By Owen Lewis

The most prolific rivalry in the men’s game fired on all cylinders this past decade. To this day, they have faced off 54 times, with Djokovic leading the slimmest of leads at 28-26. They stand as the top two players in the world, with Nadal occupying the top spot and Djokovic just behind. Nadal dominated the early stages of the rivalry, but after a devastating loss in the semifinals of Madrid in which Djokovic, a 32-year-old from Serbia, missed three match points, the current world No. 2 turned the tables, winning 24 of the next 36 matches. Still, the overall head-to-head remains very close, with the pair contesting some of the great modern matches in the last ten years.

These two aren’t the best in the world for nothing — Djokovic is perhaps the greatest returner of all time, and possesses an unbelievably solid backhand (the world’s finest) as well as the ability to redirect the ball up the line at will. His serve, although very underrated, is great at getting him out of trouble, and he’s produced an ace when he needs it many times. He is unbelievably flexible, and has the ability to make belief-defying, body-twisting gets that keep him in points from seemingly doomed positions. Nadal has a vicious forehand that carries tremendous topspin, forcing his opponent make contact with many shots uncomfortably high, often around the chest or neck. His on-court intensity is unrivaled, he has great hands at net although he usually prefers to stay back at the baseline, and he constantly tries to improve the areas of his game that he feels need work. He has recently weaponized his drop shot, and his serve has been more effective than in the past this year. Both players have the belief that they can come back and win a match no matter the deficit, and each is astoundingly good under pressure. Djokovic and Nadal have both made some incredible comebacks in their careers, including against each other.

When these two gladiators play, their matches consist of several grinding, bruising rallies. Djokovic’s beautiful two-handed backhand can neutralize Nadal’s vicious topspin, and the deciding factor sometimes comes down to who can rip their best shot down the line more effectively. In their head-to-head, Nadal has dominated on clay (though this is not specific to the rivalry; he is by consensus the best clay court player ever), while Djokovic has claim to the hard courts (but again, Djokovic is one of the best hard court players ever). They split their two meetings this year, with Djokovic winning the Australian Open final (hard court) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, playing an impeccable match while Nadal probably suffered from a lack of testing contests over the fortnight. They also played in the Rome final (on clay), with Nadal winning 6-0 (the first bagel of the rivalry — in over twelve years!), 4-6, 6-1. While Nadal played beautifully, Djokovic’s fitness was likely compromised by long, grueling matches in the previous two rounds. Neither of these matches were exactly classics — let’s look at some of the best matches contested by Nadal and Djokovic over the past ten years.

U.S. Open Final 2010

Nadal sealed his first U.S. Open and his career Grand Slam with a high quality 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 win in which the 33-year-old Spaniard hit his serve and backhand beautifully. The turning point was when Nadal served for the third set at 5-4. At 15-0, Djokovic defended incredibly well throughout a 20+ stroke rally as Nadal pushed him around with forehands, then stood firm and lashed a crosscourt forehand winner to level the game at 15-all. Nadal made a forehand error to give Djokovic hope at 15-30, but followed his mistake with an unreturnable serve, an ace, and another unreturnable serve to close out the set. From there, the Spaniard ran away with the match in the fourth set.

U.S. Open Final 2011

Nadal had won at this stage the year before, but Djokovic had had an amazing 2011, winning two majors and riding a 43-match winning streak deep into the year. The Serb played an imposing match, earning his maiden title in Flushing Meadows with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1 win. He went long stretches of the match with few to no unforced errors, and Nadal did well to fight his way to the third set. There were some thrilling exchanges in the 4 hour 10 minute semi-classic, including a Djokovic backhand winner to save break point after a 30+-shot rally, and a backhand winner of Nadal’s own, struck after Djokovic had astonishingly kept the ball in play time after time, retrieving Nadal’s bullets again and again.

Australian Open Final 2012

Nadal fought incredibly hard to make this match closer than the 2011 U.S. Open final, but it wasn’t quite enough to repel a determined Djokovic, who took a five-hour, 53 minute match 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5. Nadal was up 4-2, 30-15 in the fifth set, but the Serb took advantage of a missed backhand by his opponent and stormed back to win. After the impossibly attritional match, both players stretched on the net during the too-long post-match speeches by the sponsors until, mercifully, someone brought them chairs and water. The match featured amazing rallies and huge hitting by both, but it was a mental battle more than anything — Nadal stayed in the match seemingly by sheer will, saving three break points when down 3-4 and coming back from 3-5 down in the tiebreak. Djokovic then displayed his mental strength by rebounding from 4-2 down in the fifth. In my opinion, one of the best men’s singles matches ever.

French Open Final 2012

This was a match for history — Djokovic was attempting to complete his career Grand Slam, while Nadal was trying to break Bjorn Borg’s record of six men’s titles. It was the Spaniard that would come out on top. Djokovic gave him a scare — after being shelled for two sets and two games, he fiercely turned the match around, winning the third and going up a break in the fourth. The match was delayed on account of darkness, and Nadal immediately retrieved the break on the second day. He would go on to win the fourth set 7-5, with Djokovic surrendering the match on a double fault: 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. This was a satisfying win for Nadal after losing the previous three slam finals to Djokovic.

French Open Semifinal 2013

Djokovic entered the match as world No. 1, and Nadal had been injured for much of previous year, but the Spaniard’s dominance on clay and 4-0 record against Djokovic at the French Open to that point made the match difficult to call. Nadal would win 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 9-7 after four hours and 37 minutes, the match acting as a counterpart to their epic in Australia. Nadal served for the match in the fourth set, but Djokovic showed impressive mettle to break and win the tiebreak. In the fifth, the Serb broke early and managed to cling to his advantage until 4-3, when a stumble into the net at deuce proved costly. Both players continued playing amazing tennis deep into the deciding set, but eventually the match was completed when Djokovic was unable to hang with Nadal anymore, and he was broken to love.

U.S. Open Final 2013

Nadal had had a brilliant hard court swing prior to this match, beating Djokovic in a tense Montreal semifinal, so was the slight favorite to win this final. He would do so, in a match much closer than the score would suggest: 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Djokovic was up a break early in the third set, and had two chances for a double break lead. Both were snuffed out, then Nadal broke back, and the crucial game arrived with the Spaniard serving at 4-all. Djokovic took a 0-40 lead with some precise play, and Nadal looked to be up against it facing three break points. The 2010 champion repelled all three, however, with an incredibly gutsy and perfectly timed inside-out forehand winner, a long rally at the end of which Djokovic netted a forehand, and his first ace of the match, a 125 mph laser down the middle. Nadal would close out the hold, break for the set, and then win the fourth set going away. It was an emotional win for Nadal, and one that would cap an impressive year.

Wimbledon Semifinal 2018

The latest classic between these two legends was of the utmost quality. Each player hit 73 winners and 42 unforced errors, showing how tight the match was. It was Djokovic that grabbed victory in the end, after a fantastic 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9), 3-6, 10-8 tussle. The turning point came with Djokovic serving at 7-7 in the fifth. The Serb escaped a 15-40 hole, then while facing a third break point, nervelessly fired a crosscourt forehand past his net-charging opponent. He went on to hold, and though Nadal at first rose to the challenge, saving a match point in the 7-8 game, he couldn’t sustain the incredible play and was broken to love at the end of the match. This was a fantastic match, and a potentially pivotal one in the race for Grand Slam titles — Djokovic easily won the final against an exhausted Kevin Anderson.

By Owen Lewis

Professional tennis players lead very taxing lives, both physically and mentally. For most of the year, every year, they’re playing, and when they aren’t playing they’ll be training or traveling across the world. It’s currently tennis’s short offseason, but the Australian Open, one of the four biggest tournaments in the sport, starts in mid-January and players will be entering lead-up events weeks before that. The life of a pro tennis player has constant demands even outside the emotional stress of a match, and this article looks at some of these lesser-known hardships.

-Withstanding a heartbreaking loss

Tennis is a fairly unique sport in that once a player makes a high-profile final, they may never get that opportunity again. Yes, this is true for all sports, but the individuality of tennis ensures that the responsibility falls entirely on one player’s shoulders. In football or soccer, ten or twelve others are expected to help carry the mantle. Here’s an example of when a player has blinked at the most important moment of their career — and never recovered.

