By Owen Lewis

Ever notice how often a spectacular shot or point takes place when the server leads 40-love? Do you shake your head when a player executes a near-perfect tiebreak, going up 6-0, and then misses a low-percentage shot by several feet? There are reasons for both of these initially confusing aspects of tennis. The brilliant scoring system presents players with opportunities to take risks, as well as stages where consistency and patience are the smarter choice.

Returning at 40-love

When the server has 40-love (in other words, three consecutive game points), the returner’s chances look bleak to win the game. It’s very rare that someone will be broken after going up 40-love (though it’s happened to virtually everyone on tour at some point). Accordingly, the returner will often take a risk on the 40-love point, sometimes by attempting to execute a vicious return winner, or simply by playing more aggressively than usual. It’s a very low-pressure point for both players; if the server loses it they have two more chances to win the game, and if the returner loses it, well, them winning the point probably wouldn’t have changed things.

Serving at 40-love

Since the server is all but assured to win the game at 40-love, they often go for an improbable winner as well, such as a second-serve ace. As a result, double faults are not uncommon at this stage, and neither are aces. Overall, since the 40-love point is rarely a pressured one for server or returner, many impressive shots and rallies have been recorded on it, as well as many wild errors or double faults.

Why is 30-love different?

There’s just a difference of one point between 30-love and 40-love, right? Yes, but it’s also more than that. Brad Gilbert writes about the importance of 30-love points in his book Winning Ugly, and he doesn’t undersell the value of the point. A double fault at 30-love is often more damaging than one might think; a second error makes the score 30-all and makes the game very complicated. The service game isn’t over at 30-love by any means.

Tiebreaks

Early in tiebreaks, high-percentage tennis is typically a sound strategy. There’s not much sense in going for a second-serve ace on the opening point of a tiebreak, because it’s anyone’s game at love-love, and there’s no need to take a big risk when the positions are even. But at 6-0, even a wild miss is unlikely to fuel a comeback.

Here’s an example: at the 2009 Australian Open, Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco delivered a match of supreme quality in the semifinals (watch highlights here). Verdasco won the first set in a tiebreak, Nadal hit back to win the next two frames, and the fourth set also went to 6-all. Verdasco dominated the breaker, scorching three forehand winners and executing a drop volley on his way to a 6-0 lead. With Nadal serving down 0-6, Verdasco took a violent swing at his opponent’s first serve, missing the return by a mile. This is actually a valid strategy. He was landing all his shots, and barring a total collapse, was going to win the tiebreak, so decided to go for a wild winner. It missed, unsurprisingly, but proved irrelevant as his powerful serve on the next point secured him the tiebreak: 7-1 (Nadal would win the fifth set 6-4).

The Hidden Importance of Serving at 6-2 in a Tiebreak

It’s 6-2 in the tiebreak, and you’re serving. Nothing to worry about? Think again. A careless mistake hands the opponent two serves at 3-6, and if they win both of those, you’ll be facing a mountain of pressure when serving at 6-5. If you lose that point, it’s 6-all and the momentum couldn’t be more against you.

Andy Roddick led Federer by a set in the 2009 Wimbledon final. He then took a 6-2 lead in the second-set tiebreak. He had four consecutive set points for a two-set lead. Against Roger Federer. In a Wimbledon final. Federer flicked a gorgeous and beautifully timed backhand winner on Roddick’s 6-2 service point, then smacked a pair of unreturned serves for 6-5. Federer had done enough to make the 6-5 point an incredibly pressured one, and Roddick pushed a makeable backhand volley well wide. Federer went on to win the tiebreak 8-6 and the match (watch the tiebreak at the start of this video)

A more recent instance of the 6-2 pitfall: at the 2017 Rogers Cup, in the second round, Kei Nishikori led 6-2 in the deciding set tiebreak against Frenchman Gael Monfils. Nishikori double faulted for 6-3, and Monfils immediately won an astonishing point in which he ran corner to corner to keep the ball in play, then stroked a backhand winner down the line. The crowd became fully engaged, cheering for Monfils to finish the comeback, and he did so, serving big for 6-5 and pummeling a forehand winner to even the tiebreak. He would win the tiebreak 8-6, drilling another forehand past Nishikori on match point (watch brief highlights here)

Yes, a practically superhuman effort from Monfils was required to win, but if Nishikori had won the 6-2 point, the Frenchman wouldn’t have had the opportunity to win the amazing 6-3 point and get the crowd involved. Is it guaranteed that Nishikori would have claimed the 6-2 point barring a double fault? No, but he lost it in a way that didn’t force Monfils to hit a single shot. The 6-2 point in the tiebreak is more valuable than it appears, and it should be treated with care. Avoid double faults at all costs, and underestimate its importance at your own peril.

Finishing in Style is Overrated

On match point, many players will attempt a flashy winner. If it comes off, the crowd goes nuts, and it will probably haunt highlight reels for weeks to come. But if it doesn’t, the match goes on, and the opponent may build momentum.

If a player is serving for a win at 5-4 and 40-love, going for a second serve ace is an acceptable strategy, but if it’s 5-4 and 40-30 a player is better off sticking with the patterns that work for them. If there’s pressure on the match point (such that losing it would put the end result in doubt), going for a low-percentage shot is a huge mistake much more often than not.

Double faults on match point are also to be avoided at all costs. Even a weak second serve or return forces the opponent to play a shot. Spread the pressure around a little bit.

In short, finishing in style may be more fun than a typical win, but nowhere near the margin by which winning is more fun than losing. If missing the ambitious shot puts a player in a tricky position, it’s not the right decision to hit the shot.

An Overview

Not all break points, set points, and match points are the same. The score always matters. So save the slapped forehands for when it’s 5-1, 40-love, and play solidly at 5-4, 40-30. The wrong strategy at the wrong time can cripple someone’s chances in a game, set, or even match.

Thanks for reading!

By Owen Lewis

Rafael Nadal rules the clay courts. The 24-year-old Spaniard is the next step down from invincible on the dirt, at one point winning a staggering eighty-one straight matches on clay. He won the first 24 matches he played at the French Open, responded to his first loss there by reclaiming the title the following year, and won his sixth consecutive title at Monte-Carlo last month. He’s won six French Open titles in seven attempts, is on a 36-match winning streak on clay as of now, and dispelled claims that he was a single-surface specialist by winning Wimbledon in 2008, the Australian Open in 2009, and the U.S. Open in September of last year. He’s ranked number one in the world.

His opponent today, Novak Djokovic — a 23-year-old from Serbia — was the runner-up in that U.S. Open final last September. Nadal beat him 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, completing his career Grand Slam by outplaying the Serb. The Spaniard leads the head-to-head 16-9, and leads the rivalry on clay 9-0 — likely the more crucial stat today. Djokovic, having never beaten Nadal on clay, will need to play one of the best matches of his life to lift the trophy, even if he is undefeated so far this year.

Djokovic will also have to avoid being haunted by demons of two years ago — yes, I’m referring to that 2009 Madrid semifinal. Djokovic played perhaps his best ever match on clay, but it wasn’t enough as Nadal saved three match points in the third set tiebreak, two with inside-in forehand winners, and collapsed to the dirt victorious after four hours. The Spaniard actually played somewhat poorly by his standards for parts of the match, but his “poor” on clay still matches others’ “spectacular”.

So Djokovic doesn’t just have to contend with Nadal’s godlike status on clay, he also faces the Spaniard’s granite will. Nadal rarely, if ever, gives up on a point or a match, as Federer found out at the Wimbledon final in 2008 when he stormed back from two sets down, saving a pair of championship points in the fourth set tiebreak, only to watch an unruffled Nadal win the fifth set 9-7. Even if Djokovic wins the first set 6-0 today, don’t expect Nadal to buckle.

The Spaniard is the defending champion in Madrid, and has two titles in total from the Spanish capital, a relatively meager haul compared to his winnings at the other big clay tournaments. Madrid plays faster than Monte-Carlo and Paris, so Djokovic’s chances are probably a bit better here than they would be elsewhere in the clay season.

When faced with the daunting clay resume of Nadal, it would appear that Djokovic is an overwhelming underdog today, but that’s not the case. Though he trails in the head-to-head, he’s won his last two matches against Nadal, both three-set efforts in the Sunshine Swing. In Indian Wells, he powered past the Spaniard in the third set, 6-2, and in Miami won a much tighter decider 7-6 (4). Miami is a candidate for match of the year so far. Djokovic survived a couple tough service games in the third and played a great tiebreak, so it’s fair to say that he’s mentally tough as well. In both matches, Djokovic lost the first set, but won the next two, so he won’t fold today should he lose the opener.

What’s more, Djokovic is having a splendid 2011 so far. He won the Australian Open for a second time, beating 16-time major champion Roger Federer in the semifinal (in straight sets!), and crushing two-time major finalist Andy Murray to win the title. He then won Indian Wells and Miami, beating Federer again in the former, and recording a pair of victories against Nadal in the title matches. As previously stated, Djokovic is undefeated this year, and it’s May, so he’s had to play quite a few matches, and against tough opponents. He’s replaced Federer in the #2 spot in the rankings recently, and he already has two wins each over Federer and Nadal this year, so he’ll be confident today, even if this match is on clay.

The 2011 Australian Open was Djokovic’s second major, the first coming at the same venue in 2008. After his maiden slam, he fell off the map a bit, not making another major final until the U.S. Open last year. It appears he’s going to remain at the top for a while this time around, seeing as he hasn’t lost in months.

Djokovic’s two-handed backhand is a worthy adversary for Nadal’s lefty forehand; it’s an extremely solid shot but also a penetrating weapon at times. It’s lethal even as Djokovic is skidding on the court, he produced a ridiculous sliding backhand pass down the line to break in the third set of the Australian Open final.

Djokovic survived sixth seed David Ferrer in the quarterfinals, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, while Nadal absorbed some great tennis from Federer in the semifinals before winning the final two sets comfortably. Since this is a clay court and Djokovic hasn’t yet beaten the Spaniard on the dirt, I think Nadal is a slight favorite today, but the Serb’s incredible success so far this year could propel him to glory. Either way, hopefully this is an epic three-setter to rival their match in Miami for quality! Here we go.

First set: Djokovic 1-0 Nadal (italicized name signals next server)

Djokovic serves first. His first forehand cracks the net tape and falls back to his side for love-15. Nadal then batters him from the baseline for a while, and Djokovic’s backhand sails way long. He’s under pressure right away at love-30. The Serb scores his first point with a winning smash, but Nadal has a pair of break points when he scorches a forehand winner down the line. This is a fine start from the Spaniard, and a glimpse of what he puts his opponents through on clay. Djokovic evades the first break point with a huge forehand winner down the line. Nadal’s backhand return was deep and had a decent angle on it, pushing Djokovic wide, but the Serb went for the winner and was rewarded. 30-40. Nadal sends a backhand just long after a short rally for deuce. Nadal moves Djokovic from corner to corner with aggressive baseline hitting, but the Serb hangs in with sliding, defensive shots, and Nadal goes for too much with a backhand down the line that lands well long. Djokovic holds with a crisp forehand winner down the line. That was an impressive recovery from 15-40 down, and an important hold confidence-wise and momentum-wise to start the match.

First set: Djokovic 2-0 Nadal

Djokovic sends a backhand return wide off a Nadal second serve. He’s typically a great returner; he’ll want to avoid mistakes like that in the future, and will likely have to in order to beat Nadal. The first Nadal forehand-Djokovic backhand rally of the match follows, and the Serb wins it when Nadal shanks a forehand. And what a point that is from Djokovic! The Spaniard drills a forehand down the line, then an inside-in forehand, but Djokovic repels the latter with an angled crosscourt backhand that gets him back into the point. His next shot, a firm backhand down the line, forces Nadal to hit long. That’s an example of how his backhand can hurt Nadal; he won’t deliver any defensive slices on the run like Federer often does. He can hit aggressive backhands while sliding, meaning Nadal will have to work very hard to maintain the upper hand in rallies. The Spaniard’s in a hole of his own now at 15-30, and has to win the point about three times to get to 30-all. He hits a wide serve that would win the point against many players, but Djokovic’s return comes back deep. He then goes behind Djokovic with a backhand down the line, fooling the Serb, but Djokovic’s next shot hits the baseline. Finally Djokovic misses, coaxing a cry of “Vamos!” from Nadal. The Spaniard drills a serve at Djokovic’s body, earning a short ball, which he drives to Djokovic’s backhand, but the Serb’s sliding pass is directed at a beautiful angle crosscourt. Winner. 30-40 and break point, and Djokovic converts! His return pulls Nadal out of position, and soon enough he gets the attackable ball, creaming a forehand down the line, and even the Spaniard can’t get it back. Djokovic breaks!

