Tennis Prose




Nov/14

24

The Greatest Performances

hewl

The spectacular display of Gael Monfils in thrashing Roger Federer in three sets this past weekend in Davis Cup has sparked me to think about what are some of the other greatest displays of tennis I have ever seen. Here’s my list… Please share yours…

Marcelo Rios defeating Agassi in three straight sets in the Miami Masters final in 1998.

Novak Djokovic 2012 Australian Open final vs. Nadal.

Rafa Nadal 2008 French Open final in 2008 vs. Federer 61 63 60.

Gustavo Kuerten 2000 Lisbon World Tour Finals def. Sampras and Agassi in SF and F.

Marat Safin 2000 US Open final def. Pete Sampras 64 63 63.

Lleyton Hewitt 2001 US Open final def. Sampras 76 61 61.

Lleyton Hewitt def. Alex Correjta in the Australian Open 60 60 62 in 2001 or 2002.

Jiri Novak blowing out Sampras in three sets in Davis Cup in the LA Forum in around ’99.

Roger Federer def. Hewitt 60 76 60 in the 2004 US Open final.

Roger Federer def. Andy Murray 60 61 at 2014 World Tour Finals.

No tags

30 comments

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 24, 2014 at 6:49 pm

    Dolgopolov and Malisse beating Fedrinka at Indian Wells doubles final in 2011 is another masterclass. As was Paes/Stepanek winning Australian Open vs. Bryans in 2012.

  • Dan Markowitz · November 25, 2014 at 8:27 am

    What about Spadea beating Agassi in the 99 Aussie O Rd of 16?

    Sampras beating Agassi in that all breaker match at the Open.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 25, 2014 at 8:32 am

    Saw that match Dan but I don’t really remember it. The Agassi performances that were most impressive for me were vs. Blake at US Open, the time he beat Sampras in that Aus Open QF night match, the Aus Open final. Also he had a great final with Pete at UCLA one year. Agassi’s game was brutally effective but not especially dazzling, exciting or sensational. Always preferred to watch Pete’s game.

  • Dan Markowitz · November 25, 2014 at 4:14 pm

    I like Sampras too. He reminded me of a big vulture swooping down. But Agassi had a swashbuckling quality about him too. How about his win at the French vs. Medvedev. Or his five set win over Goran at Wimby? I was in Louis Armstrong when he decimated Federer when Roger was 21 or 22. Just made him look like an amateur. I’d have to put Safin’s win over Sampras at the USOPEN and his semis 5-set win over Fed at the Aussie O in there too.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 25, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    Sampras just kept coming at you. And the more he won the more he hungered for more. They inaccurately called Pete Boring but His matches vs. Corretja at US Open and Courier in Australia were unbelievably dramatic too. I hear people bring up that Corretja match still now so many years later. They should show that finale during US Open rain delays when the Connors-Krickstein tape burns out. Pete had a knack for causing major drama on the court, unintentionally of course. Also the Davis Cup tie vs. Russia. Pete was an epic champion. Of the mold of the classic Aussies.

  • Andrew Miller · November 25, 2014 at 7:12 pm

    Too many great performances out there for me to name.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 26, 2014 at 7:38 am

    Youzhny vs. Rafa at US Open QF on Armstrong was amazing too, was down set points 0-40 in third set came back won that game and won tiebreak from being down too. Just blew Rafa off the court that afternoon.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 26, 2014 at 8:47 am

    Although I didn’t see it Corretja must have been on fire when he beat Sampras on grass in Davis Cup. F Lopez beating Del Potro in the Davis Cup final in Argentina was also very impressive. And how could I have forgotten Nalbandian’s run in the WTFs the year he won it. That was magic.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 26, 2014 at 8:48 am

    I once asked Hewitt what was the best he ever felt on court and he mentioned his Davis Cup win on clay in Brazil against Kuerten, and Guga was in his prime back then. Would love to see this match.

  • Dan Markowitz · November 26, 2014 at 10:15 am

    Y’know a match that stands out for me was the Becker v Lendl match in the Garden in the finals of the Masters in 1988. The match went five sets and Becker won it, as I remember, on a backhand that hit the net cord and trickled over in the breaker.

    When you think about it, you could make an argument for Becker-Lendl being the greatest rivalry in tennis. What rivalry was better. They played 21 times and Lendl won 11, Becker 10.