Guillermo Coria at the 2004 French Open

Before Rafael Nadal came of age and begun to dominate clay, Coria was expected to be the next big thing on the dirt. The Argentine’s best opportunity to create a legacy came at the 2004 French Open. As the third seed, Coria reached the final against an unseeded Gaston Gaudio, also of Argentina. It looked like Coria’s time had come when Gaudio got the shakes early in the match, winning just three games in the opening two sets. At one point in the third set, Gaudio was behind 0-6, 3-6, 3-4, 15-40. The Parisian crowd did the wave for Gaudio, and that proved the turning point. Coria let the moment get in his head, got broken from 40-love up in the next game, and let his two-set lead slip. Still, he served for the match twice in the fifth set and had two championship points. All the opportunities passed Coria by, and Gaudio took the deciding set 8-6 (there are no fifth set tiebreaks at the French Open, the set continues until one player wins by two games).

In his post match interview, Coria said through his tears that the next time he made the final at the French Open, he wouldn’t disappoint his fans. He would never get the chance. His career nosedived after the loss, and therein lies one of the most brutal aspects of tennis: after a player gets the taste of being one point away from winning a big tournament and not getting over the line, they can be forever haunted by the missed opportunity in every first round match, every time they serve to stay in a set, and throughout their practices. Champions have to overcome this disappointment, crawl through the labyrinth just to play in a final again, and this time convert their opportunities. It was too much to ask from Guillermo Coria.

-Overcoming intense scoreboard pressure

The crucial fact of tennis is, perfectly summed up by Rowan Ricardo Phillips in his brilliant book The Circuit, that “One step in the wrong direction in the middle of one point can cause an avalanche that sweeps away any advantage, no matter its size. Opportunity’s door opens and closes quickly, quicker than in most other sports,” (37). The scoring of tennis is fairly simple. It takes four points to win a game: 15, 30, 40, game. If the game goes to 40-all, or deuce, a player must win two points in a row from deuce to take the game. Six games win a set (if it goes to six-all, a tiebreak to seven points is played, win by two), and two or three sets win a match, depending on if it’s best of three or best of five. The game scoring reminds one of baseball — three strikes is an out, three outs get you out of an inning, etc. But the difference is that if you’re a pitcher and walk a couple batters, you can loft the ball over the plate and rely on the eight fielders to deal with whatever comes next. But in tennis, if you start hitting weak balls, sacrificing pace for consistency, your opponent will hammer the ball and you’re the one who has to get those shots back during the point. And the next point. And the one after that.

Let’s say that you’re playing a club match, and leading 6-3, 5-4, 30-love and serving. One set is in your pocket, and you’re two points away from winning the match. Your opponent has to win four points in a row to take the game, and there’s no way you’ll let that happen. Seeing victory not far away, you hit a slightly lazy serve. Your opponent, half-resigned to losing, takes a huge cut at the ball and drills it past you for a winner. 30-15 now, and still nothing to worry about — right? You’re still two points away. But the harsh treatment of your last serve sticks in the back of your mind and you miss your first serve. Trying not to double-fault, you hit a weak second and your opponent quickly takes initiative and wins the point. Now it’s 30-all, and you’re still two points from winning the match, but your opponent is two points away from leveling the set. You know this, and knuckle down, winning the next point with a good serve. 40-30 and match point now, and surely your opponent will fold. You spin in a first serve, a rally ensues, and surprisingly the person on the other side of the net isn’t missing. Eventually you grow frustrated and tee off on a short ball but miss the winner narrowly. It’s deuce, and while you try to stay focused, the words you were just one point away, but now you’re two points away bounce around in your jumbled head. You double fault. Now it’s break point — you need to win three points in a row to win the match thanks to that last error. Your opponent has new life, and they win the next point and the game. It’s 5-5 now, and in the space of three points, you’ve gone from having match point to being eight points away from winning (if you can break their serve at 5-5 and win the next game at 6-5, you win the set 7-5; you have to win a set by two games). That was your opportunity and you missed it, you think. Worse, they have all the momentum now. You get ready to receive at 5-all, but the missed chances in the previous game are haunting you. You miss a return. Then another. Before you know it the game’s lost and now you’re serving to stay in the set. Your opponent piles on the pressure and breaks for the set. Now it’s one set all, and everything resets. But your head has gone. How are you gonna get a better chance to win than the one you just had? your head taunts you. Your energy and will drop in the deciding set and you get crushed, 6-1. You’ve lost the match.

Does this seem far-fetched? It’s not as unrealistic as you think. Just ask Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, who had four match points in the fourth set of his 2012 French Open quarterfinal against then-No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Tsonga mixed in passive play with Djokovic’s clutch shots, and saw all four opportunities pass him by. Djokovic would win the set in a tiebreak and go on to win the fifth and deciding set 6-1.

Again, when we look at “chokes” like this, baseball comes to mind. Take Clayton Kershaw — a spectacular pitcher in the regular season, his frequent missteps under pressure have threatened to undermine his splendid career. And a harsh fact of sport is this — if you can’t deliver under pressure, that is what you will be remembered by. You might earn lots of money and fans, but you won’t be remembered as a champion. You will be remembered as the one who couldn’t close the deal.

Here are a couple more recent examples of devastating chokes. In this year’s Wimbledon, in the third round, Polona Hercog led 6-3, 5-2 against 15-year-old crowd favorite Cori Gauff. Gauff, serving to stay in the match, saved a match point with a beautiful slice winner, and held for 5-3, forcing Hercog to serve out the match. Hercog played her way to a match point at 40-30…and double-faulted. This is one of the worst mistakes a player can make — at the moment of highest pressure for the opponent, you don’t force them to play a single shot. After the double-fault, Gauff broke Hercog’s serve, won the set in a tiebreak, and won the third set 7-5. The double-fault was the spark that lit the bonfire that burned Hercog’s hopes of winning the match. And for the record, losing a third-rounder at Wimbledon is a heartbreaker, especially after holding match point. Assuming a player’s ranking is high enough to qualify for perhaps the world’s most prestigious tournament, it takes a heck of an effort to win two matches against other highly motivated players.

In a men’s quarterfinal match between David Goffin of Belgium and Djokovic at Wimbledon (note that he comes out on top of a lot of these momentum shifts; he is a master at taking advantage of his opportunities), a seemingly-low-key passage of play decided the match. Goffin was the considerable underdog, but broke Djokovic’s serve early in the contest. Serving at 4-3, 30-love, the Belgian double-faulted. Think that seems unimportant? He was still up a break and 30-15. But after that point, Goffin lost the game. And the next one. And the next one. And the next one. When the dust settled, Goffin’s 4-3 lead had turned into a 4-6, 0-6, 0-1 deficit. That’s right, he lost ten games in a row. His resistance faded as soon as he was broken back for 4-4, or was it that Djokovic simply didn’t gave him a sniff? Probably a combination. And all it takes is one point to get the snowball rolling. Goffin would lose the third set 6-2, with Djokovic defending insanely well, at one point forcing his opponent to hit three overheads to win a single rally, with Goffin going for the lines on the final one. But it’s a fickle beast, momentum.

What makes a true champion is the heart and clarity to miss a massive opportunity, and come back to win anyway. A classic example is the 2008 Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. A bit of backstory: these two played the Wimbledon final in 2007, and it was a five-set epic. Nadal missed four break points early in the deciding set and ended up falling 6-2. He wept in the locker room for half an hour after the loss, sure that he had missed his last chance to win Wimbledon. But he made the final again in 2008, having improved his game significantly from the year before (and he was already ranked #2 with three majors to his name after the French Open in 2007), and stormed to a two set lead over Federer, who had won the last five Wimbledons. Federer sparked a comeback, though, winning the third set in a tiebreak and saving two championship points in the fourth set tiebreak with an unreturnable serve and an outrageously gutsy and precise backhand passing winner down the line. He would take the breaker 10-8. With all the momentum behind Federer, it seemed that Nadal’s heart would be shattered at Wimbledon once again. But Nadal didn’t fold or yield, instead adopting the attitude “I won two sets already, what’s stopping me from winning a third?” He saved a break point decisively when serving at 3-4, and eventually won an epic fifth set 9-7 on his fourth match point. Some call this the greatest match ever, and much of the hype is down to Nadal’s incredible mental resilience. When he had match point, Federer came up with some incredible shots. Nadal recognized this, didn’t give an inch, stuck to his game plan and it all worked out. Now, Nadal has 19 major titles, second on the men’s side only to — you guessed it — Federer. Nadal has a great chance to level the record at his favorite major, the French Open, next year. But the point is that his mental strength has been an immense asset in his hallowed career.