First set: Djokovic 3-0 Nadal

Djokovic bounces a second serve out wide, and puts away Nadal’s return with another gorgeous forehand down the line. When a second serve precedes a winner by the server on the next shot, it either means that the return was weak or that the serve was aggressive. That was a great second serve from Djokovic, and Nadal’s return wasn’t too bad. The Serb is feeling it. Nadal lifts a forehand well long for 30-love. Djokovic has won 11 of the last 14 points, and it’s not because Nadal is playing poorly. This is high quality tennis from Djokovic in these first few games. A big serve down the middle produces three game points, and Nadal returns long off a second serve. Djokovic holds to love.

Nadal badly needs this next game now, for fear that the set might otherwise be out of reach. Djokovic did magnificently to dodge a pair of break points in the opening game, and now has a solid lead in this first set. He can’t have made more than one or two unforced errors so far.

First set: Djokovic 4-0 Nadal

There’s no letup from Djokovic. Nadal spins in a second serve, and the Serb is on top in the rally from the word go, clubbing a couple aggressive groundstrokes before blasting a backhand down the line that Nadal can’t quite get back. The Spaniard needs a couple free points on serve, because he’s won 4/15 baseline points so far, but Djokovic’s imperious return game is going to make that difficult. Make that 4/16 — Nadal manages to open up the court with a well-angled, loopy crosscourt forehand, but his attempted winner, a forehand down the line, smacks the net. He’s in serious danger of going down a double break here — maybe he should throw in a net rush to try to upset Djokovic’s rhythm? But it’s hard to rush the net when you can’t get ahead in points. Nadal misses another first serve, and Djokovic cracks a backhand winner straight down the line at the end of another rally. Very quickly, it’s love-40, and Djokovic has won 16 of the last 19 points. Nadal saves the first break point as the Serb hits a backhand long, but mistakes like that have been few and far between so far. And Djokovic breaks again! Ruthless, brutal crosscourt backhands push Nadal into his forehand corner, the Serb powers a backhand down the line, and Nadal nets his sliding backhand pass.

This has been utterly brilliant from Djokovic so far, his backhand is doing heavy, heavy damage to Nadal. His crosscourt shots have opened up the court for him to crush backhands down the line, and even his more conservative backhands down the line are setting up his forehand for winners. Nadal can’t get into points at the moment.

First set: Djokovic 4-1 Nadal

Djokovic nets a backhand to begin this game. Nadal’s return was fairly deep, but that was without question an unforced error, something that must seem completely foreign to Djokovic after the last 20 minutes. Nadal takes a love-30 lead with his best shot of the match, a sliding backhand pass down the line! Djokovic’s approach was just fine, but Nadal landed his backhand right in the corner. The Serb hits an inside-out forehand miles out, and just like that Nadal has three break points! Djokovic bosses the next rally, forcing Nadal to hit long, but he loses his first game with a double fault!

That was a somewhat inevitable dip in form from Djokovic, given how well he was playing, but he played quite a poor game there. Two missed groundstrokes on his first shot after the serve, as well as a double fault. Obviously, Nadal’s incredible pass did him no favors, but if errors continue to taint Djokovic’s game in the next fifteen minutes or so, Nadal could get his teeth into this match. Before he can think about a comeback this set, though, he’ll have to hold serve for the first time today.

First set: Djokovic 4-2 Nadal

Djokovic goes for a drop shot — not a bad play, it likely would have worked if he’d made it — but it’s stopped by the net. He needs to stick to his tactic of pushing Nadal around from the baseline, it was working incredibly well. Djokovic does so on the next point, staying back and moving his shots around wonderfully. Eventually the court opens up and he strikes a lovely backhand winner down the line. That shot is a fearsome weapon, and he’s using it to great effect.

Djokovic has six unforced errors now, the same as Nadal, but four of them have come in the last game and a half, and another came on the first point of the match. This means that there was a stretch during which he hit a grand total of one unforced error out of 22 points. He’s somehow been managing to hit “safe” shots that are still enough to take over rallies and run Nadal around. If he can reproduce that kind of tennis in any capacity in future matches, he’s definitely winning some more majors.

He’s certainly cooled off a bit, but that 1/22 stat shows how remarkably well he was playing for the first 20 minutes of this match. Not many players can outhit Nadal from the baseline, but he’s managed it so far.

At 15-all, a neutral rally takes place; Nadal was hitting with better depth there. A sharply angled forehand from the Spaniard makes Djokovic have to go for the winner, and he misses comfortably. A service winner from Nadal gives him two game points, and another big serve seals his first hold of the match. He celebrates with another “Vamos!” and this set is looking much more complicated now. Nadal isn’t going to give up; he didn’t when down 4-0 and he’s now halved the deficit. Djokovic will need to play a much better service game than his last to maintain his break advantage.

First set: Djokovic 5-2 Nadal

Djokovic produces a wickedly angled inside-out forehand off of Nadal’s second serve return (the Spaniard might need to go for more aggressive returns, this is the second time Djokovic’s hit a huge shot after a second serve). I actually thought it was a winner at first, but Nadal somehow gets it back, looping a towering lob amazingly deep in the court. The rally becomes neutral, and extends for ten, then twenty, then twenty-five shots. Nadal’s Houdini act of defense, unbelievably, isn’t enough to win the point: Djokovic cranks a trio of angled crosscourt backhands, the final one a winner set up by the previous two. That’s his fourth backhand winner. Losing that point must be a heartbreaker for Nadal; the get early in the rally was truly magnificent. He not only lost the point, but expended a ton of energy in that rally. That point deserves the tennis equivalent of an Oscar, and it’s only enough to get Djokovic to 15-love. What a sport.

Djokovic’s first serve misses by feet, he’s probably (understandably!) a bit wiped out from the previous rally. He wins the point off his second serve, though, Nadal hitting well long. The Spaniard goes to change his racket; it wouldn’t be surprising if the first rally of this game wore it out. Djokovic spanks an inside-out forehand winner after a big serve down the middle for 40-love. He then comes out on top of a brief but intense rally for game.

Djokovic’s game is so well-balanced, he’s capable of winning draining points such as the first one of the game, but is also powerful enough to pull of one-two punches as he did at 30-love. That was a much better game from the Serb, and one that re-establishes his momentum.

First set: Djokovic 5-3 Nadal

Nadal, serving to stay in the set, takes a 15-love lead with a sparkling inside-in forehand. He opened the court up with a huge forehand down the line, and this is the kind of point he needs to play consistently. The issue for him at the moment is that Djokovic’s crosscourt backhands aren’t giving him the time he needs to redirect the ball down the line. He’s not getting the opportunity to be the aggressor. He has 3 winners to Djokovic’s 9 so far.

An ace from Nadal makes it 30-love — he needs more cheap points. He gets another when Djokovic returns long off a second serve, and a third when a big serve out wide proves unreturnable. Nadal holds to love.

That was Nadal’s best game so far: he won a rally from the baseline and three points from the serve. He has to serve bigger or more accurately going forward to be able to run Djokovic around — the Serb’s returns are often putting Nadal at a disadvantage early in points. Djokovic will now serve for the set.

First set: Djokovic 5-4 Nadal

Djokovic overpowers Nadal with a series of forehands, the last an inside-out bullet that the Spaniard gets a racket on but can’t scoop over the net. It’s quickly 30-love as Djokovic drills his first ace of the match, but the Serb makes a major error on the next point. He has a forehand virtually on top of the net, and instead of hitting it inside-out to the open court, blasts it right at Nadal, who crushes a perfect backhand pass crosscourt for a winner. The shot energizes Nadal and the crowd (a few of whom applaud Djokovic’s missed first serve at 30-15), and the Spaniard evens the game at 30-all with a biting inside-out forehand. This is a huge point, probably the most important Djokovic has faced since staring down break point in the first game. Nadal plays some good defense early in the rally and Djokovic, going for the kill, hits a backhand down the line just wide. Break point to get back on serve. A bad call is made on Djokovic’s first serve, for the second time this match — it’s out but called in. Nadal’s been there to correct the officials both times, fortunately. It’s annoying for both players; the incorrect calls don’t just potentially cheat Nadal of points but upset Djokovic’s serving rhythm as the Spaniard points out the mistake. Djokovic is a bit more tentative in this rally, and Nadal takes control with his forehand, slashing an inside-out winner to break! The crowd is going wild and we’re back on serve!

Misdirecting the putaway forehand at 30-love that game really cost Djokovic. Nadal has all the momentum in the world now, and that miss could haunt the Serb if he goes on to lose this set.

First set: Djokovic 5-5 Nadal

Nadal still has to hold to stay in the set in order to truly restore parity. Djokovic floats a regulation backhand long; his level has definitely dropped a couple notches. Nadal mishits a forehand for 15-all, and the next couple points are crucial. Djokovic is three points from the first set. Nadal bangs a great serve down the middle, putting away the Serb’s incredibly deep return for a winner for 30-15. That was a tougher shot that it would’ve been against anyone else. Nadal swerves a forehand well wide, and here comes a pivotal point at 30-all. And what a point it is! Yet another engrossing rally between the top two players in the world (22 shots) moves each athlete from side to side, and eventually a devastating three-backhand combination from Djokovic proves decisive. The first pushes Nadal out to his forehand side, the second whistles down the line, provoking a desperate, sliding retrieval from the Spaniard, setting up the third backhand, which Djokovic rams crosscourt for a winner! Such clean hitting, and it earns him set point. Nadal saves it with a forceful serve! Djokovic shakes his head, but that was impressive nerveless play from the defending champion. Deuce.

Nadal pushes Djokovic wide to his forehand with a heavy inside-out forehand, then whips a winner into the open court! The shot was hit directly on the sideline, and anything less likely would’ve enabled Djokovic to get a racket on the ball. The Serb shakes his head, smiling. He keeps this game going with a big backhand return off Nadal’s second serve that the Spaniard can’t return. Deuce #2.

Nadal is winning 36% of points on his second serve, which shows how menacing the Djokovic return is. That is likely putting pressure on the Spaniard to make his first serve by taking some pace off, but he isn’t the biggest server to begin with, so that tactic would eat away at the low percentage of free points he is managing to get. Djokovic is winning 55% of second serve points.

Nadal narrowly misses an ambitious, low-percentage forehand down the line and now faces a second set point. He serves big to Djokovic’s forehand again, but the Serb’s return is in and they rally. Djokovic loops a forehand wide; it’s something of a miracle that Nadal is staying in this set. The Spaniard clips the baseline with a forehand, then muscles an inside-out forehand that Djokovic returns long. Advantage Nadal. He nets a forehand immediately after the serve; that was a tight miss at a bad time. Djokovic has a third set point with yet more immense ballstriking from the baseline, but again he can’t convert, angling a backhand down the line well wide. This is the 5th deuce this game, besides being exhausting for the players it feels very important. Nadal reaches advantage, surprising Djokovic with a forehand down the line that the Serb nets. And he holds with a service winner!

That was a thirteen-minute game, throughout which Nadal showed incredible resolve and guts. He’s evened the set after Djokovic’s flying start, and the Serb will need to gather himself for what could be a very difficult service game at 5-all.

First set: Djokovic 6-5 Nadal

After the attritional intensity of the last game, this one passes quickly. Djokovic forces an error, then grinds Nadal down from the baseline until the Spaniard nets a backhand. 30-love. An ace from Djokovic gives him three game points, and another big serve sees him hold to love. That’s an impressive response after losing the last game.

Djokovic wins the first set 7-5!

Djokovic crunches a huge forehand down the line, finishing the point with a smash at the net. Nadal is quickly in trouble again at love-15. A Djokovic backhand clips the net cord and dies. Love-30, and there’s very little margin for error for Nadal now. Djokovic returns a Nadal first serve with depth and pace, and the Spaniard hits long. This has been a ruthless return game, three set points. Djokovic takes the first, benefitting from another net cord! Brutal. Nadal had no chance to get to either of those.

