg vs McEnroe Wimbledon 1980
Lendl vs McEnroe French Open 1984
Nadal vs Djokovic French Open 2013

 

[kihei]

Five Greatest Matches

Gonzalez vs Paserall, Wimbledon first-round 1969 (22-24, 1-6, 16-14, 6-3, 11-9) 41-year-old Pancho Gonzalez saved seven match points along the way in the two day match
Nadal vs Federer, Wimbledon final 2008
Borg vs McEnroe, Wimbledon final 1980
Safin vs Federer, Australian Open semifinal 2005
Laver vs Roche, Australian Open semifinal 1969 (7-5, 22-20, 9-11, 1-6, 6-3)

HM:

Federer vs Nadal, Wimbledon final 2007
Lendl vs McEnroe, French Open final 1984 (3-6 2-6 6-4 7-5 7-5)
Ashe vs Connors, Wimbledon final 1975 (6–1, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4)
Djokovic vs Nadal, Australian Open final 2012
Federer vs Nadal, Australian Open final 2017

Most exciting match seen in person:

Borg over Rosewall Canadian Open, round of 16, 1973 (2-6, 6-1, 7-5)--the only time they met

 

[mexicohockey]

1996 ATP World Tour Final, Sampras v. Becker should be in the running. I remember being totally glued to the TV.

Classic Rewind: Pete Sampras vs. Boris Becker 1996 ATP World Tour Championships

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Highest quality win seen in person: Roddick over Ferrero 2003 US Open

 

[MXD]

Rafter vs. Ivanisevic, Wimbledon, 2001

 

[kihei]

Rafter vs. Ivanisevic, Wimbledon, 2001

I thought long and hard about this one as an HM, but eventually rejected it. I think it is a great tennis story but it was a pretty ordinary tennis match otherwise, until the final set anyway. What I remember most about this one--outside of master choker Ivanesivic somehow holding it together long enough to finally get his long sought-after Wimbledon championship--was the crowd. Because of weather delays earlier in the tournament, the final was played on a Monday, which meant tons of tickets went unused and were picked up by ordinary punters. The result was like this was not a staid Wimbledon gathering of the nobs but the most excited and boisterous US Open crowd ever. Absolutely electric all the way, and then turned up to "11" during the final set. Never saw anything quite like it before or since at Wimbledon.

 

[YEM]

a few that instantly came to mind have been mentioned here already so I'll add the Roddick v. Federer Wimbledon Final from 2009

 

[frisco]

Connors-Krickstein 1991 U.S. Open 4th Round.
Seles-Graf 1992 French Open Final
Navratilova-Austin 1981 US Open Final

My Best-Carey

 

[Panteras]

Nadal vs Verdasco AO 09 I think it was, was a crazy match

 

[kihei]

Another honourable mention that deserves to be in the conversation--Fognini over Nadal 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4

 

[MaxV]

This final might not be top 5, but it deserves an honorable mention.

 

[NJDevs26]

I know nobody wants to be guilty of recency bias but no mention of Wimbledon 2019 Final yet?

 

[inthe6ix]

Easy...

Isner vs. Mahut
2010 Wimbledon

6–4, 3–6, 6–7, 7–6, 70–68



Note: From a legends standpoint, Nadal/Joker in Aussie Open 2012 is the best of all time, IMO.