From some of these examples, you might think “Is it possible to be the better player, and still lose?” The answer is a definite yes. In the Wimbledon final this year, Roger Federer hit more aces, more winners, fewer double faults, created more break point opportunities, converted more break points, and won fourteen more points overall than his opponent, Novak Djokovic. But he failed to convert two championship points when serving at 8-7, 40-15 in the fifth set, and lost the match. The point that matters most in tennis is the last point — it sounds like a cliché, but it was put into stark definition in this match.

Not all matches are decided by a couple points here and there, however. Of course, there are lopsided matches in which the loser never had much of a chance.

At the Australian Open final in January, Djokovic demolished Nadal in the final, breaking his opponent five times and winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Nadal was unable to convert his only break opportunity, but was that significant? Not really.

The same two players contested the Rome final in May, and this time it was Nadal scoring the lopsided win, 6-0, 4-6, 6-1. He converted 6 of 17 break chances, as opposed to Djokovic’s 1 from 2. Nadal made good on a lower percentage of his opportunities, but in this case the amount of break chances he earned showcases his dominance of the match.

-Having the mental resilience to rebound from multiple injuries or other setbacks/breaks from the game

Serena Williams, widely known as the greatest female player of all time (23-time major champion), won the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, and upon returning from giving birth, has made multiple major finals while in her late 30s.

Rafael Nadal has overcome multiple injuries (knee, back, foot, etc.) to win 19 slams and become one of the best male players of all time.

Andy Murray, a three-time major champion from Britain, has undergone hip replacement surgery this year and appears to be on his way back to the top 20, impressively winning a title in Antwerp this year.

Venus Williams has battled Sjogren’s Syndrome throughout her career, an autoimmune disease that causes intense joint pain. She has overcome this huge barrier, winning seven major titles.

And just last month, Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, playing just a few days after the death of his father, heroically won a crucial singles match for his country in the Davis Cup.

As heroic as these stories are, these players are the cream of the crop. So many others suffer from injury or other setbacks and crumble under the pressure.

-Overcoming the physical strain of back-to-back tournaments and playing your best in the biggest matches

Daniil Medvedev, a 23-year-old Russian, burst into the top five this year. Throughout the summer, he burned through the fields of the North American swing, winning Cincinnati and making the finals of Montreal and Washington D.C. By the time he arrived at the U.S. Open, one of the four majors and biggest tournaments of the year, though, his body had begun to rebel, and Medvedev had several physical problems in the opening rounds. He rounded nicely into form, however, impressively making the final and giving Nadal a run for his money before finally succumbing to the Spaniard in the fifth set (after almost five hours). The ability to play one’s best tennis in the most important tournaments (and the most crucial points) is perhaps the most important quality of a champion.

Serena Williams hasn’t won a tournament since the 2017 Australian Open. Time to hang up the racket, you presume? Think again. She made two major finals this year, at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and though she lost both in straight sets, she is already the odds-on favorite for the 2020 Australian Open. Serena may have a lack of tournament wins in the last couple years, but in Grand Slams, she is lethal, and Grand Slams are the place that a player most wants to be lethal. She is nowhere near done.

-The travel

Players have to travel around the world to tournaments, paying for food, plane fare, and room/board for their family, physio, doctor, and any other members of their team that may be with them. The travel on the circuit is so rigorous that even the families of the best players do not and cannot attend every single match.

Clearly, tennis is a devastatingly difficult and testing sport. With its many pitfalls and slippery slopes, it’s next to impossible to become a champion of the game, which makes what the best players do all the more impressive.

By Owen Lewis

The Big Three- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic- are probably the greatest men ever to hold a racket. They have amassed a ridiculous amount of prize money and trophies between them, while their competitors, who would surely be champions in other eras, are left to play second fiddle. Yet even such incredible players have suffered devastating losses and missed opportunities- this article examines some of the matches that got away for the three giants.

Nadal: Australian Open Final 2012 (vs. Djokovic)

Nadal won his first Australian Open in 2009, but suffered injuries during the tournament in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, he played exceptional tennis Down Under, beating Federer in a four-set semifinal. He clashed with the world No. 1, Djokovic, in the final. Djokovic had beaten Nadal in the past two slam finals (Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2011), making Nadal a considerable underdog. But Nadal, a gritty fighter from Mallorca, Spain, took the first set and then a fourth-set tiebreak seemingly by sheer will. In the fourth, he was down two sets to one and serving at triple break point down, but escaped danger and then won four straight points from 5-3 down in the tiebreak. In the fifth set, Nadal broke for 4-2 and played his way to a 30-15 lead. On the next point, a Djokovic volley sat up invitingly for Nadal to push it into the open court, but he missed it by a couple inches. Instead of 40-15, it was 30-all, and Djokovic ended up taking the set 7-5 and the championship. To date, Nadal hasn’t won another Australian Open to go along with his 2009 title.

Federer: Wimbledon Final 2019 (vs. Djokovic)

Federer’s last slam win was at the Australian Open in 2018. At 37 years old (at the time of this match) it seemed that his time to add to his all-time men’s record of 20 slams was running out. But at Wimbledon, he made the final, beating Nadal in the semifinals. He was an underdog against, again, the world No. 1 Djokovic. Federer played a great match, though- he outplayed Djokovic for the first four sets, but only managed to win two. In the first and third sets, Federer played poor tiebreaks and lost the sets. In the fifth set, Federer rebounded from a 4-2 lead and managed to break Djokovic at 7-7. Serving up 8-7, the then-37-year-old went up 40-15 with a couple of aces. On the first championship point, Federer made an unforced error on his fabled forehand. On the second, Federer hit a not-quite-convincing approach shot and Djokovic rolled a forehand past him. From there, Federer missed two forehands and got broken for 8-8. He would eventually lose the set and the match- and the championship. It was impressive nerveless play by Djokovic, without doubt, but from 8-7 and 40-15 up, Federer lost seven straight points. This would have been a massive title for Federer, but it wasn’t to be.

Djokovic: French Open Semifinal 2013 (vs. Nadal)

To this point in their careers, Nadal owned seven French Open titles while Djokovic was yet to win his first. The Serb came into the tournament ranked No. 1, and while Nadal was already considered the greatest clay-court player ever, he’d had some injury problems earlier in the year and there were doubts about his form going into the tournament. The other semifinal was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga against David Ferrer- two great players, no doubt- but the Djokovic-Nadal semifinal was highly expected to produce the eventual champion. Nadal came out strong, taking the first and third sets and grabbing a break in the fourth. Djokovic managed to break Nadal when he served for the match, then dominated the fourth-set tiebreak and quickly went up a break in the fifth set. The deciding set was incredibly dramatic- Djokovic held onto his break until 4-3. At deuce, the world No. 1 ran Nadal all over the court, worked his way up to the net and put away an overhead. The only problem? He stumbled into the net before the ball went out of play, giving the point to Nadal. Instead of game point, it became break point- and though Djokovic saved that break point, two forehand errors handed the break back. With Djokovic’s advantage gone, Nadal played brilliantly for the rest of the match and took the fifth set 9-7. The Spaniard then beat Ferrer in the final, losing just eight games. Djokovic’s fall into the net may well have cost him the match, and maybe even the title. The error, at such a decisive moment, reminds of Nadal’s missed backhand in the 2012 Australian Open final- even such incredible champions make mistakes when the crunch is on- and things tend to even out in the end.

