Boxing had Ali vs. Frazier in 1974. Soccer had Italy vs. West Germany in 1970. American Football had Super Bowl 51, and well, if we were to list every single sporting contest which saw the greatest game take place ever, we’d be here all day.
The great thing about watching sports is the fact that you never know what you’re going to see next. Sometimes you’ll settle down to a fairly subdued game or match, which some may even call boring. Other times, however, you’ll sit down and be on the edge of your seat from start to finish as you watch a showdown for the ages take place, which could very well go into the history books as one of the greatest sporting moments of all time.
Tennis is a sport that has not only created some incredible players, but it has also created some amazing moments and some even more amazing matches.
While everybody has their own unique opinion of what they consider the best tennis match of all time, we can generally all agree on the fact that some matches in the past must be considered amongst the best, which is why we’ve compiled this list.
Here’s a look at the 10 greatest tennis matches of all time.
10. Monica Seles vs. Steffi Graf, 1992 French Open Finals
Coming in at number 10 on our list, we have Monica Seles vs. Steffi Graf at the French Open Finals back in 1992.
Steffi Graf is widely considered to be one of the greatest female tennis players of all time, and it’s because of performances like this, that that is the case.
In the 1992 French Open Final, 18-year-old Monica Seles was ranked as the No. 1 female tennis player in the world, while 22-year-old Graf was ranked No. 2.
Needless to say, this was an extremely close match and was one of the most eagerly anticipated contests in the sport’s history. Seles started strong, though Graf would make a comeback and temporarily take the lead.
Ultimately, it was Seles who came out on top in one of the greatest women’s French Open Finals of all time.
9. Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal, Australian Open Final, 2012
Novak Djokovic is considered one of the best tennis players of all time, if not the best ever. Rafael Nadal is not far behind. Needless to say, when these two exceptional players meet, magic happens.
This would be the longest grand slam final in the history of the sport, with many agreeing it is the best Australian Open Final ever played.
The match lasted an astonishing 5 hours and 53 minutes, with the match starting Sunday evening and concluding at 1:37 AM on Monday.
At the time, Nadal and Djokovic were the two best players. It would be the 3rd consecutive Grand Slam final featuring the two. The match was raw, emotional, and highly competitive, with Djokovic eventually taking a 6-5 lead, saving a break point, and finally holding serve to go out on top.
8. Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic – French Open Semi-Final, 2013
Little more than a year after their epic encounter in Australia, the two (at the time) greatest men’s tennis players in the sport’s history would once again meet in another hugely competitive and thoroughly entertaining encounter.
Djokovic was in the form of his life at the time, and Nadal, dubbed the ‘King of Clay,’ was hot on his heels and looking to avenge his loss in Australia.
Both players looked as sharp as a razor, with volleys, rallies, drop shots, ground strokes, and more. As soon as one player gained an edge, his competitor would be right back on him and back in front.
In the 5th set, the Spaniard was finally able to gain the upper hand and would win a break point and secure the win, taking him to the finals and ultimately bagging him yet another French Open title.
7. Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer – Wimbledon Final, 2019
Here we have yet another epic encounter featuring Djokovic, only this time he would be facing Roger Federer, who is arguably the greatest tennis player to ever live.
Djokovic and Federer are often compared like Messi and Ronaldo, or Pacino and De Niro, in that people, consider them the two GOATs (Greatest of All Time) but can’t decide who is superior to the other.
Back in 2019, at the highly prestigious Wimbledon summer tournament, Djokovic faced Federer in the final.
Federer, who was almost 38 years of age, was arguably still in the prime of his career and had shown why he is considered the best of all time throughout the tournament. Unfortunately for Federer, Novak Djokovic was also playing arguably his best tennis.
The match would last close to 5 hours, and Federer nearly clinched the title after setting up two match points, which Djokovic would save before winning in a 5th set tie-break.
6. Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal – Australian Open Final, 2017
In 2017, some would argue that Nadal and Federer were both past their prime.
While Nadal was the younger of the two, his form had dipped somewhat in 2017, as had Roger’s, and so it was quite the surprise when the two veterans made it to the Australian Open Finals in 2017.
Federer was coming back from injury, and Nadal had not made a major final since 2014. Many predicted that the match would be dull and boring, but how wrong they were.
The two had met each other many times in the past, in Grand Slam Finals, though there was still a feeling of excitement in the air, as something had to give.
The match would once again go 5 sets, just like many of their other meetings, though it would be the older Federer who would come out on top, winning 6 – 3 in the 5th set.
5. Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi – US Open Quarter Final, 2001
Up next, we have an epic contest between two of the greatest tennis players to ever live.