    Do you know they played 5 slams against each other and Becker won every match! They played each other on clay only once and Lendl won in Indianapolis. I don’t even remember Indy being a clay event. They played each other in 5 Masters or World Tour Championships and Lendl won 3 of 5.

    Here’s an interesting player, when rivals are 7 years apart in age like Lendl and Becker, who do you think has the biggest advantage? Or 5 years like Federer and Nadal. Interestingly, Lendl won their first four matches, but also their last 3 matches.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 26, 2014 at 1:39 pm

    That is a very unique rivalry, it’s rare that it’s that close. Usually one figures out how to dominate the other. Looks like Lendl figured out the Becker puzzle.

  • Gaurang · November 27, 2014 at 8:08 pm

    I will talk about the last 5 years…

    Roddick: vs Federer in the Wimbledon final he lost in 5 sets (16-14 or something in the 5th)

    Djokovic: too many to count. Saving 2 match points against Fed in a US Open SF for example. 2011 AUS Open where he swept Berdych, Fed and Murray in clean straight sets in the Quarters, Semis and Finals. Beating Fed in Wimbledon final this year in 5 sets. Many wins against Nadal in Masters Finals on clay (even the one he lost in Madrid F in a 3rd set tiebreak). 42 match win streak in 2011. Top 3 for the last 8 years. Win against Tsonga in RG 2012 QF in 5 sets, saving a bunch of match points.

    Federer: too many to count. Many saves from being 2 sets down. For example, in Roland Garros, vs Tommy Haas in 2009 and DelPo in 2012.

    Soderling: Defeating Nadal and Federer at Roland Garros. The victory against Nadal will definitely be one of the greatest performances in history of tennis in anybody’s book. Nadal has yet to be defeated at RG apart from that single match!

    Delpo: Win against Fed in US Open Finals.

    Murray: straight 4 wins against Fed in head-to-head in 2008/9.

    Davydenko: first win against Fed in ATP Finals 2009.

    Wawrinka: Win against Novak last year in Aus Open in 5 sets.

    Cilic: Win against Fed in this years US Open.

    Fernando Gonzales: Win against Murray in RG 2009 QF. Clean straight set win against Nadal in AusOpen QF 2007, on the way to finals.

  • Dan Markowitz · November 28, 2014 at 5:41 am

    Wow, Gaurang, that is some list and knowledge of tennis. Even giving us FGonzo big wins. I don’t know if beating Murray at RG is ever a big win, but hey, it was the quarters. While we’re at it, how about Izzie beating Djoko at IW a few years back?! Or Qball beating Berdych once in US Open, killed him, or beating Murray in LA finals?!

    Kozlov beating Harry in Challengers!?

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2014 at 8:01 am

    Agree Gaurang there are just so many astounding performances in this era. Almost countless. WOWrinka over Djokovioc last year in Australia was just magic, they showed repeat last night on Tennis Channel. Tennis is in a great place today – and it’s only going to get better and betterer.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2014 at 8:04 am

    Isner beating Fed in Davis Cup was extraordinary. You have to put Soderling in there. Gonzalez had some Soderling type knockouts but none are popping in my mind. Delpo’s had some great performances, crushing Rafa in Miami is one.

  • Reece · November 30, 2014 at 6:49 am

    Best match I’ve ever seen live fed v safin Aus open semi. Had front row seats next to wilander who had been coaching safin only about 6 months earlier if I remember correctly. Wilander and I got talking a little and was a great atmosphere and great to get a little insight from mats.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 30, 2014 at 8:54 am

    How could I forget Safin-Federer. One of the best matches ever.And to see such a match from row three in the company of Mats Wilander, Wow for you Reece, what a magical night that must’ve been. Mats is one of the coolest guys in not only tennis but sports period. Safin at his best vs. Rafa – wish the stars would have aligned to have shown us that clash of titans.

  • Gaurang · November 30, 2014 at 6:51 pm

    Yes Dan, Isner’s win against Novak in IW and against Fed in Davis Cup were great!

    I dont remember the QBall wins, but I do remember him playing many tournament finals in a row in the US summer hard court season, winning (or almost winning) the US Open Series. Murray win must have been part of that streak (feeling lazy to look up).