Nadal: Wimbledon 2018 Semifinal (vs. Djokovic)

Nadal was the world No. 1 in this tournament, while Djokovic, on his way back from an extended dip in form, was seeded 12th. They produced an epic battle spanned over two days, though, one that would be expected of the world’s top two players. The match came down to a fifth set, and after both players survived tricky situations on serve, the decisive game arrived with Djokovic serving at 7-7. Nadal went up 15-40, Djokovic saved both break points, but a third was produced with a line-clipping forehand winner from the Spaniard. Nadal charged the net behind a crosscourt backhand, and Djokovic rolled a forehand passing shot by his opponent. From there, Djokovic closed out the game, and though Nadal saved a match point in style and completed an impressive hold of his own for 8-8, the match ended in somewhat anticlimactic fashion when Djokovic broke Nadal to love. In the final, Djokovic routined Kevin Anderson of South Africa to win his 13th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic: U.S. Open 2013 Final (vs. Nadal)

As it often does when these two gladiators play, the match came down to a few crucial points. Nadal won the first set comfortably, 6-2, before Djokovic leveled the match with a 6-3 set win. The Serb quickly went up a break in the third, and had break points for a likely insurmountable double break lead. Nadal kept the set close, eventually getting the break back. The crucial game came with Nadal serving at 4-4. Djokovic went up love-40 with the help of a Nadal slip and a beautiful lob. The Spaniard incredibly saved all three break points- the first with an impeccably timed inside-out forehand winner, the second when Djokovic netted at the end of a long rally, and the third with his first ace of the match. Nadal emphatically sealed the hold by pounding an overhead into the seats, then went on to break Djokovic in the next game, taking the set 6-4. With all the momentum behind the Spaniard, he swept through the fourth set 6-1 for his second U.S. Open title. Had Djokovic taken one of the break points at 4-4 in the third, the match would well have turned out differently.

Nadal: Australian Open Final 2017 (vs. Federer)

Making the final of this AO was already a great result for Nadal, who had been injured for much of 2016. Still, he missed a huge opportunity to log his second title Down Under- and had he won, it’s very possible that he would currently be considered GOAT. Federer altered his game plan for the final, hitting his one-handed backhand flatter and with more pace to combat Nadal’s topspin forehand (which in the past had consistently wreaked havoc on Federer’s usually elegant backhand). Still, Nadal found himself up a break in the fifth set. Serving at 3-2, a point away from a 4-2 lead, the Spaniard went for a crosscourt forehand winner, but it clipped the net tape and fell outside the lines. Federer broke back when Nadal missed another forehand, and won the final three games of the match. Had Nadal made the forehand at 3-2 and advantage up, it’s very possible that he would have gone on to take the title. Currently, he has just one Australian Open title (2009), and a second would round out his resume beautifully. He came close in 2017, but failed to win the decisive points.

Federer: U.S. Open Semifinal 2014 (vs. Cilic)

The 2014 U.S. Open featured a number of upsets- a Federer-Djokovic final was anticipated, but when Djokovic fell to Kei Nishikori in the first semifinal, Federer became a huge favorite to win the tournament. If he could win his semi against Marin Cilic, he would likely roll over Nishikori, who was unlikely to produce a second straight huge upset. But Cilic blew Federer off the court with his power game, winning in straight sets (he would go on to beat Nishikori in the final, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3). Federer’s performance was a bit flat, and he lost a huge chance to win this U.S. Open.

Djokovic: Australian Open Quarterfinal 2014 (vs. Wawrinka)

Djokovic had won the last three Australian Opens, and was the favorite to take this one. But in the quarterfinals, he found himself in the midst of a brutal clash with 8th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka. The match went to a fifth set, and with Djokovic serving to stay in the match at 7-8, 30-all, he made two consecutive shocking errors. The first came when he easily ran down a drop shot, but was too ambitious with his reply and put it wide when a safer shot would have gotten the job done. At 30-40 and match point, Djokovic banged a good serve out wide and followed it in to the net. Wawrinka’s return sat up nicely for the Serb to put away an easy volley, but with three quarters of the court open, Djokovic sent the volley wide of the sideline. Wawrinka went on to win the tournament.

Federer: U.S. Open 2011 Semifinal (vs. Djokovic)

Federer, though an underdog in this match, came out strong, taking the first two sets from world No. 1 Djokovic. The Serb fought back to even the match, but Federer broke Djokovic to love for 5-3 and served his way to a 40-15 lead- two match points. Djokovic saved the first with an incredible forehand return winner, but Federer missed a regulation forehand on the second. Djokovic broke his serve, and played some incredible tennis throughout the set that he eventually won 7-5. Federer, besides the unforced error on match point, didn’t do much to stem Djokovic’s flow in the last few games of the match. Djokovic went on to comfortably beat Nadal in the final.

Did I leave any out? Email me at owenlewis11801@gmail.com or post a comment. Thanks for reading!

By Owen Lewis

Hello and welcome to my live coverage of the final match of the ATP Finals. Thiem, a 26-year-old Austrian, and Tsitsipas, a 21-year-old from Greece, have both played exceptionally well this week, losing just one match each. Still, not many would have guessed that these two would be the last men standing, not with the seemingly-immortal Big Three in the mix. But Rafael Nadal narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semis, Novak Djokovic recorded just one win, and Tsitsipas comfortably beat Roger Federer in the first semifinal. These two have similar games- both play with a one-handed backhand and have great forehands. Thiem leads the head-to-head 4-2, and won their last match in Beijing 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. I think he’s a slight favorite for this match: I predict him to win in three sets. Tsitsipas is very capable of causing the upset, though- he was imperious in his semifinal against Federer and he beat Medvedev and Zverev without dropping a set in the round-robin stage. His lone defeat came at the hands of Nadal, who played brilliantly in the tight three-set battle. Thiem has been perhaps even more impressive, recording fantastic wins over Djokovic (a three-set slugfest that ended in a final set tiebreak) and Federer (a straight-set match in which Thiem dominated the big points) before knocking out defending champion Zverev in the semis. Matteo Berrettini beat him in straight sets in the final match of the round-robin stage, but Thiem had already sealed his qualification for the semifinals at that point. He seemed to be suffering from a cold in that match, and was coughing in his win over Zverev, but overcame any problems well as he disposed of Zverev in straight sets. This will be the biggest title of the winner’s career: Tsitsipas hasn’t won an event bigger than a 250, and Thiem’s biggest win is at Indian Wells, a Masters 1000. This should be an exciting match- here we go! (asterisk signals next server)

First set: Thiem* 0-1 Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas will serve to open the match. He begins with a strong wide serve that Thiem can’t return, then another good serve followed by an inside-out forehand winner makes it 30-love. An ace out wide gives Tsitsipas three game points, and a second ace down the tee seals a great love hold.

Thiem 1-1 Tsitsipas*

Tsitsipas misses a backhand after the first baseline rally. Back-to-back service winners from Thiem follow and it’s 40-love. Another missed return and Thiem holds to love. A good, confident start on serve for both men.

Thiem* 1-2 Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas approaches the net off a soft forehand, but Thiem nets his pass. Tsitsipas crushes a crosscourt forehand winner for 30-love, then slams an ace down the middle. Thiem then returns well off a second serve and on the next shot flays a gorgeous backhand winner down the line. His one-hander can be such an effective weapon, second only to Wawrinka’s in my opinion. Tsitsipas narrowly misses an attempted forehand winner, and it’s now 40-30. A service winner closes out the game for the Greek.

Thiem 2-2 Tsitsipas*

Tsitsipas lands a deep backhand return, and Thiem misses a backhand after a brief rally. Thiem then misses what should have been a simple putaway volley, and it’s love-30. A good serve brings it back to 15-30, and another service winner levels the game at 30-all. But good aggressive play from Tsitsipas earns him the first break point of the match. Thiem misses a first serve, makes a second, and quickly forces an error with a great angled crosscourt forehand. Deuce. An ace out wide gives Thiem advantage, and he holds when Tsitsipas nets a backhand return.

Thiem* 2-3 Tsitsipas

A great rally on the first point of the game, backhand to backhand, and it’s the Greek who wins it with an inside-in forehand winner clocked at 101 mph. He puts away a swing volley for 30-love, and a service winner brings up three game points. Tsitsipas misses a first serve, then takes several seconds to incorrectly challenge. He can’t land an ambitious inside-out backhand in the court, but a forehand winner kisses the baseline and Tsitsipas holds to 15. He’s been very solid behind his serve so far.

Thiem 3-3 Tsitsipas*

Thiem fires an ace out wide- Tsitsipas looks at his racket as if it’s got a hole in it. He’ll be more satisfied when he comes to the net and forces an error from Thiem. 15-all. Thiem misses an astonishingly easy forehand- he was two feet from the net. He challenges, no dice and it’s 15-30. He attacks with his forehand, and Tsitsipas does well to stay in the point, but eventually misses a backhand. Thiem wins the next point with a great approach shot and a lovely backhand volley. Great attacking tennis. A service winner closes out the game. Thiem’s serve is certainly under more pressure so far, but no signs of a break yet.