In the 1990s, Sampras and Agassi were the two best players in tennis by a long way. They had an amazing rivalry and great chemistry on the court. What was even more remarkable was the fact that they both had such different styles of play. Agassi was aggressive and explosive, whereas Sampras was cool, calm, and calculated. It also didn’t hurt that, at the time, they weren’t exactly the best of friends.
The two Americans, at home in the States, in the quarter-finals of one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments, put on a display for the ages at the 2001 US Open Quarter Finals, despite both men being past their prime.
With all 4 sets going to tie-breaks, Sampras’ hugely impressive and scarily accurate serve helped him to bag 3 of the 4 without a single break of serve. Sampras would eventually come out on top, with both men receiving a standing ovation from the raucous crowd.
4. Suzanne Lenglen vs. Helen Wills – Cannes, France, 1926
Up next, we’re going back in time, almost one century, to France in 1926.
At the time, both Wills and Lenglen were considered the two most dominant female tennis players of that era. Despite this, they only played each other once, but what a match it turned out to be.
The two players would meet at a relatively small tournament at the Cannes, France’ Carlton Club Final. The match had an incredible atmosphere, with fans sitting in trees and on rooftops to get a good view of the action.
Wills took a 3-1 lead, with Lenglen making her way over to the sidelines for a glass of cognac (things were very different back then, as alcohol was believed to improve athletic performance).
The cognac must have worked, as Lenglen staged an epic comeback and, despite some controversy with the crowd calling for a ball to be out but not the linesman, would go on to seal a 6 – 3, 8 – 6 victory.
3. Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick – Wimbledon Final, 2009
In the 2000s, Roger Federer looked unstoppable, and as a result, people began rooting for the underdog.
Andy Roddick was a fan-favorite when he met Federer in the final of Wimbledon in 2009. Most fans were rooting for him as he always seemed to come up short.
The match looked fairly competitive right up until the final set, when the drama really unfolded, with Roddick losing his serve just once.
Despite Roddick setting the record for the most games won in a Wimbledon final while aged 39, Federer would prove to be too dominant and would come out on top, once again proving to be the thorn in Andy Roddick’s side.
On paper, this match doesn’t sound that exciting, but as Roddick was such an underdog, was so popular, and had been chasing the big one for so long, it had a real ‘Rocky’ feel to it. Sadly, not every story ends happily ever after.
2. Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe – Wimbledon Final, 1980
No look at the greatest tennis matches in the history of the sport of tennis would be complete without a detailed look at Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe.
Widely considered to be the greatest tennis rivalry of all time (so much so, in fact, that they made a Hollywood movie out of it.) Borg vs. McEnroe in 1980, at Wimbledon, is one of the best tennis matches of all time.
Borg was cool and calm, whereas McEnroe was loud and hot-headed. Because of the contrasting styles of play, as well as their personalities, the match made for compelling viewing, especially in the endless tie-breaker.
McEnroe fought off numerous match points, while Borg survived numerous set points from McEnroe. The 18 – 16 fourth tie-breaker is often considered the most dramatic in all of tennis. Borg would win the 5th set 8 – 6 and secure his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title.
McEnroe would go on to beat Borg in the finals a year later. For many, this is the greatest tennis match of all time, and up until a decade or so ago, we’d have agreed. However…
1. Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal – Wimbledon Final, 2008
There’s a reason why Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have both featured so heavily on this list of amazing tennis matches, and the reason is simply due to the fact that they were both such amazing players.
While the two met numerous times, their epic encounter at the Wimbledon Final back in 2008 is widely considered to be the greatest professional tennis match to ever take place.
Federer had won the last five Wimbledon titles back to back, defeating Nadal back in 06 and 07. At the time, the two players between them had won the last 14 of 16 Grand Slam Titles. Needless to say, this had that big fight feel.
Nadal was known as the ‘King of Clay,’ and Federer was the ‘King of Grass.’ Nadal wanted revenge, and Federer wanted to build on his legacy.
Federer was the favorite, but Nadal started off strongly and took the early lead. By the fourth set, Nadal was up by 5 – 2 and was even in possession of Championship points. Federer held on and would win the fourth, though.
The fifth was even more intense, as both players had a chance of securing the win, yet it would continue on and on. Nadal held on like a warrior and amazingly saved 12 out of the 13 break points that he faced.
The match, typically for Wimbledon, was interrupted by rain twice and would last for 4 hours and 48 minutes. Fans were glued to the action, and under an ominously dark London sky, Federer would finish the tennis match with 89 winners… and would still lose.
Finally, Nadal defeated his foe and was the Wimbledon champion. What an epic moment!