What a set of baseline tennis that was. Nadal is probably going to have to take control of some more points if he wants to turn this around; Djokovic is bossing too many rallies on the Spaniard’s serve. That was an outstanding set from the Serb; he couldn’t have started better and managed to weather Nadal’s comeback. Let’s hope there’s more to come.

Second set: Nadal 1-0 Djokovic

Djokovic misses an attempted forehand winner to start the second set. He has to keep his intensity and focus high. He swings a forehand wide, and now faces a hole at love-30. And there’s the shot of the match! Nadal takes over a neutral rally, coming to net. He hits a good drop volley off a solid backhand pass from Djokovic, who sprints forward and lobs the Spaniard. Nadal starts to jump for a backhand overhead, sees that it won’t work, then races back and pulls off a mind-blowing tweener lob that sails over Djokovic, who came to net, for a winner! The crowd goes ballistic; virtually everyone is on their feet after that shot. Magic. Nadal has three break points, and converts the first with a forehand winner down the line! Unbelievable.

Second set: Nadal 1-1 Djokovic

Nadal is ahead in a set for the first time, and he’ll have to work to hold his lead. He ropes a backhand wide for love-15, then loses an intriguing point in which Djokovic has the advantage only to hand it to Nadal, who finally misses a forehand. Nadal would love to hold here, he had some serious momentum after the end of the last game and a break would wipe it away. He pulls back to 15-30 by reaching a Djokovic half-volley flick, that was really quite a good shot, and ripping a forehand winner crosscourt. Nadal gets a look at a backhand down the line with the court open, but nets it and he’s facing two break points. He saves the first when a Djokovic shot clips the net and sits up for him to club a winning forehand. The Serb looks to have tweaked his leg that point; he crouches after losing it. Looks like he’s fine, though — he moves forward to bash a backhand winner down the line! Back on serve.

Second set: Nadal 1-2 Djokovic

Djokovic wins the first point of this game with a simple putaway volley at net. At 15-love, Djokovic wins a spectacular rally with his umpteenth angled crosscourt backhand forcing an error. He pumps his fist and pounds his chest. He’s shown just the right degree of aggression and patience in the rallies today. He swipes a forehand long from an offensive position for 30-15, then Nadal loops a backhand wide. That was a poor miss; the high-percentage, correct play was to hit crosscourt, but he went down the line and missed. Djokovic holds when Nadal clubs a backhand well long.

Second set: Nadal 2-2 Djokovic

Djokovic nets a regulation backhand. That’s a collector’s item today. He makes up for it by screaming a crosscourt backhand return past Nadal for 15-all. The Serb outlasts the defending champion in an exhausting, grunting rally — 35 shots! The Spaniard is in real trouble here at 15-30; a break this game could be curtains. Nadal, sensing the danger, swats a clutch ace, then sees a Djokovic forehand sail long. Game point. Nadal just misses an ace on his first serve, then is on his heels after the second, netting a forehand early in the rally. Djokovic is returning so well, and he takes control of a rally at the start of which Nadal struck a very good first serve. The Spaniard’s errant defensive lob brings up break point. He saves it with great aggression, racing to the net and putting away a delicate volley after Djokovic returned his swing volley. Nadal wins a brutal rally with a forehand missile that lands smack on the sideline. He picked the wrong side, hitting it closer to Djokovic than he should have, but hit the shot with such venom it ended up a winner regardless. “Vamos!” screams Nadal after holding with a service winner.

Second set: Nadal 2-3 Djokovic

Nadal nets a forehand; it looked like he mishit it. That will sting — he was neutral in the rally. Djokovic puts away Nadal’s weak return with a smash for 30-love, but nets a drop shot on the following point. He hasn’t been accurate with that shot today, which is a shame for him — he’s having such success with groundstrokes that I think a drop shot would fool Nadal. Djokovic errs on a forehand, hitting it wide, and this game is interesting now at 30-all. The Spaniard slices long, putting his head in his hands; that was a very makeable shot on a big point. Djokovic holds as Nadal hits a backhand long under no pressure. That was sloppy from the Spaniard, he had a chance in that game and let Djokovic off the hook.

Second set: Nadal 3-3 Djokovic

Djokovic lashes a forehand winner down the line off of what was a very solid inside-out Nadal forehand. An incredible shot. Nadal cracks a backhand down the line, putting away a smash for 15-all. A much-needed point for the Spaniard. A powerful serve sees Nadal take the lead in the game at 30-15, but he misses a forehand for 30-all. This is a huge point. Nadal misses his first serve, but for the first time I can remember, the Serb returns the second short, allowing Nadal to charge forward and smack a forehand, then crush a smash winner. He holds with a big serve.

Second set: Nadal 3-4 Djokovic

Nadal hits a backhand long. He’s made some bad errors the last couple Djokovic service games, which he can’t afford to do at this stage. His serve is being pressured almost every game, so a break would be massive for the Spaniard. Djokovic has 30-love after a steaming inside-out forehand forces an error. The Serb has a look at a backhand winner down the line — he’s been so accurate with that shot today — but crashes it into the net tape. Nadal runs too far around his backhand to hit a forehand; it pulls him out of position and Djokovic wallops the ball with extreme pace until Nadal misses. The Spaniard wins a high-octane rally for 40-30, but Djokovic bangs an ace out wide to hold.

Second set: Nadal 4-4 Djokovic

Nadal does well to stay in this rally, but inexplicably sails a backhand long — it looked like he was trying to land a loopy shot on the baseline. Djokovic is two games from victory, so every point is crucial at this stage. Nadal misses another first serve and is aggressive at the start of the point but falters when Djokovic re-establishes neutrality. Love-30. Nadal needs the next couple points. A big serve followed by a whipping forehand is enough to get to 15-30 — Nadal has to play more attacking tennis, Djokovic has been able to retain control of points once getting the upper hand. The Spaniard is more aggressive on the next point, and Djokovic finally misses a backhand. Nadal is having to work so hard to win points. He cracks an ace to get to relative safety at 40-30, though! The crowd loved that. Djokovic hauls him back to deuce, his return off the first serve is tremendous. Nadal gets it back, but the Serb directs the defending champion from corner to corner until he misses. Djokovic goes for an inside-out forehand winner but narrowly misses, and Nadal has another game point. Nadal holds when a fierce forehand provokes Djokovic to hit long!

Nadal’s still fighting and celebrating, but a break of his serve feels inevitable. He badly needs to break, but hasn’t had a break point since the first game of this set.

Second set: Nadal 4-5 Djokovic

Djokovic smashes a forehand down the line past Nadal for 15-love. He’s getting more free points and doing more damage on the return. The Spaniard plays some great defense to extend the next rally, but Djokovic brutally finishes the point with a sweeping crosscourt backhand winner. The Serb lifts a forehand long for 30-15, then Nadal hits his best return in a while, a powerful forehand, and goes on to win the rally. Here’s a huge point at 30-all. Djokovic pushes Nadal wide with an inside-out forehand, then bashes a backhand down the line. Nadal nets his sliding pass. Djokovic lands a deep backhand and Nadal’s forehand goes wide. The defending champion now has to serve to stay in the match.

Novak Djokovic wins the Mutua Madrid Open! He beats Rafael Nadal 7-5, 6-4!

Nadal is in trouble right away. Djokovic’s backhand return is huge, he then pulls an inside-in forehand to the opposite corner, and moves forward to put away the smash. Djokovic whacks a crosscourt backhand return well beyond Nadal’s reach. He’s pulling away here. He earns three match points with his best shot of the match! Djokovic moves Nadal back and forth with backhands, alternating the direction between down the line and crosscourt. The Spaniard is staying in the rally, and hits a decent enough backhand to Djokovic’s own backhand. The Serb swipes it crosscourt at an incredible angle for a winner; Nadal didn’t have a prayer of getting to that. The shot came out of nowhere — Djokovic was the aggressor in that rally, but not obviously so, then cracked an epic winner from a position not far from neutral. He roars. Nadal manages to save the first match point, but he slices a backhand wide on the second! Djokovic is the 2011 Madrid men’s champion!

That was a spectacular performance from Djokovic. He couldn’t have started better, then kept a cool head when his advantage disappeared. He benefitted from net cords in the twelfth game, but his returning was exceptional throughout, especially at the end of each set. His backhand kept him in points and finished points, and his forehand delivered plenty of winning shots.

Nadal didn’t play a terrible match; he could have done with more aggression, both on the return and in rallies. Erring on the second break point in the opening game of the match will hurt, but he didn’t lose today by way of his own mistakes. The next time he plays Djokovic, he’ll want to look for opportunities to hit his forehand down the line more often — he certainly wasn’t given the opportunity to hit many today, but on his first shot after the serve it might be a better option than the crosscourt forehand. He didn’t hit any drop shots; that could be a useful change of pace. But what is remarkable is that it seems like Nadal is going to have to change his playing style against an opponent — on clay. This is his third straight defeat to Djokovic, and it’s evident that the Serb’s backhand is a weapon that will reign supreme in their matchup if Nadal doesn’t adjust for Djokovic’s game.

Djokovic must now be considered a title contender at the French Open. He’s just beaten Nadal on clay for the first time, and won decisively; this match wasn’t anywhere near as close as their 2009 match in Madrid. Obviously, best-of-five is a different animal than best-of-three, but he has established a kind of supremacy over Nadal in the past few months. His undefeated streak remains intact, and now that he’s gotten the better of Nadal on clay, it’s hard to see any other player ending that run during the clay season.

Djokovic looks a tad confused as he’s handed the Madrid trophy and realizes that it is, in fact, not a trophy but a kind of golden stick, but he’ll be doing a victory dance inside as he holds it skyward. Nadal is still number one in the world but Djokovic has reason to believe he can beat anyone on any surface if he continues to play this well.

That’s all from me. If there’s a match you want me to do a game-by-game report on, or if you have another topic you want to read about, feel free to leave a comment or tweet @tennisnation.

Thanks for reading! Be safe, wash your hands, and practice social distancing!

By Owen Lewis

Roger Federer, the twenty-five-year-old Swiss, has won Wimbledon each of the last four years. Gliding across the pristine lawns, blasting aces, and smoking forehand winners has become second nature to him ever since he won his first major here in 2003. Andy Roddick has tried repeatedly to win the title, but was frustrated three years in a row by Federer, who had a serve that was a bit too accurate, groundstrokes that were a little too powerful, and passing shots that were precise enough to unravel Roddick’s net rushes. Federer has won 34 matches in a row at Wimbledon, and has dropped just one set in the tournament so far. Everything seems poised for him to capture a fifth consecutive title, matching Bjorn Borg’s legendary run from 1976 to 1980.

It’s possible that Federer’s game is even more imposing and complete than that of the great Swede. Borg’s success in majors was limited to Wimbledon and the French Open, and while it’s true that Federer is yet to win in Paris, he has multiple titles at three of the four slams and has made the French Open final the last two years. A win today would serve as his 11th major title, pushing him closer to the all-time men’s record of 14 owned by Pete Sampras. In just four years, Federer has played himself within shouting distance of the prestigious number, and shows no signs of slowing. However, his opponent today threatens to stop Federer’s momentum by force.

Twenty-one-year-old Spaniard Rafael Nadal is what separates Federer from the Challenge Cup, and he won’t be keen on surrendering the final for a second consecutive year. These two met in the Wimbledon title match last year, with Federer comfortably defeating Nadal 6-0, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2), 6-3. Yet the 2006 final only tells a fraction of the story that is the Federer-Nadal rivalry. The Swiss has won ten majors in the last four years, granted, but Nadal has prevented him from winning more, and leads the head-to-head 8-3, as well as their slam rivalry 3-1. The Spanish lefty possesses a fiery competitive spirit and an imposing topspin forehand that seems tailor-made to break down the elegant one-handed backhand of Federer.

Federer-Nadal has been the rivalry for a few years now. Nadal can push Federer in a way no one else has been able to since the Swiss began dominating men’s tennis, and they have produced some terrific rallies and matches. Nadal displays mental strength that few others possess, as he showed when he beat Federer in Rome last year (coming back from 4-1 down in the fifth set and saving two match points). Their games and mannerisms contrast appealingly; Nadal’s sleeveless shirts, muscular arms, fiery celebrations, and defensive, scrappy tennis are rivaled by Federer’s smooth one-handed backhand, reserved on-court personality, and attacking style.