Thiem* 3-4 Tsitsipas

The young Greek badly shanks a forehand, then nets a forehand under little pressure. Love-30. Thiem has a chance at a crosscourt backhand passing shot, but nets it. That could be crucial. He then smacks a backhand long, and his challenge is incorrect. 30-all. Thiem has his first break point when Tsitsipas loops a forehand wide. The Greek bravely comes to the net behind a second serve and easily puts away a volley winner for deuce. Thiem has another chance when Tsitsipas nets a forehand, though. A horrible call during the rally forces them to replay the point- Tsitsipas’s forehand was called out, but it clearly hit the line. A tough break for Thiem, he was well ahead in the rally. Tsitsipas makes the most of his second chance and volleys well, forcing Thiem to net. Thiem then misses a forehand and Tsitsipas has his first advantage, and he holds when Thiem floats a slice well long. Good serving under pressure from the younger man.

Thiem 4-4 Tsitsipas*

Thiem lands an ace out wide, but Tsitsipas challenges correctly and then wins the point when his opponent hits long. There’s no argument over Thiem’s ace down the tee for 15-all, but Tsitsipas drills an absolute laser of a forehand return down the line for an unreturnable winner. Shot of the match so far. Tsitsipas hits cleanly during a baseline rally, and Thiem nets an inside-in forehand. Two break points. An ace saves the first, and a stretch volley saves the second! That’s clutch. Thiem forces Tsitsipas to net a slice on the run, and the Greek returns long for game.

Thiem* 4-5 Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas flaps a backhand into the net for love-15, but another brave volley behind a second serve bring up 15-all. Tsitsipas then blasts a service winner, and Thiem misses a second-serve return. A good smash completes a comfortable hold for the Greek. He’ll treasure that after the drama of his last service game, and now Thiem will serve to stay in the set.

Thiem 5-5 Tsitsipas*

Thiem smacks a strong serve down the middle for 15-love. A backhand down the line from the Austrian forces an error, then Tsitsipas’s backhand clips the net tape and falls back on his side. Bad luck. Thiem has some margin for error now at 40-love, and sprays a crosscourt backhand well wide. No matter, though- a forehand down the line sets up an overhead, and though Tsitsipas gets it back, Thiem is waiting at the net and volleys beautifully.

Thiem* 5-6 Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas comes to net again, and the Austrian nets a backhand pass. When the Greek tries it on the next point, though, Thiem hammers a forehand down the line past his sprawling opponent. A good body serve jams Thiem and forces him to return long, but Tsitsipas goes for a bit too much on a crosscourt forehand and here comes a huge point at 5-all, 30-all. Thiem returns long on a second serve; that was a bad miss. Tsitsipas rapidly slams the door shut with a huge serve down the middle that Thiem can’t handle. Tsitsipas has a tiebreak at worst, but he’ll be eager for a set-winning break in the next game.

Thiem 6-6 Tsitsipas

Thiem misses a forehand for love-15. An attempted backhand down the line finds the net and Tsitsipas has a huge chance at love-30. Thiem is unfazed by the pressure and whacks a forehand winner down the line, then powers an inside-in forehand that Tsitsipas can’t claw back. 30-all. A brilliant, nerveless crosscourt forehand winner gives Thiem game point, but he misses a makeable backhand pass for deuce. Thiem went for a swing volley on a return that might have drifted long had he left it, and didn’t do enough with the effort, hitting it down the middle and allowing the Greek to stay in the point. Tsitsipas shows his gratitude by netting a return, and Thiem holds with a delicate backhand volley.

First set tiebreak

1-0 Thiem

An early mini-break for Thiem as Tsitsipas narrowly misses a forehand down the line.

2-0 Thiem

A powerful inside-out forehand forces Tsitsipas to net a backhand.

3-0 Thiem

Thiem follows an inside-out forehand into the net, hits a good forehand volley and emphatically puts away a smash.

3-1 Thiem

Tsitsipas gets a much-needed point with a pretty crosscourt backhand winner.

3-2 Thiem

Thiem nets a forehand.

4-2 Thiem

The Austrian sends down a good wide serve and Tsitsipas returns long.

5-2 Thiem

Tsitsipas misses another return off a wide serve. His challenge is in vain; the ball was well out.

5-3 Thiem

Thiem goes for the backhand down the line, but it clips the net tape and doesn’t make it over.

5-4 Thiem

Tsitsipas jams his opponent with a body serve and Thiem’s return goes wide.

5-5

Thiem goes for an inside-out forehand winner and just misses it. We’re back on serve.

6-5 Thiem

An ace from Thiem. Set point. Tsitsipas looked like he wanted to challenge, but it was well in and the Greek is out of challenges.

6-6

Tsitsipas saves the set point with a smash. The tension is building.

7-6 Thiem

Tsitsipas’s second serve is poor- Thiem’s return is sharp enough and the Greek goes long with a backhand. Thiem has set point on his serve.

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

Thiem crushed an unreturnable serve to wrap up a 65-minute first set. After such a closely contested set, all the momentum is behind the Austrian and Tsitsipas will need all his resolve to come back and win the match now.

Tsitsipas didn’t do much wrong in that set- he saved all the break points he faced and rebounded well from 5-2 in the tiebreak. The difference was his poor second serve and missed backhand at 6-all in the breaker. Slim margins.

Second set: Thiem 7-6 0-1 Tsitsipas*

Tsitsipas shows his intentions with a sizzling forehand winner against serve to begin the second set. He’s not going anywhere. Thiem then misses a forehand and he’s quickly under pressure at love-30. The Austrian then hits a crosscourt backhand wide and he’s facing three break points! Attacking tennis saves the first break point, but he badly misses a forehand on the second, and Tsitsipas breaks! That was a really sloppy game from Thiem, with three unforced errors, and it may cost him as he hasn’t yet been able to break Tsitsipas.

Thiem* 7-6 0-2 Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas fires an ace down the middle for 15-love, then drills an inside-out forehand winner for 30-love. A service winner and a poor forehand from Thiem seal a love hold. What a shift in momentum in the last five minutes!

Thiem 7-6 0-3 Tsitsipas*

Tsitsipas returns long on the first point, but then nails a precise forehand return winner for 15-all. Thiem tries a drop shot, but it’s poor and he’s in real trouble at 15-30. A break here would surely give Tsitsipas an insurmountable lead in the set. Tsitsipas senses his opportunity and a great lob sets up an easy volley. Two break points, and the Greek grabs the first with a forehand winner down the line!

Thiem* 7-6 0-4 Tsitsipas

This has a bit of a Wimbledon final vibe, where Djokovic pulled out a close first set and then Federer annihilated him in the second, 6-1. Djokovic won the third in a tiebreak, so maybe there’s hope for Thiem. He’s certainly not on his way to winning this set- he misses a slice from a neutral position, then hits a second serve return into the bottom of the net. An ace from Tsitsipas makes it 40-love, and a service winner closes out the game. Tsitsipas has won 16 of the last 18 points.

Thiem 7-6 1-4 Tsitsipas*

Thiem breaks a run of seven straight points for the Greek with a huge forehand winner. Tsitsipas then misses a return and Thiem attacks well for 40-love. A service winner hands him a love hold- how he’ll wish he could’ve done that in the first game of the set.

Thiem* 7-6 1-5 Tsitsipas

Thiem eats a banana on the changeover. It’s unlikely that it’ll help him overcome this double-break deficit, though, and he nets a forehand return before spinning a backhand long. Tsitsipas holds to love with an ace and yet another unreturned second serve.

Thiem 7-6 2-5 Tsitsipas*

Thiem volleys well off a low pass, setting up an easy putaway. A forehand winner makes it 30-love. Thiem then lands a huge second serve, earning a short return, but he goes for a difficult backhand swing volley when he should have let the ball bounce. It goes wide and it’s 30-15, but Thiem holds with a couple massive serves down the middle. Tsitsipas will serve for the second set.

Tsitsipas wins the second set 6-2!

Tsitsipas hasn’t yet lost a point on serve in the second set. He ruins that lovely stat when he smacks a forehand wide. A great serve brings him back to 15-all, and an ace puts him within two points of the set. Thiem goes well long with a regulation backhand. Two set points. Thiem saves the first with a forehand winner, but cracks a return into the net on the second and we’re headed to a decider!