    Scoop, I remember Delpo winning against Rafa in Miami. I think that match went into a 3rd set tiebreak IIRC. It was a great match, a nail-biter and Delpo pulled it through. I think it was 2009 the year when Delpo grew in confidence through the year, until toppling Fed in US Open finals and reaching the finals of the ATP Finals, loosing to Davydenko. What a year it was for him. Delpo had made Fed play a fifth set at RG in QF or SF that same year. He was playing amazing. He was and is still one of my favorite players. He can dictate play left and right playing flat — one of the best at that. I sure hope he can climb back up from his injury this year. Would love to see how he plays against Raonic and Nishikori.

  • Guillermo Morales-Rubert · December 2, 2014 at 4:44 am

    How about Mark Keil beating Pete Sampras at the Queen’s Club tournament back in 1991? This was a tremendous upset.

  • Guillermo Morales-Rubert · December 2, 2014 at 9:41 pm

    Mark Keil beat Pete Sampras 6-2, 7-6(2) at the Stella Artois Championships at the Queen’s Club in London.This was a great performance by Mark.

  • Scoop Malinowski · December 3, 2014 at 7:44 am

    Guillermo I heard about this match in the Journeyman movie, what happened this day, did Keil just play out of his mind, like Soderling? How did he do it? Certain guys could light it up vs. Pete sometimes and play insane tennis – like Jiri Novak in Davis Cup, Korda gave Pete fits, as did Jaime Yzaga. Do you have any memories or details of this match? Pete was usually a beast on grass in London.

  • Guillermo Morales-Rubert · December 3, 2014 at 10:39 pm

    I think Mark Keil played a perfect grass court match. Mark is very athletic around the net. Maybe he should be featured in the next biofile. Mark has many interesting stories.

  • Scoop Malinowski · December 4, 2014 at 6:31 am

    Someone was telling me about Mark a few months ago, think he’s living in Hawaii now.

  • Guillermo Morales-Rubert · December 4, 2014 at 12:06 pm

    He is my friend. He is currently living in Phonix. Mark was living in Hawaii where his father lives. I will encourage him to submit a comment.

  • Andrew Miller · December 4, 2014 at 12:37 pm

    Safin match made me a believer. Then his play post australian victory torpedo-ed the belief in Safin.

    He is who he is. Probably one of most talented players of all time, right up there with Rios.

  • Andrew Miller · December 4, 2014 at 12:38 pm

    Safin deserves a book.

  • Scoop Malinowski · December 4, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    Guillermo, please can you email me Mark’s email? I can send him the questions of set up an interview. Thanks GMR.

  • Scoop Malinowski · December 4, 2014 at 7:23 pm

    Been talking to some of the Bollettieri coaches who were around Rios when he first came here at 14. Rios had no friends here at all, total loner. “If he was burning on fire, no one would have thrown water on him” was how one said it. The major network did a story on the academy and there is a video asking a very young Rios where are you from? “Chile.” What is your name? What do you want to do? “I want to be #1 in the world.” Rios always wanted #1. The coach said Rios was the most talented player he ever saw “by far.” Rios was also crazy. Coach said, “To be that good, you have to be abnormal.” Rios also earned a $3 million bonus from Nike and a$2 million bonus from Yonex the day he became #1. $5 million in one day. Rios also ran over his fitness coach Manuel Astorga, ran him over with car, they had some kind of dispute about training, Rios didn’t want to listen and freakin ran him over, broke both his legs. Had to pay a HUGE settlement too. Malicious to the point of almost evil. He was very strange, different, wired totally differently. Rios was a freak show, an enigman, a mystery, a demon. To be that good at something you have to be totally different.

  • Scoop Malinowski · December 4, 2014 at 7:26 pm

    Facing Safin would be a lot of fun. That’s on the backburner Andrew. Gotta finish Facing Rafa, McEnroe and Serena first though. Safin was a powerhouse, Rios and Safin had some good matches too.

  • Andrew Miller · December 4, 2014 at 11:50 pm

    Safin is like the anti Rios or anti Agassi – so much talent and didnt care, and was good with that. Gotta love safin.

    Nice facing Serena. Talking with Seles should be awesome. She loves Serena .

<<

>>

Find it!

Copyright 2010
Tennis-Prose.com
To top