Nadal won his first match against Federer with shocking ease (6-3, 6-3), and went on to win six of the first seven editions of the rivalry. He is incredibly fast, producing eye-popping retrievals in virtually every match he plays, and owns polished groundstrokes. His forehand, loaded with topspin, causes the ball to bounce up to the shoulders and sometimes neck of his opponents, resulting in an awkwardly high contact point. He has repelled Federer’s challenge at the French Open the past three years by constantly forcing the Swiss to hit uncomfortable one-handed backhands. He has ruled over Paris since the first time he stepped onto the red clay; he has played 21 matches at the French Open and won them all, including a semifinal and two finals against Federer.

Yet his success at majors has been limited to clay thus far in his career. He hasn’t made a final at either of the hard court slams, but is improving fast on grass. This is his second straight Wimbledon final, and since losing in 2006 he has had a year to mature and develop his game. A month ago at the French Open he beat Federer in the final, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, saving 16 of the 17 break points Federer was able to produce. Nadal is physically fit, as he showed in Rome last year when he topped the Swiss in a five-hour final, and knows how to beat Federer. The only problem is that he hasn’t yet done it on grass, and this makes Federer a slight favorite to win today, though it won’t be easy by any means.

This rivalry has defined men’s tennis for years, and fans who say they’re okay with missing this match are few and far between. Let’s hope for a classic!

First set: Federer 1-0 Nadal (italicized name signals the next server)

Federer is serving first, and announces his presence by smashing an ace down the middle on the opening point. That’s a statement; he hasn’t lost at Wimbledon since 2002 and his confidence is evident. Nadal directs a second serve return to the vulnerable backhand of Federer, but a strong riposte down the line follows and the Spaniard nets a backhand. 30-love. He scores his first point with a deep return down the middle that kisses the baseline, causing Federer to slam a forehand into the net, but the Swiss delivers back-to-back service winners for a hold at 15.

First set: Federer 2-0 Nadal

The pressure now falls on Nadal to hold serve; last year he was broken in his first service game and ended up getting bageled in the first set. He looks more assured now, provoking a missed Federer backhand return with a fierce serve down the middle. The second point is a mirror image of the first except this time a Nadal second serve is enough to draw the error. The Spaniard then loops a sharply angled forehand crosscourt, and Federer’s defensive slice limps into the net. Three game points. A double fault and a forehand that lands halfway up the net show signs of nerves, though, and a crisp crosscourt backhand winner from Federer makes it deuce. Nadal has the advantage on the next point, setting up a deep overhead with an aggressive forehand, but his smash is too central, allowing Federer to stay in the point and eventually the Spaniard nets a forehand pass. From 40-love it’s break point, and a loss of serve here would be a disaster for Nadal. He’s aware of the danger and runs the Swiss around with some savage groundstrokes — though the rally becomes neutral, Federer slaps a backhand into the net. Danger averted. Nadal reaches advantage with a good serve, but misses an inside-out forehand for deuce #3. His nerves haven’t really settled yet, and a brilliant backhand flick of a pass from Federer won’t help! Nadal had a forehand volley with the court open, but Federer chased it down and somehow pushed a winner down the line when the ball was mere inches off the ground. Nadal centers himself and saves the second break point with a big crosscourt backhand. This game feels more and more important with every deuce. Federer runs around a second serve and crushes a forehand winner down the line. This is his third break point of the game, and he takes it as Nadal whips a sitting forehand into the net! That was a very nervous error; that shot by all means should’ve been an easy winner for the Spaniard.

First set: Federer 3-0 Nadal

Federer is an imposing frontrunner, and an ace down the tee seems him take a 15-love lead. A net cord moves the game to 30-love, and though he misses a forehand for 30-15, a service winner and a darting crosscourt backhand winner are enough for the hold. Nadal must win this next game to retain any hope of winning the first set; Federer is looking sharp early. The importance of holding the first service game, especially when behind in the serving cycle, was highlighted there. Federer is in a groove on serve, and all it’s taken for him to grab a 3-0 lead was one bad service game from Nadal. Just like that, Federer is halfway towards winning the first set.

First set: Federer 3-1 Nadal

Nadal clocks an inside-out forehand, and Federer’s return is long. An unexpected serve-and-volley off a great wide serve is then rewarded with an easy volley winner. 30-love. Nadal has three game points when his speed and footwork keep him in the rally, and he rips an inside-in forehand that Federer can’t handle. A service winner seals a smooth love hold, and Nadal is on the board. He seems to have settled into the match, and while his first service game wasn’t ideal, he is still in this set.

First set: Federer 3-2 Nadal

Service winner. 15-love. Federer then dupes Nadal with a clever drop shot after an extended rally, and he’s now won ten of twelve on serve. Nadal grabs the next point with a running forehand passing shot, fired at a clever crosscourt angle and sailing past Federer, then follows it up with another beautiful pass, a backhand winner down the line. All of a sudden it’s 30-all, and Nadal has a sniff in this game. Federer misses a first serve, and the Spaniard dispatches his second with an inside-out forehand winner. Wow. Facing his first break point of the match, Federer bashes an ace out wide. Clutch. Nadal has another chance when the Swiss lifts a forehand approach shot long, however. That was a bad miss; he was under no pressure. And Nadal breaks! Another spectacular backhand pass down the line does the job, with Federer barely able to get a racket on the missile. We’re back on serve, and what a return game from Nadal! Three winners, including two clean passing shots, plus a third pass that was virtually untouched. This is already a far better start than he made in last year’s final.

First set: Federer 3-3 Nadal

Federer lands a deep return, but Nadal stays in the point and earns the error with a forehand down the line. Federer then clubs a forehand down the line of his own, flying to the net, only to see Nadal’s forehand sail past him, down the same line. What a shot. He’s hit three passing winners already, and another that was as good as a winner. Nothing less than an exceptional approach will be enough for Federer to reliably win points at net today. A service winner and a serve-plus-one complete a love hold, and Nadal is in this match with the momentum behind him. Federer’s next service game is crucial.

First set: Federer 4-3 Nadal

The Swiss approaches behind an inside-in forehand, and Nadal’s attempted backhand pass is well long. The Spaniard had a decent look at the winner, and I think both players know that Federer was a bit lucky to have won that point without having to hit a difficult volley. Federer delivers a big serve out wide for 30-love, then an unreturnable backhand volley for 40-love (Nadal managed to get a racket on it, though). A double-fault makes it 40-15, but Federer swings an ace out wide, finishing a comfortable hold to 15. That was vital.

First set: Federer 4-4 Nadal

An amazing point from Federer to begin this game. Nadal’s serve is precise, landing close to the service line and centerline, but the Swiss chips back a low, short return. Nadal comes to the net behind a crosscourt forehand, then punches a volley in the opposite direction, only to see Federer run it down and rip a crosscourt forehand past him. Love-15. Nadal evens the score with a lovely inside-in forehand winner; Federer lunged but couldn’t touch it. Muscle and precision. Nadal defends well on the next point, slicing back a vicious inside-out forehand from Federer, and the Swiss narrowly misses an attempted winner. Nadal then blasts the Federer backhand with scything forehands, and the defending champion can’t hang in the rally. The Spaniard holds as Federer misses a crosscourt backhand pass by inches.

First set: Federer 5-4 Nadal

A powerful backhand down the line from Federer forces an error for 15-love. Nadal takes a rip at a second serve, but his forehand is well long. His next second serve return, on the backhand, also lands feet beyond the baseline. This is a bit of a letoff, Federer isn’t having to work too hard to win points this game. He holds to 15 with an ace down the tee.

First set: Federer 5-5 Nadal

Nadal’s nerve will be tested here; he has to hold to stay in the set. Federer takes a love-15 lead with attacking tennis, and the Spaniard’s backhand pass down the line misses narrowly. He bites back with a feathery drop shot that Federer gets a racket on but can’t do anything with: 15-all. The Swiss crunches a return down the middle, and Nadal freezes for a second, then can’t get into position and slices long. Federer’s two points from the set. Nadal makes it 30-all with a service winner, then wins the rally of the match for 40-30! He bullies Federer around the court with his forehand for a while, then they trade neutral groundstrokes, and eventually the Swiss comes to net. Nadal smokes a backhand down the line, drawing a weak volley, and the Spaniard pounds a crosscourt forehand pass for the winner! He holds with a big serve. That was impressive calm under pressure there from Nadal. His serve was pressured that game but he held firm, and now Federer faces an important game at 5-all.

First set: Federer 6-5 Nadal

Federer wins the first two points at net, producing a couple of skillful low volleys. It’s 40-love after a powerful ace down the middle. Nadal pulls back a point with a hard return to Federer’s backhand, but the Swiss wallops an inside-out forehand winner to hold. The pressure falls back on Nadal.

First set: Federer 6-6 Nadal

Nadal, serving to stay in the set for a second time, begins well as Federer chips a backhand return into the net. A forehand down the line makes it 30-love, and a good body serve causes Federer to swat a return that doesn’t make it to the net. A clever inside-out backhand winner behind the Swiss seals the game, and this entertaining, high-quality set will be decided by a tiebreak.

First set tiebreak: Federer leads 1-0

Federer smacks an ace down the middle.

1-1

Federer produces a great inside-out forehand return, then drives an approach to Nadal’s backhand, but the pass is fiercely angled crosscourt and Federer nets the stretch volley.

2-1 Federer

Federer has the first mini-break as Nadal nets a backhand.

3-1 Federer

A big serve sees Nadal’s return land wide.

4-1 Federer

Another good serve sets up a swing volley winner from the Swiss. His serve is beginning to separate him from Nadal, who has to win the next point.

4-2 Federer

He does, angling an inside-out forehand well beyond Federer’s reach for a winner.

5-2 Federer

Nadal misses a nervous forehand under no pressure. He’ll need a miracle to win this tiebreak now; he’s down two mini-breaks.

5-3 Federer

Nadal gets one mini-break back, courtesy of a net-cord deadening his backhand volley.

6-3 Federer

Federer’s wide serve is strong, opening up the court for him to bash an inside-out forehand winner. Three set points.

6-4 Federer

Nadal saves the first with a fierce crosscourt forehand.

6-5 Federer

Federer nets a backhand off a second serve. He now has a set point on serve, though.

6-6

Nadal’s backhand is called out, but he challenges and HawkEye rules it in! They have to replay the point, and Federer nets a forehand! Nadal is back in the tiebreak; it would be crushing for Federer to lose this now.

7-6 Federer

Federer earns his fourth set point when Nadal nets a backhand. The Spaniard’s return was fantastic, Federer reacted beautifully with a swift crosscourt backhand.

7-7

Federer does well to stay in the point but nets a backhand under no pressure. That was a bad miss.

8-7 Federer

Nadal misses his first shot after the serve, a backhand into the net, and Federer has another set point on serve.

Federer wins the first set 7-6 (7)!

Federer attacks well, sailing to the net, and knocks away a backhand volley to win the set! What a frame that was. Nadal certainly proved he is up for the challenge Federer poses on grass, but a few untimely errors in the tiebreak cost him. This isn’t over, though. Nadal beat Federer from a set down to win the 2006 French Open final in four.

Second set: Federer 0-1 Nadal (Federer leads by one set to love)

Nadal serves to begin the second set, and Federer quickly gains the advantage in the first point, winning it with an emphatic smash. Nadal can’t afford to be broken here. He responds with an impressive crosscourt backhand winner, confirmed by HawkEye, for 15-all. Nadal flays an inside-out forehand winner, then blasts an ace down the middle (his first by my count). Two game points. He only needs one, flashing another forehand winner, this once crosscourt. That was a much-needed hold, and a well-earned one — all his points came off winners that game; Federer didn’t give him anything.

Second set: Federer 1-1 Nadal

There’s no dip in level from Federer after winning the first set. He smashes well for 15-love. Nadal pokes a volley past him at the net for 15-all, then Federer drills a forehand winner with the court open (courtesy of a big serve). Another powerful serve brings up 40-15, and a beautiful forehand winner down the line, hit on the stretch thanks to a good backhand return from Nadal, seals the game.

Second set: Federer 1-2 Nadal

Nadal crushes a backhand down the line before sprinting to the net. Federer’s pass is good, almost sneaking past Nadal down the line, but the Spaniard flicks a delightful volley winner. It’s soon 40-love after Federer misses a backhand. Nadal spins a crosscourt forehand at a nasty angle, but Federer responds in kind with a biting backhand slice and Nadal hits long. He holds at 15 anyway when the Swiss nets.