That was an oddly flat set from Dominic Thiem, reminiscent of the third set of the French Open final this year in which he lost 16 of the first 17 points to Rafa Nadal. Thiem can take comfort from the fact that he’s held his past two service games, but he’ll need to knuckle down on serve and find a way to put some pressure on Tsitsipas during his return games to have any chance.

Thiem 7-6 2-6 1-0 Tsitsipas*

Thiem asked for a Coca-Cola before leaving the court during the break. It doesn’t seem to help at first when he loops a backhand wide at the end of a strong rally. He needs to hold here to re-establish himself at the beginning of this set, and he hits a really difficult volley very well before painting a line with an overhead. That was much closer than it had to be, but he executed well and an ace down the tee makes it 30-15. Tsitsipas returns a wide serve beautifully with a deep, powerful, backhand and Thiem hits long. A big moment early at 30-all…and Tsitsipas ends a brilliant point with a backhand drop volley! Both players defended well there, but the Greek broke through. Break point. Thiem saves it with a punishing forehand down the line! Tsitsipas got there but couldn’t come close to returning it. Brutal forehands from Tsitsipas broke down the Thiem backhand on the deuce point, though, and it’s a second break point. Thiem just misses an ace down the middle- he challenged with no joy. He stays calm under pressure, though, impressively forcing an error with a heavy inside-in forehand. A good serve brings up advantage, and another service winner finishes the hold! Big yell from Thiem there- that was a hugely important game.

Thiem* 7-6 2-6 1-1 Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas needs to focus here in order to avoid losing his momentum, and a couple big serves see him move 30-love up. A beautiful forehand winner down the line followed by a missed return from Thiem seal an emphatic hold.

Thiem 7-6 2-6 1-2 Tsitsipas*

Thiem nets another backhand pass- when he’s at his best, it can be precise and a devastating weapon against a net-rusher, but he hasn’t made a single one today. He then double-faults! Love-30 and another huge moment. Thiem rushes the net and hits a brilliant short half-volley, then does just enough with an overhead. Great depth from the Greek forces Thiem to hit long, and it’s two break points to Tsitsipas. Thiem misses a first serve by a mile, then hits a let second serve before finally spinning in a second. Thiem flies to the net and wins the point with a crisp forehand volley. Tsitsipas took a bit of a spill on that last point, but it doesn’t affect him- Thiem lines up the backhand down the line but nets it, and Tsitsipas breaks! This title is his to lose now.

Thiem* 7-6 2-6 1-3 Tsitsipas

Thiem just hasn’t been able to make enough of an impression against serve for the last set and a half. He hasn’t broken Tsitsipas yet, but he’ll have to do that now to get back into the match. The Greek cracks a good serve out wide for 15-love, then another for 30-love. Thiem tries for another backhand down the line, but that shot just isn’t working for him this match and it’s not close to going in. Tsitsipas holds to love with a forehand winner.

Thiem 7-6 2-6 2-3 Tsitsipas*

Thiem nails some massive groundstrokes before landing the killer blow, an inside-in forehand winner. A sharply angled volley forces Tsitsipas to lob well long, and a missed return gives Thiem three game points. The Austrian shanks a forehand, then a forehand clips the net tape and sits up, allowing Tsitsipas to run in and club away a forehand winner. 40-30. But Thiem manages to hold with a good serve. He’s still in it.

Thiem* 7-6 2-6 3-3 Tsitsipas

A good crosscourt forehand from Thiem unbalances the Greek, who swings a forehand wide. Love-15. Is this Thiem’s chance? It’s 15-all when Thiem hits a backhand long, but he has a chance at 15-30! Tsitsipas had a short forehand, but smacked it long. That was a bad miss and Thiem makes him pay! Some outstanding defense from the Austrian kept the point going, then he got enough pace on a backhand pass to force Tsitsipas to volley long. Two break points. Thiem returns well, but needlessly puts a forehand long. But Tsitsipas goes wide with a backhand and the match is back on serve!

Thiem 7-6 2-6 4-3 Tsitsipas*

Thiem looks to have regained some confidence. Some sharp forehands put the Greek on the defensive, and he hits long. Then Thiem finally connects with his backhand down the line! Out of nowhere, he fires an absolute thunderbolt down the line for a clean winner. A service winner makes it 40-love, and he holds to love when Tsitsipas misses a backhand. Two games in a row for the Austrian, and the momentum has shifted again.

Thiem* 7-6 2-6 4-4 Tsitsipas

This is a massively important game for Tsitsipas, and he begins on the right foot with a good wide serve that Thiem hooks long. The Austrian attacks a second serve on the next point, and builds his advantage, eventually winning the point at net. Tsitsipas then unloads on a backhand down the line- Thiem was nowhere near it. 30-15. Thiem goes for a drop shot, then has a pretty good look at a backhand pass, but he missed it narrowly. Tsitsipas can’t handle the pace on a Thiem backhand, going just wide, and it’s now 40-30. And what a point! Tsitsipas paints Thiem’s backhand corner with forehands, a Thiem backhand lands deep into the corner, but the Greek gets the point with a crosscourt forehand winner.

Thiem 7-6 2-6 5-4 Tsitsipas*

Thiem goes up 15-love with a good serve, then lashes an inside-out forehand swing volley for 30-love. Thiem is really connecting with his backhand now, and a 92 mph bullet down the line draws awed gasps from the crowd. Thiem double-faults after forgetting it was his second serve. Still 40-15, though, and Thiem works his way to the net and puts away another swing volley. Tsitsipas will serve to stay in the match.

Thiem* 7-6 2-6 5-5 Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas blasts an ace down the middle. A good start. Thiem then lofts a backhand long off a second serve, and a service winner makes it 40-love. And another missed return seals the game! Nerveless from Tsitsipas- he didn’t have to play a single shot other than a serve that game.

Thiem 7-6 2-6 6-5 Tsitsipas*

Thiem with a great, deep, inside-out forehand winner. 15-love. He double-faults for 15-all, but a smash makes it 30-15. A fiercely angled inside-out forehand forces Tsitsipas to net. He looks frustrated, but that would have been a tough shot to get to for anyone. An ace seals a hold to 15 for Thiem. Tsitsipas will serve to force a deciding tiebreak and to stay in the match.

Thiem 7-6 2-6 6-6 Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas loops a serve out wide, but Thiem is there with a good return and soon enough Tsitsipas misses a forehand. Thiem is three points from the title. The Austrian misses a forehand for 15-all, then Tsitsipas thrashes an overhead into the open court. 30-15. Thiem smacks a forehand beyond the baseline, but nails a well-angled crosscourt forehand for 40-30. Thiem returns long, though- we have a final set tiebreak!!

1-0 Thiem

A wide serve hits its mark and Tsitsipas sends his return wide.

1-1

Thiem overhits a forehand- he was ahead in the rally.

2-1 Tsitsipas

The Greek pummels away an overhead. This is the first time he’s been ahead in a tiebreak all match.

3-1 Tsitsipas

Thiem flicks a crosscourt backhand just wide. A mini-break for Tsitsipas.

4-1 Tsitsipas

Thiem nets a backhand and Tsitsipas is in firm control of this tiebreak now.

4-2 Tsitsipas

Thiem gets one mini-break back, forcing Tsitsipas to net with an excellent backhand down the line.

4-3 Tsitsipas

Thiem hits a great return off a second serve, then sets up an overhead! Back on serve.

4-4

What a shot from Thiem! He goes for the backhand down the line again, paints the line and Tsitsipas can’t shovel it back.

5-4 Tsitsipas

Thiem goes long with a forehand! Tsitsipas has the mini-break back and will serve the next two points.

6-4 Tsitsipas

Thiem is up in the point but slams a forehand into the net! Match point.

Stefanos Tsitsipas wins the ATP Finals, beating Dominic Thiem 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (4)!

What a match. Thiem missed a forehand return on the final point, and Tsitsipas sank to his knees in elation. It’s the biggest title of his young career and he was brilliantly nerveless in the final, tense, points of this contest. Thiem did well to work his way back into the match, but the unforced error at 4-4 was costly.

That’s it for this report- what a performance from both- look for them to mix it up with the Big Three at the Australian Open next year. Bye!

By Owen Lewis

One might expect that the ATP Finals, the year-end event featuring the top eight players in the world, would display epic matches and intense drama each year. But the last couple championships have disappointed, with a remarkably high number of simple straight-set wins. However, the 2019 tournament has delivered on all fronts so far- here we’ll examine three of the highest quality matches so far.

Thiem defeats Djokovic, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (5)

Novak Djokovic entered the ATP Finals as the favorite, though he was ranked second behind Rafael Nadal. His status as the man to beat was then reaffirmed when he crushed Matteo Berrettini in his opening match 6-2, 6-1. Thiem, though, had recorded an epic five-set win over Djokovic at the French Open in May, and was unintimidated by his opponent. Thiem had also begun his campaign impressively, topping 20-time major champion Roger Federer 7-5, 7-5 in his first contest. Thiem adopted a high-risk, high-reward strategy, bludgeoning winners from both wings and from all across the court. His average speeds on both forehand and backhand were immense, and Thiem blasted over 50 winners past Djokovic, one of the world’s best defenders. Djokovic played the big points a bit better in the first set, but Thiem quickly grabbed a break in the second with some beautiful backhand winners down the line. He maintained his advantage and took the set comfortably. In the decider, Thiem broke early, but Djokovic pegged him back when Thiem’s groundstrokes started to miss their mark. Then, at 5-all, Djokovic played a sloppy game, allowing Thiem to break him at love. The pressure got to Thiem when it came time to serve out the match, and Djokovic broke back to force a tiebreak. It then appeared that Djokovic, who has escaped from many seemingly-hopeless positions in the past, was ready to work his magic again when he took a 3-0 and 4-1 lead. Thiem had other ideas, firing a pair of huge forehand winners to move ahead 5-4. He missed a match point when up 6-4, but with Djokovic serving at 5-6 down, Thiem attacked his opponent’s forehand until it broke down and Djokovic sent one into the net. It was a huge win for Thiem, a 26-year-old from Austria- one that showed, once again, that he could go toe-to-toe with a great of the game.

Nadal defeats Medvedev, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (4)

This match was, without doubt, one of the best comebacks of the year. Medvedev overcame the disappointment of losing the second set and played well at the start of the third, breaking twice and eventually taking a 5-1 lead. Nadal, when serving at 1-5 and 30-40 (match point), refused to quit and escaped danger with a wrong-footing drop shot winner. He then broke Medvedev and enjoyed a comfortable hold, putting the pressure on his opponent to serve out the match at 5-4. Perhaps haunted by missed chances, Medvedev fell behind love-40. Though he pushed back to 30-40, Nadal broke again to level the match at 5-all. Medvedev admirably knuckled down when serving at 5-6, love-30, firing four consecutive service winners. But in the tiebreak, Nadal won four straight points from 4-3 down to clinch a fantastic comeback win. Nadal admitted after the match that he had been lucky, but he played impeccably when his back was against the wall.

Nadal defeats Tsitsipas, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5

Nadal winning another match after losing a close first set shows his mental fortitude and incredible will. While against Medvedev Nadal struggled mightily for the first half of the third set, this match was a higher-quality battle. Tsitsipas did not earn a single break point in the match, while Nadal returned more effectively, putting lots of pressure on the Tsitsipas serve. However, Tsitsipas defended the break points well, and Nadal didn’t crack through until 4-all in the second set. After Nadal served out the set comfortably, an incredibly tight battle ensued in the decider. Nadal continued to apply pressure against serve, and Tsitsipas refused to lie down. Brilliant winners were exchanged, including a Nadal running forehand down the line at 5-all, 30-all. That shot gave him break point, and although he was unable to convert it, he made good on his next chance. He then served out the match to 15, with the final Tsitsipas error forced by yet another strong forehand down the line.

Who Advances to the Semifinals?

Remarkably, even though Nadal won two of his three matches, he did not advance to the semifinals. His lone loss was a relatively one-sided affair to Alexander Zverev of Germany, and since Nadal did not win a set in the match Zverev (who also finished 2-1 at the end of the round-robin stage) will advance along with Tsitsipas (who won his first two matches before losing to Nadal). In the other group, Roger Federer and Thiem advance with two wins and one loss.

By Owen Lewis

Note: It’s the first time I’ve been able to watch live tennis for a while, so I thought I’d do a game-by-game report. I started watching this match live just before the first set tiebreak. Here we go.

First set tiebreak

1-0 Nadal: Nadal with a quick mini-break as his return gives him the edge in the point and eventually Tsonga can’t handle an inside-out forehand.

2-0 Nadal: A long rally, Tsonga’s backhand to Nadal’s forehand, and Tsonga gets the advantage and comes to net only for a brilliant Nadal backhand down the line to blaze past him!

2-1 Nadal: Tsonga returns well off a second serve and Nadal shanks a forehand.

2-2: Tsonga lets loose with some big inside-out forehands and Nadal nets.

3-2 Nadal: Tsonga misses a first serve and the crowd think it’s an ace. His second is in- Tsonga goes for an ambitious forehand and it’s just wide.

3-3: Nadal double faults! All square at the change of ends.

4-3 Nadal: Nadal with a strong first serve followed by a backhand winner down the line.

5-3 Nadal: Tsonga hits a big forehand and comes to net, but his backhand volley is really poor and Nadal’s forehand winner down the line is easy enough.

5-4 Nadal: Big serve and a forehand winner from Tsonga. Nadal to serve for the next two points and the set.

6-4 Nadal: Nadal hits a good deep second serve and Tsonga returns long. Two set points.

Nadal wins the first set tiebreak 7-4! Tsonga went for too much on a forehand and netted it, and it’s a long road back for the Frenchman now.

Second set (Bolded player is the player who served that game)

Nadal 1-0 Tsonga

Tsonga nets a backhand on the first point, then Nadal slices long for 15-all. The crowd is pretty solidly behind Tsonga. Nadal hits a crosscourt backhand that just clips the line, and Tsonga can’t get it back over the net. 30-15. Nadal uncharacteristically misses a short forehand- it should have been an easy shot but he put it well wide. A good serve sees him move to 40-30, though, and he holds when a strong backhand down the line forces Tsonga to net.

Nadal 2-0 Tsonga

Tsonga needs to hold here to stop Nadal from building an insurmountable lead. He gets an ace out wide for 15-love, but follows it up with a double fault. And another double fault! It’s a chance for Nadal at 15-30. Tsonga aces again for 30-all- not a single ground stroke has been played in this game thus far. Tsonga goes for the ace out wide, but Nadal guesses right and gets in a backhand return. Tsonga then thunders a forehand into the net. Break point. And he misses a forehand by a couple of feet to drop serve. Nadal breaks!

Nadal 3-0 Tsonga

Service winner. 15-love. Nadal is mixing up his serve placement well, and it’s paying dividends- Tsonga hasn’t had a break point yet. A forehand down the line causes Tsonga to net, then a drop shot winner makes it 40-love. Nadal’s won nine of the last eleven points. Tsonga smacks a good angled backhand return and Nadal flicks his forehand long, but Nadal aces on the next point to hold to 15.

Nadal 3-1 Tsonga

Tsonga absolutely has to hold here to maintain any hope of winning this match. Nadal returns long on the first point, and Tsonga bangs an ace out wide for 30-love. Nadal wanted to challenge, but the umpire said it was too late. Nadal doesn’t like that. Turns out the serve was out. Nadal misses another return. 40-love. Nadal puts some of his frustration into his next return- a stinging inside-in backhand winner. And an amazing point follows! Tsonga hits a drop, but Nadal sees it coming and dinks well. Tsonga gets there, and Nadal hits a short tweener from the service line that Tsonga can’t return! It’s 40-30, but Tsonga does enough with a volley to escape a potentially sticky situation.

Nadal 4-1 Tsonga

Tsonga goes for broke on a forehand down the line and misses wide. He hits a beautiful backhand winner down the line on the next point, and the crowd tries to pump him up. Nadal misses a regulation forehand, giving Tsonga a chance at 15-30. Nadal hits a good body serve, forcing Tsonga to miss his return by a wide margin. 30-all now, and Tsonga returns long off another strong first serve. Nadal has seven aces to Tsonga’s eight, and is serving really well today. Tsonga crushes a forehand to get to deuce, though! The crowd goes nuts, but Nadal quiets them with another service winner. He then hammers an inside-out forehand winner to complete a good hold.