Second set: Federer 2-2 Nadal

Nadal doesn’t seem depressed at having lost the opening set. Federer isn’t giving him anything to work with on the return, though; a service winner and a vicious second serve make it 30-love in the blink of an eye. Nadal gets a look at another second serve, but his return is soft and Federer’s heavy inside-out forehand brings up 40-love. The Swiss nets a high volley for 40-15, but it proves irrelevant as Nadal’s next return goes long.

Second set: Federer 2-3 Nadal

Federer returns deep to Nadal’s backhand corner for love-15. Nadal has to be careful here; there hasn’t been a break in a while and the first to break will likely win this set. He muscles a crosscourt backhand, hit with fearsome pace, that Federer can’t return, then Federer nets a forehand for 30-15. He makes up for it with a brutal forehand down the line, and Nadal now faces a big point at 30-all. The Spaniard wins it with a smash — it wasn’t the best of overheads, but it took a funny bounce and Federer hit well long on the return. Nadal seals an important hold when Federer hits a forehand long, but the Spaniard had to weather some heavy hitting for several shots before the error was made.

Second set: Federer 3-3 Nadal

Federer sweeps a forehand crosscourt and Nadal nets a backhand pass. But he’s facing some pressure at 15-all after a double fault, and the Spaniard turns the screw with some deep hitting, causing the Swiss to hit wide. It’s the best chance at breaking Nadal’s seen in a while, and he has two break points after an absorbing rally that ends when Federer nets a slice. The Swiss hits an ace down the middle for 30-40, and an ace out wide to erase the second break point! Amazing. A third straight ace brings up advantage, and Federer holds as Nadal goes long with a forehand. Incredible serving from the Swiss; Nadal can’t be too upset with himself at missing those break points.

Second set: Federer 3-4 Nadal

Let’s see how Nadal responds to missing the first break points he’s seen since the fifth game of this match. The answer: very well. Two big serves see him in the ascendancy at 30-love, then an ambitious backhand return from Federer is called out for 40-love. HawkEye shows it was in by a millimeter or two; it would’ve been the defending champion’s point if the correct call had been made. Nadal errs for 40-15, then Federer repels a blistering series of Nadal forehands to his backhand, and eventually it’s the Spaniard who misses. This is a big point for Nadal at 40-30, and he wins it when HawkEye shows Federer’s forehand to be just wide. The pressure is building in this set.

Second set: Federer 4-4 Nadal

Nadal pushes Federer wide with a crosscourt backhand, but the answering forehand comes down the line with enough pace to force an error from Nadal. The Spaniard then misses a pass — his passing shots haven’t been as accurate since early in the first set — and it’s 30-love. Federer nets a backhand, then wins a high-caliber rally for 40-15. A volley winner to the open court completes the hold.

Second set: Federer 4-5 Nadal

If Nadal can hold here, Federer will have to serve to stay in the set. The Swiss was ahead in the serving cycle in the first set, so that could be a pressured game for the defending champion. Nadal takes a step in the right direction with a curving crosscourt forehand passing winner, but misses a regulation forehand for 15-all. This is a big point. Federer pulls Nadal off the court with a well-angled crosscourt forehand, behind which he comes to the net, but Nadal somehow produces an exceptional backhand slice that dips rapidly and proves impossible for Federer to shovel over the net. The Swiss makes it 30-all with a powerful forehand, though, and this is a massive point for Nadal. He knows it, and hits a great, bending first serve, then smashes an inside-out forehand winner. Federer returns deep to force the error for deuce, and this is starting to feel like a pivotal game. Federer nets a backhand to hand Nadal the advantage. That was a huge error, and Nadal holds as the Swiss hits an aggressive forehand return well long.

Nadal wins the second set 6-4!

This will be the most important service game Federer has played so far. Nadal is hunting for the break, and wins the first point with a great backhand volley. Federer serves big for 15-all, but Nadal somehow wins the next point with a backhand pass as he was falling backwards! Shot of the match, and it gives him 15-30! Federer, perhaps put off by Nadal’s heroics, hits a forehand well wide and Nadal has two set points! The pressure got to him there. 15-40. A great rally ensues. Federer has the advantage, but a vicious crosscourt backhand from Nadal puts him on the run. Federer shovels back a forehand. The Spaniard chips a short slice to mid-court, and Federer comes to net behind a backhand down the line. But he hasn’t put enough heat on the ball, giving Nadal time to line up the pass, and the whole stadium can sense what’s about to happen. Nadal rips a backhand down the line clean past the defending champion, and yells in triumph as the crowd roars! It’s one set all.

Nadal’s passing shots started to land again at the end of the set, especially in the final game, and if he keeps up the accuracy for the rest of the match, Federer might be better off trying to win points from the baseline. He hit two less-than-ideal approaches that game, and both times he was punished with exceptional backhand passes from Nadal, one of which was hit as the challenger fell backwards onto the grass. The fact that he still nailed the shot tells you just how polished this part of his game is. The Spaniard is solidly in the match now, which was never the case in their Wimbledon final last year — let’s see how Federer reacts.

Third set: Nadal 1-0 Federer

Federer is eager to make a positive start after losing just his second set of the fortnight, and takes a love-30 lead with a good volley and a pinpoint backhand pass (Nadal’s approach clipped the net and sat up, giving Federer more time). Nadal needs to win the next point. He does, pulling back to 15-30 will an error-forcing forehand, and it’s 30-all after a strong serve down the middle. What a time for a good serve; he’s playing well under pressure. Nadal is facing a break point after hitting a backhand long, though, Federer’s first since the second game of the match! Federer gets a look at a second serve but doesn’t do enough with the return and Nadal punishes him with a big crosscourt forehand. Deuce. Nadal has advantage when Federer strokes a backhand long, and he holds with a good serve. That was big.

Third set: Nadal 1-1 Federer

This is a massively important set. It’s not often that professional players, even ones as talented as these two, come back from a two-sets-to-one deficit. Federer can’t allow that missed break point to affect his focus here — he’s lost three straight games and badly needs to reassert himself here.

Federer comes to net behind an average approach, but Nadal’s crosscourt forehand hits the net tape and lands out. The Swiss forces an error with a heavy forehand down the line for 30-love, then delivers a high-bouncing second serve that Nadal nets. He looks to have hit a good approach shot at 40-love, but Nadal pounds a crosscourt backhand past him at an absurd angle. It’s 40-30 when Federer misses a forehand, but he holds after a longer exchange during which two of his shots clipped the net and went over. The luck couldn’t have come at a better time for the Swiss; this was a service game he very much wanted to win.

Third set: Nadal 2-1 Federer

Nadal angles a sharp forehand to the Federer backhand, drawing a short reply, then bangs a forehand winner down the line. That’s a winning tactic for him. An effective body serve sets up a crosscourt backhand winner for 30-love, and this is looking like one of Nadal’s more efficient service games. I may have spoken too soon — he goes for an inside-out forehand winner and misses by a few inches, then Federer lures the Spaniard to the net with a drop shot and ropes a smooth forehand winner down the line. 30-all. Federer drives a backhand return into the net — he looks frustrated — then shanks a forehand. Nadal holds.

Third set: Nadal 2-2 Federer

Federer thrashes an ace down the middle, then another out wide. 30-love in about ten seconds. Another big serve sees Nadal net a backhand, and the Swiss forces an error to hold to love. That was the most clinical game by either player in a while.

Third set: Nadal 3-2 Federer

It must be difficult for Nadal, whose serve is considerably less menacing than Federer’s, to maintain belief after the Swiss pulls off a sixty-second hold of serve. He’s managing magnificently though, taking a 30-love lead with a pair of beautiful forehand winners — the first a precise bullet down the line, the second a crosscourt effort with the court open. He then pulls off a drop shot — about the only way he could have hit a winner from the position he was in. Impressive shot selection. Nadal holds to love with a good serve out wide, and he’s matched Federer’s previous game. High-quality stuff.

Third set: Nadal 3-3 Federer

Nadal is hitting his returns closer to the baseline than he did at the French Open, and the tactic is serving him well; he’s broken the Swiss twice already. Federer swats an inside-out forehand winner into the corner for 15-love, then slams an ace down the tee. He’s rediscovered his serving rhythm. At 40-love, he nets a backhand, then holds with some laughably good tennis. He rips a gorgeous backhand pass, Nadal dives to retrieve it, hitting a great volley under the circumstances, but Federer runs it down and buries a winner into Nadal’s backhand corner.

Third set: Nadal 4-3 Federer

A lovely point to start the game. Federer smashes a forehand down the line, but Nadal exposes the Swiss’s wide position with a crosscourt forehand that proves unreturnable despite the efforts of the defending champion. Federer’s shot would’ve been enough to win the point against virtually anyone else. The crowd cheers lustily after the rally. Federer runs around a second serve, hitting a deep and heavy return with plenty of pace, but Nadal hangs in the point, extending the rally to over ten shots, only to net. 15-all. A service winner sees him retake the lead in the game, but a missed backhand brings up 30-all. This is a crucial stage at 3-all, 30-all, and Nadal pulls out his tried-and-true tactic of attacking the Federer backhand, which misfires quickly. A second miss off the backhand wing of the Swiss sees Nadal hold to 30.

Third set: Nadal 4-4 Federer

Federer unveils a spectacular half-volley at net, then blocks a volley winner on the next shot for 15-love. He’s got such good hands. He overpowers Nadal with a serve, and at 30-love he connects well with an angled crosscourt backhand that forces a miss from the Spaniard. A good second serve is enough for a hold to love.

Third set: Nadal 5-4 Federer

Federer hits long on the first point, and that will upset him because if he can’t break here, he will face the same scenario that the end of the second set presented. Having broken to win a set once, Nadal may like his chances to do it again. The Spaniard isn’t allowing him a sniff at the start of this game, though, taking a 30-love lead with a big crosscourt backhand. Nadal goes wide with a forehand for 30-15, then just misses a backhand down the line. Here comes a huge point at 30-all. Federer directs his return to the Nadal backhand, but soon enough the Spaniard is smashing his topspin forehands at Federer’s one-hander, and eventually draws the error. That will have felt good. He holds with an unreturned serve out wide, and now Federer’s nerve will be tested as he’ll have to hold to stay in the third set.

Third set: Nadal 5-5 Federer

Federer goes up 15-love with a service winner, then slaps an ace out wide. He looks confident. Another ace gives him three game points. Nadal prolongs the game with a forehand drop shot winner, and it’s 40-30 after Federer misses a backhand. Another errant backhand makes it deuce! All of a sudden it seems like the entire match hangs in the balance. What a point that is from Federer. He angles a low volley to Nadal’s backhand, and the Spaniard throws up a lob to Federer’s backhand side — a valid tactical play. Federer’s astonishingly good backhand overhead sends a winner fired at an absurd angle past Nadal. That would be a terrific shot at any point in the match, but to be able to pull it off when on the verge of losing the third set is ridiculous. Federer holds with more magic at the net, this time cutting a volley winner off of a very good Nadal forehand pass down the line. That was net play at its best, and an enormous hold for Federer.

Third set: Nadal 6-5 Federer

Nadal isn’t affected by the otherworldly shots that have just been played against him. He smacks a strong serve down the middle for 15-love, but a poor forehand evens the game. It feels like the match could be decided in the next few points. Nadal shows his mettle by winning the next point with a smash. That was important; a 15-30 deficit could have proved fatal in that game. Federer goes for a forehand return winner and misses comfortably. Two game points. Nadal nets a forehand, but takes his second opportunity to win the game when Federer mishits a forehand, sending it well long. The Swiss may have to produce some more incredible tennis to get this set to a tiebreak; he’ll now serve to stay in the set for a second time.

Nadal 6-6 Federer: third set tiebreak

Nadal nets a backhand, but nails Federer with an exceptional backhand pass after luring him to the net with a clever slice. It’s 15-30 when Federer misses a forehand, and Nadal is within touching distance of a two-sets-to-one lead. The Swiss is breathing a sigh of relief when his opponent slams a forehand into the net for 30-all. That was a tight, nervous error — even if the shot had cleared the net, it would have gone wide. He’ll rue that forehand if he loses this set. Federer seems poised to make him pay, clubbing an ace down the middle. Nadal challenges though chalk clearly flew up, perhaps trying to collect himself after the potentially pivotal miss. HawkEye predictably rules the serve in, and Federer holds with another huge serve. We’re headed to a third set tiebreak.

1-0 Federer

An early mini-break for the Swiss as he masterfully opens up the court before stroking a line-kissing inside-out forehand.

2-0 Federer

Nadal’s return is short, and he can’t handle Federer’s massive crosscourt forehand.

2-1 Federer

Nadal retrieves the mini-break with a gorgeous inside-out forehand return winner.

3-1 Federer

Nadal drills a forehand just long.

3-2 Federer

The Spaniard executes a serve-plus-one, but his forehand winner was a whisker away from being out. He looks tight.

4-2 Federer

Federer maintains the mini-break advantage, crushing an ace out wide. His serve is proving the difference in the tiebreaks so far.

5-2 Federer

The Swiss powers a serve out wide; Nadal gets a racket on it but the return doesn’t go anywhere.

6-2 Federer

Federer returns deep, and after a rally featuring some pleasing angles, forces Nadal to go for a backhand winner. The Spaniard hits it miles long, giving Federer four set points.

6-3 Federer

Federer nets a backhand, but now has two more set points, these ones on serve

Federer wins the third set 7-6 (3)!

The Swiss wins a long rally with an angled crosscourt backhand, forcing an error from Nadal!

That was another close, exciting set. Nadal will look at the missed forehand with Federer serving to stay in the set at 15-30 as his losing mistake there. He has his head down as he sits in anticipation for the fourth set. Losing this set has to be crushing for him; he’s played great tennis in all three sets and has only won one. Federer’s serve was too powerful in both tiebreaks; I think that if Nadal’s going to win this match he’ll need to break the Swiss before six-all in the fourth and in a potential fifth. While he’s definitely up against it now, I wouldn’t rule out a fifth set; he’s playing far better than he did in last year’s final.

Fourth set: Nadal 1-0 Federer

Federer opens the fourth set with a pair of service winners, but that’s as good as it gets for the Swiss this game. He dumps a volley into the net before getting passed by a beautiful crosscourt backhand from Nadal. 30-all. Federer shanks a forehand and is facing an early break point this set, which Nadal quickly takes when he picks Federer off again. The Spaniard runs to his chair, fist-pumping with vigor; he’s made the dream start to the fourth set.

Fourth set: Nadal 2-0 Federer

Federer mishits a forehand that lands feet beyond the baseline. Nadal sizzles a forehand winner crosscourt, and it’s 30-love in short order. An errant forehand from the Spaniard makes it 30-15, but a huge serve down the middle gives him two game points. Federer wins the next point with a great forehand return followed by a backhand winner to the open court, but Nadal consolidates the break with another unreturned serve.

Fourth set: Nadal 3-0 Federer

Federer has to hold here to remain within shouting distance of Nadal this set, but it’s proving a struggle. The Spaniard hasn’t let losing the third set get to him, and is up love-15 after a vicious forehand down the line. He’s made a brilliant start to the fourth set. Federer misses a straightforward volley and it’s love-30, this set is quickly getting away from him. Nadal nets a second serve return for 15-30, then Federer hits his first ace in a while for 30-all. The Spaniard continues his impressive play, though, smashing a backhand return followed by a forehand winner that barely clips the line. Federer has a word with the umpire; he’s unhappy with HawkEye’s ruling. And he’s broken again when he nets a backhand!

“How in the world was that ball in?” asks Federer on the changeover, followed by an obscenity (beginning with “s”). He’s frustrated with the HawkEye system, and it’s cost him — he’s lost touch in this set. Further negative emotions will do him no good; he should probably turn his attention towards stopping Nadal’s run or regrouping for the fifth set. This is a startling turn of events after the very close first three sets. Nadal has one foot in a decider already.

Fourth set: Nadal 4-0 Federer

This set is all but over. It’s an illustration of how small the margins are in a tennis match; Federer lost his focus for mere minutes and it’s essentially cost him an entire set. Nadal holds comfortably, belting a forehand winner while Federer nets a second serve return. The Swiss wins one point when Nadal nets a backhand, but the Spaniard’s big serve and forehand winner ensure that’s all Federer gets this game. The defending champion’s high level of play has taken a vacation. The one piece of good news for him at the moment is that if the rest of the set goes with serve, he’ll begin the fifth set with serve.

Fourth set: Nadal 4-1 Federer

Federer serves big for 15-love, but Nadal picks him off yet again with a backhand winner down the line. A bagel is looking like a very real possibility when Federer drops a forehand long, but he dodges the indignity by winning four of the next five points to hold. He laced a backhand winner down the line at 30-all, but double faulted for deuce. His tennis hasn’t totally deserted him, but he hasn’t made a dent in the Nadal serve for quite a while.

Nadal calls the trainer on the changeover, rubbing his right knee. It definitely hasn’t affected his level so far, but injury having an impact on this match would be a disaster. Bar Federer’s lapse this set, the tennis has been incredible, with both players at or near their best for the majority of the time. Let’s hope it’s not serious. The trainer is massaging the knee and looks to have put some kind of white powder or paste on it. He then wraps it with tape. Nadal is looking a bit forlorn; Federer has jogged out to the baseline, to stay warm I presume. Smart.

Nadal’s knee is now buried under two layers of tape; hopefully it doesn’t affect the rest of this (so far) brilliant match.

Fourth set: Nadal 5-1 Federer

The first point after the injury time-out is a ten-plus shot rally which concludes when Nadal runs down a Federer drop shot and pokes a crosscourt backhand winner. That’s a good sign; Nadal doesn’t seem to be hampered by the wrap on his knee and Federer looks to have maintained his rhythm. The Swiss lands a curving forehand return right in the corner — it looked like it might have been a mishit — then races forward to put away a volley. 15-all. Nadal double faults for 15-30, the first one that I can remember from either player. He crushes a crosscourt backhand that flies past Federer for 30-all, then clubs an identical shot that Federer reaches but can’t dig back over the net. Game point, and Nadal holds as Federer misses a forehand return.

Fourth set: Nadal 5-2 Federer

Federer will want to hold here. If he’s broken Nadal will serve first in the fifth set, meaning that if the set goes with serve until 5-4 Nadal, Federer will have to serve to stay in the championship. In other words, after 5-4, a break by Nadal will mean a victory (assuming the set stays on serve). Federer creams an ace down the tee to begin this game, then another out wide. At 30-love, Nadal pushes Federer out to his backhand corner, then sprints to net and wins the point with a drop volley. He’s playing such good tennis. Federer holds with a pair of big serves, and his mind is likely on the fifth set now.

Nadal wins the fourth set 6-2!

Nadal serves big, then carves an inside-out forehand approach and Federer lobs long. Nadal smashes a crosscourt backhand winner — that shot has been really impressive this set — for 30-love. He delivers an errant forehand for 30-15, then hits a volley from mid-court off a Federer slice that enables the Swiss to run down Nadal’s shot and blaze a crosscourt forehand pass. The Spaniard serves big for 40-30, though, and Federer nets a backhand on set point! We’re going to a fifth!

Fifth set: Federer 1-0 Nadal

This game is so important. If Federer’s broken here, he’ll have lost his serve for the fifth time today, and the third time in the last hour. He needs a solid hold to open the fifth and put some pressure on Nadal, who’s been serving with relative security ever since he picked up the break in the fourth. The crowd gives a nice ovation to the players as they come out to start the final set. They’ve certainly gotten their money’s worth today, and there’s more to come.

Federer begins the fifth set with a service winner out wide for 15-love. He could do with one of the lightning-quick holds from the middle of the third set. Nadal barely misses a crosscourt backhand that would’ve set him up to win the point, then an identical serve to the first of the game produces the same result: a return long. Federer holds to love with an ace. That was tremendously important.

Fifth set: Federer 1-1 Nadal

Nadal drives a sharp forehand at Federer’s backhand, and the reply misfires badly. The next backhand from the Swiss comes in the form of a sharp return, leading Nadal to net his next shot. This is a slightly nervy moment for Nadal at 15-all, and he navigates it well, pushing his rival from corner to corner before lashing a crosscourt forehand winner. Federer nails another good backhand return, setting up a short ball, but nets the forehand. Bad miss. 40-15, and Federer kisses the baseline with a return, then crushes an untouchable inside-out forehand that kicks up chalk in the right corner. Nadal, undeterred, holds with a service winner.

Fifth set: Federer 2-1 Nadal

Quality start to this game. Nadal has the early advantage in the rally thanks to a deep return, Federer wrestles it away and approaches the net, Nadal whistles a backhand down the line, and the Swiss somehow produces a winning volley on the full stretch. The challenger to the title comes up with a crowd-pleasing winner of his own on the next point, a massive inside-out forehand that zips past Federer. 15-all. These are important points even this early in the set, and Nadal makes his presence known with a spectacular crosscourt forehand pass (clean winner). Federer then misses a regulation forehand, and Nadal quickly has a pair of break points early in the fifth! He errs on a makeable backhand return on the first, and misses a forehand wide on the second. The latter was a big mistake, Federer had been on the run. The Spaniard nets a backhand and from 15-40 it’s quickly advantage Federer, and the Swiss closes out a crucial game with a vicious forehand winner.

Nadal felt the nerves there, he’s never been this close to winning Wimbledon and he seemed a bit tight on the break points. His opportunities disappeared quickly, and he will need to be more proactive should he get additional chances. The defending champion did well to hang on there; a break would have been disastrous for his confidence and his chances to win. This has been a tense start to the fifth; there have been plenty of beautiful winners but also some mistakes under pressure.

Fifth set: Federer 2-2 Nadal

Nadal sets up a deft volley winner with an angled forehand approach to Federer’s backhand. A forehand down the line draws a defensive lob from the Swiss, and Nadal pounds away the overhead for 30-love. The Spaniard nets an aggressive crosscourt backhand, but reaches game point when Federer returns long on a second serve. Nadal fools the defending champion with a second serve to the forehand, but Federer recovers from his surprise and hangs in the rally for a while before missing a forehand. That was a comfortable hold from Nadal, and the pressure swings back to Federer, whose serve has undergone the more severe scrutiny so far.

Fifth set: Federer 3-2 Nadal

Nadal peppers the Federer backhand with his forehand, and again the tactic bears fruit as Federer hits wide. Love-15. A good serve followed by a forehand winner see Federer level at 15-all, but an error makes it 15-30 and the Swiss is in trouble again. Federer, goes for a low-percentage forehand down the line from a position that wasn’t particularly offensive, and he’s facing two more break points. Since the end of the third set, Nadal has been the aggressor and Federer’s serve is being pressured relentlessly at the moment. The Swiss saves the first break point when Nadal misses a return, and the second with a huge serve down the middle. That’s incredible composure at the most stressful of moments. Federer sees daylight as Nadal cracks a backhand long, and he holds when a crushing inside-out forehand forces Nadal to net. The Spaniard’s play on the break points this set has been sub-optimal, but Federer hasn’t given anything when break point down. The Swiss hasn’t been able to break Nadal since the first set, and hasn’t even had a break point since the start of the third, but now would be an ideal time to make a push. Nadal’s failed to capitalize on four break points; that could affect his future service games.

Fifth set: Federer 4-2 Nadal

Nadal begins this game with a forehand that clips the net and drops wide. At love-15, he comes to net and has a look at a sitting backhand volley, but doesn’t angle it aggressively enough. Federer chases it down and rips a running forehand pass down the line into the corner, and now Nadal is feeling the heat. Federer’s forehand is hitting the corners all of a sudden; he smacks another winner down the line and just like that, Nadal is facing love-40. The Spaniard saves the first break point with a heavy serve, but Federer earns a potentially decisive advantage after winning the point of the match! Nadal drills a backhand down the line, and Federer responds with a backhand slice that stays impossibly low and is hit with pace. Nadal somehow gets it back with a sliced forehand, but Federer’s incredibly quick feet carry him into position to land the final blow, and he crushes an inside-in forehand winner, Nadal nowhere close to it! What a point! Federer screams in triumph, by far his biggest reaction today. The crowd erupts as well. He’s two games away from a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title.

Fifth set: Federer 5-2 Nadal

The Federer serve is back and better than ever. Nadal netted a second serve return at 15-love, but didn’t have a chance to win any other point that game. Federer blasts aces at 0-0, 30-love, and 40-love, hitting only serves that game. Nadal missing those break points at 1-1 and 2-2 seems even more crucial now; Federer’s found another gear in the last five minutes. Nadal will serve to stay in the championship.

Roger Federer wins his fifth straight Wimbledon! He beats Rafael Nadal 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2!

Nadal nets a forehand to begin this game. It was makeable and he knows it. This match has slipped through his fingers in a matter of minutes, and it’s hard to believe he’s not a little bit shell-shocked. He’s not giving up, though, and pulls back to 15-all when Federer nets. The Swiss smokes a forehand down the line, forcing a mishit Nadal forehand. He’s two points from the title. Again, Nadal pulls even by breaking down the Federer backhand, crying “Vamos!” as the Swiss’s ball flies long. A mistake from Nadal would be incredibly costly at this point, and he bravely wins the 30-all point with a backhand volley set up by a line-smearing forehand. Federer comes back strong, though, crushing Nadal’s second serve with an inside-out forehand winner. His forehand has caught fire these last few games. Federer hits long and Nadal has another chance to force Federer to serve it out, but the Swiss won’t let the world No. 2 out of this game and he lashes a backhand winner down the line that catches Nadal way out of position. The Spaniard hits a forehand way long and it’s championship point! Nadal saves it as Federer clubs a forehand long. He’s still fist-pumping; he hasn’t given up for a second. His shots are faltering, however, and another netted forehand brings up a second championship point. This time, Federer attacks from the start, returning Nadal’s second serve with a brutal inside-out forehand, driving another forehand deep to Nadal’s backhand corner, and putting away the desperate reply with a smash! He falls to the grass with a cry of victory! Roger Federer has matched Bjorn Borg and his string of five consecutive Wimbledon titles!

What a match. After missing the four break points at the start of the fifth, Nadal didn’t do much wrong, he was just rendered helpless as Federer fired forehands past him and recovered his accurate serve.

Nadal will be disappointed at failing to break early in the fifth, but he should be proud of the match he played. He handed Federer his most lopsided set loss on grass in some time, pushed the match to a fifth, and the result looked very much up in the air for a lot of the match. One thing’s for sure: he is closer to beating Federer at Wimbledon than the Swiss is to beating him at the French Open. Nadal’s clay-court empire is preparing to expand, and while it lost the battle today, it’s hard to see him not winning Wimbledon in the future. He is 21, and his improvement in the last year on grass hints that he is capable of even more evolution.

And a victory for Federer that he will likely remember as one of his best. He weathered the Nadal storm at the start of the fifth, and truly delivered a masterclass of serving and aggressive baseline hitting for the second half of that final set. This is his 11th major title, and he will be the favorite to win the U.S. Open yet again in September. Pete Sampras’s record is within his grasp, and it seems more likely than not that the great Swiss will go on to eclipse the mark.

Still, Nadal will only get better over the next few years if he continues to improve his play on faster surfaces. His clay fortress, namely Roland-Garros (well, pretty much the whole clay season), is secure, and more major titles are almost certainly on the way for the Mallorcan. Federer is probably relieved as well as jubilated at winning today; Nadal showed that he can keep up with the best of the best on grass courts.

The players get a big hand as they walk off the court. That was the best Wimbledon final in years, and maybe even higher quality than the Rafter-Ivanisevic epic in 2001 (I can confirm, as I am writing this in 2020, not 2007, that this match would be eclipsed the following year by their 2008 Wimbledon final, which Nadal would win in five sets. It’s considered by many to be the greatest match ever played).

That’s all from me; I hope this report game an accurate picture of the match. Regardless, I recommend watching highlights or the full match (both are on YouTube, watch the full match here).

Thanks for reading, stay safe, and wash your hands!

By Owen Lewis

Tennis is a unique sport. Unlike soccer, basketball, rugby, cricket, and football, it’s played individually or with a single partner. It is physical, but a fit player with poor strokes would crash and burn on the circuit. By the same token, a talented player without fitness or dedication would struggle to succeed. Power is often necessary to win a match, but strategic placement and shot selection are equally important. And on top of all these layers, nearly every point in a tennis match is pressure-filled.

Here’s a quick rundown on tennis scoring. It takes four points to win a game: 15, 30, 40, game. If the score is tied at 40-all (known as deuce), one player must win two more points than their opponent to take the game. Six games win a set, and if it’s 6-all then a tiebreak takes place: first to seven, win by two. A player can also win a set 7-5 (if their opponent is serving to force a tiebreak and is broken). Professional tennis matches are either best-of-three sets (this is the format that women play in majors and all other tournaments, and that men play outside of majors), or best-of-five sets (that men play in majors). So, depending on the format of the match, winning two or three sets is required to claim a match.

Why Every Point Matters

Since just four points are needed to win a game, even the first exchanges of a match are crucial. If Player A is serving to begin the contest, and loses the first point, one might think: No big deal. They’re still warming up. Yet dropping the opening point puts Player A behind, love-15. Now the next point becomes even more important — if the server loses the second point as well, it becomes love-30, which is a fairly difficult hole to climb out of: if Player A loses any of the next three points, Player B will have break point.

There is also pressure on the returner, Player B. If Player A manages to hold serve, and Player B has to serve down 0-1, one mistake on an important point could quickly lead to a 0-3 deficit. If they can hold, the set will be tied 1-1, but a break makes it 0-2. If a break occurs, it has effects on the confidence of both players and can bleed into the rest of the set.

Because every point in a tennis match is so crucial, any player who desires success needs to be mentally strong. First of all, if they’re serving down break point, they have to focus on the placement of their serve, not the score. Focusing on the score will likely result in trembling arms and weak serves or double-faults. On a big point, a player must not only put the score out of their mind, but remember the patterns and shots that work best for them and have the highest chance of winning them the point.

The Deception of Match Point

Match point is when a player is one point away from winning the match. But not all match points are created equal, and some are more crucial than others. For example, if Player A is serving for the match at 6-4, 5-2, 40-love, missing the first match point wouldn’t usually be crucial because two more would follow. Besides, they’re up a double break. But if match point comes with Player B serving at 5-6, 30-40, the point is hugely important. Why? Because if Player B can force deuce, the odds are better than even that they would go on to hold serve. And if they do so, all the momentum is with them heading into the tiebreak. The second example is a case where if the match point is missed, another chance might not arrive.

Roger Federer, the player with the most majors won (20) on the men’s side, has missed a match point and gone on to lose the match five times in Grand Slams. Two of the five times, the chance at victory came on the opposing player’s serve. When they managed to hold serve, Federer was broken in the next game.

This is another facet of tennis’s scoring system. When a player is serving down 4-5, 30-40 in a deciding set, they are one point away from losing the match. But if they save the match point and hold serve (by winning three points in a row), evening the set at 5-all, their opponent will have gone from being one point away from a victory to eight points away. This often results in a massive momentum shift.

Other sports don’t have the capability to spin on a dime like this. In soccer, if a team is ahead 3-0 with a minute left, there’s little to no chance of their opposition winning. But in tennis, if an athlete can drag a game from match point down to deuce (if it’s on serve), the match remains open, with both players having a chance of winning.

Two-set Deficits are not Insurmountable

Again, let’s look at soccer as a baseline (no pun intended). Even with more than a minute remaining in a match, a 3-0 deficit is nearly impossible to recover from. If one team scored five goals in the first twenty minutes of a game, the other can play the better soccer for the rest of the game and still lose. And it is true that it’s very difficult to win a best-of-five tennis match after being down two sets. But every set starts at 0-0, love-all, meaning that no matter how lopsided those first two sets were, the deficit is reversible. In the 1999 French Open men’s final, Andriy Medvedev won the opening two frames, 6-1, 6-2, only to see Andre Agassi rip off the next three, with each set being fairly comfortable: 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Best-of-three matches are often just as competitive and dramatic. From a set down, all it takes is a single set to tie the match, leading to a winner-take-all third set. And sometimes, the better player in a matchup will start slow, allowing their opponent to grab an early lead. In the third round of the 2017 Miami Open, Philipp Kohlschreiber shockingly bageled Rafael Nadal in the first set (Kohlschreiber has never won a major. Nadal had won 14 at the time of the match and has won 19 to date), but was helpless when Nadal found his footing — Kohlschreiber won just five games for the rest of the match.

In sum, tennis’s initially confusing scoring system is later revealed as brilliant when viewers become fans. Given that every point of a tennis match can be significant and that there are hardly instances in which a match is truly a lost cause, the sport produces some of the most exciting athletic contests in the world. The drama and intensity of matches is due in no small part to the incredible scoring system.

By Owen Lewis

Novak Djokovic, the 17-time Grand Slam champion sitting atop the ATP rankings, is likely the most difficult player to beat when match point up, and perhaps the most reliable when he himself has match point. More often than not, a year of the tennis calendar will go by in which Djokovic has been a point away from losing a match only to recover from the deficit and snatch the victory. He has pulled off this impressive feat against the best of players on the biggest of stages, most recently saving a trio of match points against top-ten Frenchman Gael Monfils in the Dubai semifinals before going on to win the match and the title. So what is it about Djokovic that allows him to win so many contests from the brink of defeat?

He finds the perfect balance between consistency and aggression

Djokovic is famous for forcing his opponent to earn a win against him. He rarely loses a match with a careless error, putting pressure on the other player to go for a winner. At the same time, if the opponent is passive, he won’t hesitate to take control of the point. For an example, let’s look at the 2019 Wimbledon final, in which he saved two match points (against serve!) while playing eight-time SW19 champion Roger Federer.

With Federer serving at 8-7, 40-15 in the fifth set, the Swiss narrowly missed a first serve, slamming it into the top of the net (analysis has been done of this miss, and general consensus is that the serve would have been an ace had it gone in). On the second serve, Djokovic sent back a relatively deep forehand return down the middle, and Federer sent an inside-out forehand wide by several inches. Now, this is an unforced error. But in order to make such a mistake, a player must first be given the opportunity to err. Djokovic’s return was deep enough to ask questions of Federer, but not aggressive enough to border on reckless.

At 40-30, the second match point, Federer hit a first serve down the T that was far enough away from the centerline that an ace would have been shocking. Djokovic chipped back a forehand return, with the ball landing just past the service line. Federer directed a rather central inside-in forehand to Djokovic’s own forehand, rushing to the net, and the Serb rolled a classic crosscourt pass into the corner of the service box for a clean winner. The approach shot was less-than-ideal, with it carrying neither imposing pace nor precision, but it is impressive nonetheless that Djokovic selected the correct shot, and executed it, on such a pressured point.

At deuce, Federer framed a backhand early in a short rally, allowing the ball to sit up in the court. Djokovic attacked, driving an inside-in forehand through the court that forced an error from the Swiss. The ball was hit close enough to the corner for it to be almost unreturnable, but didn’t send chalk shooting into the London air. Djokovic is an expert at hitting such shots when down match point; while they don’t have the visual appeal of a winner, unforced errors are far less likely.

Against Fernando Verdasco in the 2017 Doha semifinals, with Verdasco serving at match point up at 6-4 in the second set tiebreak, Djokovic endured a twenty-nine shot rally, at the end of which he took control of with an angled crosscourt forehand, pulling Verdasco out of position, then hitting a forehand down the line that appeared loopy and casual, but proved too well-placed for Verdasco to return. Djokovic went on to save two more match points (having already saved two to get to 4-6 in the tiebreak), one with a backhand winner and one when Verdasco attempted a forehand winner and drilled it wide.

Djokovic’s imperious defensive abilities add another layer of difficulty to winning a match point. His opponent will know that it will take nothing less than an incredible shot to achieve a winner, and nerves or simply going for too much result in plenty of failed attempts at such strokes. Djokovic is far from immune to hitting an unforced error when down match point, but he is the best in the world at avoiding it. At his best, the near-perfect balance he achieves between relentlessly putting the ball back in play and playing aggressively when he gets the opportunity is a nightmare for any opponent. When he is facing match point in a close match, rarely, if ever, does the result feel sealed before the point begins.

This unique quality of Djokovic’s is an interesting reminder that a tennis match doesn’t end before the last point. Match point is more pressured than any other, true, but the Serb has shown that if one can quiet their nerves, their best shots and patterns can still work. While many players take wild swings in attempting vicious return winners at the brink of defeat, Djokovic effectively hits deep yet safe shots. Time after time, he forces his opponents to viciously grab the match with an ace or a winner, and sometimes they simply aren’t up to the task.

Djokovic himself has lost from match point down only three times, while pulling off the reverse on fifteen occasions, often at a major. Federer has actually won from match point down more times (24), but has also come out on the losing end in almost as many instances (22), including in a trio of contests to Djokovic (all in majors).

Over the course of his career, Djokovic has managed to create a formula to save match points, and this formula has made added significant prestige to his already remarkable accomplishments. He has won two major titles having been match point down, and made finals of two others after facing match point in an earlier round. When he comes back from the brink of defeat, his opponent may have choked. But make no mistake, it is a skill to create environments that encourage such chokes. And no one does this better in big matches than Novak Djokovic.

By Owen Lewis

While the 2013 Australian Open semifinal between Roger Federer and Andy Murray was an example of a five-set demolition, the 2009 U.S. Open final is its inverse: a five-set steal. The match, contested by Federer and Juan Martin del Potro, was as unusual of a contest as the Federer-Murray semifinal, but for very different reasons.

A bit of backstory: Federer had won the last five U.S. Open tournaments. After being dethroned at Wimbledon by Rafael Nadal in 2008, there were rumors that the Swiss was in decline, but he responded by winning three of the next four majors (he also made the final of the 2009 Australian Open, but fell to Nadal in five sets), and reclaimed the number one ranking. In facing first-time major finalist del Potro, Federer was the heavy favorite.

The first set was fairly predictable; Federer broke his Argentinean opponent in his first service game, hitting a beautiful forehand pass on break point after scampering across the court to neutralize del Potro’s angled backhand volley. He pressured each of the younger player’s service games while holding with ease himself, and won the set 6-3.

The second frame, however, would turn what appeared to be a straightforward match into a controversial, dramatic, intense battle. Again, Federer claimed an early break in the set, and while del Potro earned his first break point chances, he was unable to convert. Federer had multiple break points for a double break lead, but squandered them, missing a straightforward forehand on the second. Still, the Swiss found himself serving for a two-set lead at 5-4. At 30-love, it seemed that an easy hold was on the way, but a pair of errors pulled the score back to 30-all.

On the crucial 30-all point, Federer approached the net behind a deep crosscourt forehand, and del Potro slammed a thunderbolt of a forehand down the line that nicked the white tape. The ball was called out, and the Argentine’s challenge showed that the forehand had caught a piece of the line. Federer argued the call, suggesting to umpire Jake Garner that the Hawkeye system picked up the wrong mark, but his efforts were fruitless. At break point, 30-40, Federer stubbornly approached to del Potro’s forehand again, and was again passed with a forehand down the line, this one clearly in upon first glance. Federer at this stage was 2/13 on break points in the match.

The set went to a tiebreak, and it was clinched by the Argentine with an immense inside-out forehand winner. Similarly to the Federer-Murray match, the frontrunner blew a huge chance for a two-set lead, giving the opponent new life.

The third set brought more controversy involving the umpire; Federer took issue with the time del Potro was given to challenge a line call after being told himself that it was too late for him to challenge. The strain of the match was evident as the typically calm Swiss delivered an explicit rant to Garner, earning a code violation.

Federer won the third set courtesy of a del Potro double fault, and with a two-sets-to-one lead in hand, it once again seemed very likely that a sixth straight title was on the way. Such a deficit hadn’t been overcome in the final for ten years; in 1999 Andre Agassi won the final two sets against Todd Martin to claim a five-set victory.

The fourth set began well for del Potro. He broke to love in the fifth game, then consolidated in impressive fashion for a 4-2 lead. Federer clawed back to level, however, and was two points from victory with the Argentine serving at 4-5, 15-30. The underdog scrapped to 40-30 with back-to-back unreturned serves, then crushed a forehand winner down the line to restore parity at 5-all.

Another tiebreak ensued, and del Potro won it 7-4, taking an early lead and never letting it slip. So despite winning two sets and being two points away from taking the second and fourth as well, Federer found himself in a decider, and he was simply rolled.

His only opportunity to get his teeth into the set arrived after he was broken for 0-2 (on break point, he approached the del Potro forehand once again and watched a crosscourt bullet fly past him). Federer had a chance to break back to get to 1-2, but sailed a makeable backhand long. The Swiss was unable to make inroads on the Argentine’s serve after failing to break back, and lost his own serve a second time to drop the final set 6-2.

This match was similar to the 2013 Australian Open semifinal in that one player was clearly in the ascendancy for four sets, but missed opportunities to close out the match and was dragged to a fifth set. However, in assuming Murray’s role as the dominant force in the match, he was unable to rule the final frame as the Scot did in the aforementioned 2013 semifinal. Instead, his own challenge faded, perhaps in part because of scar tissue from the missed opportunities.

Juan Martin del Potro deserves all the credit in the world for pulling off this steal. In the second set, he battled to avoid going down a double break, he played his best, steadiest tennis on the big points, and when the fifth set arrived he held nothing back and stormed past a shell-shocked Federer. The 2009 U.S. Open remains the Argentine’s only major title, but it goes to show that incredible turnarounds can always happen in tennis matches. A mental lapse from the frontrunner is never impossible, and del Potro is an example of why digging in when down a set and a break can lead to pay dirt.

Thanks to @siddhantguru (Twitter handle) for giving me the idea for this article! I hope everyone is staying safe and staying indoors.

By Owen Lewis

Many five-set matches are desperately close, with each player battling to earn a crucial break. These matches delight fans and are often immortalized in the minds of viewers for their quality and tension. Yet not every five-setter is filled with drama. In rare cases, the fifth set of a match can be the most lopsided, as one player finds their top gear just as the other begins to flag. A classic example of the unusual “one-sided five-setter” took place in the semifinals of the 2013 Australian Open between Andy Murray and Roger Federer.

To set the stage: Murray had never beaten Federer in one of the four biggest tournaments on tour, but was on the rise, having won his first Grand Slam at the previous major, the 2012 U.S. Open. For his part, Federer had won just one of the last eleven slams, and the tennis world had long since accepted that his best days were behind him. So, Murray entered the match as the favorite, bolstered by his fantastic form of the six months prior. The Scot did walk out of Rod Laver Arena as the victor, but it’s fair to say that few had expected the bizarre contest that had taken place.

Murray won the first set in a somewhat straightforward affair, putting Federer’s serve under severe early pressure and breaking in the third game. He was able to win his own service games comfortably, and was rewarded by winning the opening frame 6-4. The following set might have gone to Murray as well, but for a crucial mishap in the tiebreak. Federer, facing a potential two-set deficit, raised his level in the second set, and both players held serve six times to force a tiebreak.

Federer took the early advantage, storming to a 4-1 lead, but Murray continued to scrap and fought his way to 5-all. A 5-5 point in a tiebreak is always a hugely important moment, as the one who wins it earns a set point. In this match, Murray’s mistake in the big moment gave Federer life. The Scot served down the middle, and took advantage of the short sliced return by directing a powerful inside-out forehand to Federer’s backhand corner. The Swiss could only toss up a lob, and Murray, attempting to imitate Pete Sampras, leaped in the air before executing the smash. The only problem? He framed it, and hit the ball far shorter in the court than he had intended. Federer positioned his feet and timed his next shot beautifully, ripping a crosscourt backhand past the sprawling Murray at net.

With set point and the serve in hand, Federer won the next point to even the match. Had Murray dispatched a regulation overhead, the Swiss would have been staring down a set point instead of serving for the set himself. So, despite Murray having won more points in the match and returned serve more effectively, the score stood at a set all.

The third set was fairly even until the sixth game, when, without warning, Federer’s level dropped and Murray broke his serve. The Scot held serve with ease for the rest of the frame, winning it 6-3. After the third set, he still had not been broken in the match, and had faced only one break point.

In the fourth set, perhaps the highest quality tennis of the match was featured. Federer earned his first break of the match and followed it with one of his best service games of the contest, consolidating to love and taking a 4-1 lead. Murray answered the challenge, breaking back for 3-4 and holding an attritional service game, saving a break point, to tie the set. Two more holds of serve were exchanged, and at 5-all, Murray suddenly broke to love, giving him the chance to serve for the match. The game to follow was fiercely contested, dramatic, and even featured a brief, angry exchange between the players.

On the opening point of the game, a strong rally took place which ended when Federer approached to Murray’s forehand and was defeated by a beautiful pass down the line. The Swiss thought he had seen his opponent stop in the middle of the point, and yelled this across the net, with a choice word involved. Murray responded with a smirk towards his box.

Federer got his teeth into the game by winning two of the next three points for 30-all, then produced a brave inside-out backhand winner to reach break point. Murray hammered a big serve, but Federer clawed it back into play and the Scot sent a forehand wide when most of the court had been open.

Playing with the freedom of unexpected life in the match, Federer played by far the better tiebreak, winning it 7-2. With Murray left to rue his missed chances in the fourth set, it seemed that Federer could possibly steal the match after being the inferior player for the majority of the battle.

Murray put any notions that this might happen to rest almost immediately. He broke Federer’s serve in the second game of the decider for a 2-0 lead, while taking care of his own service games comfortably. He did not face a break point in the fifth set, and wrapped up the match by breaking Federer again, at 15.

Why is a match like this so unusual? An argument could be made that Murray should have finished off Federer in straight sets. And yet the match went to five. All of the sets that Murray won weren’t closely contested; he faced little pressure on his serve while making his opponent battle to hold nearly every service game. Federer took two tiebreaks, and in each set was two points away from losing the frame (5-all in the tiebreak in the second set, and returning at 5-6, 30-all in the fourth set). It’s a testament to Federer’s resilience that he was able to drag the match to a fifth set, but Murray then pulled away from the Swiss in a 6-2 decider.

Many five set matches are fiercely close. In what many consider to be the greatest match of all time, Rafael Nadal beat Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7. The legendary battle bears some similarities to the Federer-Murray semifinal — not in terms of quality, but in terms of margins. In both matches, Federer won two extremely close sets that ended in tiebreaks, while losing the three other sets, none of which went to breakers. The difference is that in the Wimbledon match, the fifth set was decided by the finest of margins, while Murray clearly outclassed Federer in their Australian Open battle.

There are many possible explanations for this. Federer was closer to his peak in 2008 than he was in 2013, and he prefers grass courts to cement. Some might argue that Murray played a better fifth set than Nadal did (though I would disagree), or that Federer simply had a better day in 2008 than he did in 2013.

The scoreline of the match, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2, gives a taste of the rare one-sided five-setter, but the numbers don’t show the smash that Murray shanked at 5-all in the second set tiebreak, that Murray served for the match in the fourth, or the fact that Federer only had one break point until the fourth set.

Murray would go on to lose a four-set final to Novak Djokovic, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2, perhaps a little bit tired from his four-hour semifinal against Federer. While the Swiss’s challenge faded in the fifth set, his comeback in the fourth may have helped determine the 2013 Australian Open champion.

By Owen Lewis

As coronavirus, or COVID-19, has spread across the world with alarming speed, many events and competitions have been called off. When the outbreak began, the next large tournament on the horizon was Indian Wells, a prestigious Masters 1000 known to many as tennis’s “fifth major”. Regardless of the size and splendor of the tournament, it was called off, and soon after the ATP made an announcement that all tournaments in the next six weeks would be cancelled.

How will this affect the tour?

Many assumed that the points earned from last year would be lost in normal fashion, but tournaments being cancelled is such an unprecedented event — and doesn’t grant players the opportunity to defend their points — that the ATP is discussing alternative options.

The GOAT race (the battle between Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal to win the most Grand Slams) will be temporarily put on hold. Two large hard court tournaments in Miami and Indian Wells will not happen in 2020, and the six-week play suspension includes Monte Carlo and Barcelona, two important clay tournaments. The cancellation of the French Open and Wimbledon, two of the four most important competitions of the year, is already being discussed by many, and if these events do not take place, the year as a whole may not be included in the debate over the greatest men’s tennis player ever.

Lower-profile players will also be hit hard by the turn of events. Few make as much money as the aforementioned Big Three, and rely on tournaments such as Indian Wells and Miami for income (used to travel to other tournaments, pay coaches and physios, and meet basic needs). Now that the tour has a gaping hole that will last for the next six weeks, these players essentially have no way to make money until the circuit starts up again.

With luck, the world will eventually be able to tackle the virus and tennis players will be free to play on the biggest stages again. Until then, however, fans, writers, and players will be in a kind of limbo: practicing, watching old matches, and waiting for the resumption of the tour.