Nadal 5-1 Tsonga

Nadal nets a sliced return, then a Tsonga forehand clips the tape and sits up nicely for Nadal to run in and smack a forehand winner. Tsonga then nails a precise inside-out forehand to move up 30-15. Nadal hits a beautiful return, though, a forehand winner down the line off a second serve. It’s dangerous times for Tsonga at 30-all, but he drills a forehand winner down the line to get to game point. Wait a second, they called the forehand at 30-all out! HawkEye showed it had actually clipped the line, but the Frenchman didn’t challenge. Tsonga shanks a forehand and it’s 5-1 to Nadal.

Nadal wins 7-6 (4), 6-1!

Tsonga misses a return, then hits long. Nadal approaches the net and forces an error with an angled forehand. Three match points. And he takes the first with an unreturned serve out wide! Nadal’s into the semis, where he will play Denis Shapovalov.

A great performance from Nadal- he survived Tsonga’s best in a tight first set, then pulled away quickly in the second set. He can clinch the year-end No. 1 ranking if he wins this tournament, and he must win two more matches. If he gets past Shapovalov, he’ll face either current No. 1 Djokovic or Grigor Dimitrov. That’s all from me. Thanks for reading!

By Owen Lewis

This year, 32-year-old Novak Djokovic and 33-year-old Rafael Nadal won two slams each. They are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, and 38-year-old Roger Federer owns the third spot. This tennis dynasty, known as the Big Three, has dominated men’s tennis over the past fifteen years, winning a staggering 51 out of the last 62 Grand Slam tournaments (by the way, six out of the other eleven were won by Andy Murray or Stan Wawrinka). The “NextGen” has been slow to emerge and slow to show results. Stefanos Tsitsipas, a 21-year-old from Greece, showed promise by knocking out Federer in the fourth round of the Australian Open, but followed it up with a fourth-round loss at the French Open and opening round losses at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Dominic Thiem (though 26) beat Djokovic in a five-set epic in the semifinals of the French Open, but didn’t win another match at a slam for the rest of the year. The always entertaining yet enigmatic and often self-destructive Nick Kyrgios still hasn’t made it past the quarterfinals of a slam, and his last quarterfinal was in 2015. More recently, and perhaps most promisingly, Daniil Medvedev, a 23-year-old Russian, pushed Nadal to the brink in a five-set final at the U.S. Open. He, too, however, fell short.

So tennis has been under a steady rule by the three greats for the last several years. At the Shanghai Masters, though, Federer lost a tough three-setter to Alexander Zverev of Germany in the quarterfinals. Federer saved five match points in the second set to push the match into a decider, but Zverev played a fantastic set and didn’t give Federer a sniff of victory. In the same round, Tsitsipas stormed back to beat Djokovic from a set down, winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. With the two giants out, the battle fell between Zverev, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, and 23-year-old Matteo Berrettini, who had beaten Thiem in the quarterfinals. And Medvedev came out on top.

Medvedev faced a clash with Tsitsipas in the semifinals. The first set came down to a tight tiebreak, and at 5-5, with both players two points away from the set (a tiebreak is played to seven points, and you must win by two points), Medvedev stayed solid during the rallies and Tsitsipas made two unforced errors. With Tsitsipas serving at 1-all and break point down in the second set, Medvedev returned a couple whipping forehands before finishing off the point with a brilliant backhand passing shot. His only major blip in the match was playing a loose game when serving for the match. He rebounded impressively, breaking in the next game and then serving out the match to love, sealing the contest with a forehand swing volley winner.

Zverev, for his part, delivered an emphatic 6-3, 6-4 win over Berrettini. He broke his opponent early, charging to a 4-1 lead, and didn’t look back from there. He also had a 4-0 record against Medvedev, and his confidence was sky-high after his win over Federer. Medvedev, however, had enjoyed a hugely successful summer on the American hard courts. In Cincinnati, he was down 3-6, 3-3, 0-30 to Djokovic in the semifinals. With his back against the wall, Medvedev began to go for second-serve aces and attempt to end points quickly. He turned around the match in what seemed an instant, and completed a remarkable turnaround with a crosscourt forehand return winner. Djokovic applauded Medvedev just before they shook hands at the net, as if to acknowledge there was little he could have done to stop the comeback. Additionally, in the previously mentioned U.S. Open final, Medvedev had been down two sets and a break to Nadal. He stormed back to level the match at two sets all, seemingly figuring out how to play Nadal as the match went on.

The match ended up being fairly one-sided. Medvedev ran away with the match after a competitive first set: 6-4, 6-1. Zverev sent down consecutive double faults when serving at 4-5, 30-all to drop the first set, then won one game from that point on. Zverev has a world-class backhand and a solid forehand, but his game was no match for Medvedev’s relentless consistency from the baseline. This match confirmed that he is the young star to watch. He has won two out of his three meetings with Djokovic this year, and his fiercely competitive match with Nadal at the U.S. Open indicates his capability to play long, attritional matches as well as his ability to figure out opponents. Next year, he will be a daunting opponent for anyone. Even the Big Three.

By Owen Lewis

-This article is inspired by a YouTube video. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v3cAE_3OHI

Rafael Nadal had lost, stunningly, to Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the 2009 French Open. It was Nadal’s first ever loss at the French Open (he won in 2005, his first time ever playing the event, and then 2006-2008. He now has 12 French Open titles, to give you an idea of his dominance at the French Open). With Nadal out, the doors seemed to be open for Federer to win his first title at Roland-Garros. Federer had lost to Nadal in the 2005 semifinals, and in the final in 2006, 2007, and 2008. With his nemesis out of the draw for the first time, it was a fantastic opportunity for Federer, then a 13-time major champion, to complete his resume by winning the French Open.

The day after Nadal’s shocking upset, Federer had a fourth-round clash with Tommy Haas. Federer barely made it out of the match, and at a decisive moment when he was just five points away from losing the contest, pulled off the most crucial shot of his career.

Let’s set the stage. Haas had won the first set in a tiebreak and the second set 7-5. Federer had been up a break in the second set, but his advantage was squandered by some unforced errors. Federer was one set away from following Nadal out of the French Open, and potentially blowing his best-ever chance to win the event. Both players were holding serve comfortably, and the drama exploded at the tail end of the set.

With Federer serving at 3-4, 30-all, Haas hit a short sliced return to Federer’s forehand. The ball hung up invitingly, and it seemed that an easy winner down the line was on the cards. Federer went for the shot, but hit it poorly, sending the ball both wide and long. Federer, now trailing 6-7, 5-7, 3-4, 30-40, had to face a break point that would set up Haas to serve for the match.

Federer went for an ace down the middle on his first serve and missed it. He spun in a second serve to Haas’s backhand and punished the return with an inside-out forehand winner that kissed the line. With the crisis averted, Federer reached advantage with a service winner and held when Haas fired a forehand long. With new belief flowing through his veins, Federer broke for a 5-4 lead and served out the third set to gain a foothold in the match.

For the rest of the match, Federer lost two games. He won 6-7 (4), 5-7, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2. If he had missed that forehand, he likely would have lost 7-6, 7-5, 6-4. If. One of the greatest forehands in the game did not falter at the most pressured of moments, and that shot completed Federer’s legacy. In the semifinals, Federer won another five-setter, this time coming from two sets to one down against Juan Martin del Potro. In the final, Federer faced Nadal’s conqueror, Soderling. The result was never in doubt. The Swiss great tore through the first set, 6-1, then hit four aces in the second set tiebreak (dominating it 7-1). When his serve went unreturned on match point, Federer collapsed to the court, yelling in triumph, joy, and likely relief. As he was getting up, he kissed the red clay that had caused him so much pain in the past.

With the victory, Federer won his 14th major title, tying Pete Sampras’s then-record. Now, in 2019, this is still Federer’s only French Open title. After the 2009 tournament, Nadal won five in a row from 2010 to 2014, and three more from 2017 to 2019. Without the 2009 title, there would be a crucial hole in Federer’s legacy. He now has 20 Grand Slams, the most of any man ever, but without the complete set of Slam titles his *current* perception as greatest of all time would be highly in question.

Federer’s entire legacy would be threatened without that French Open title. That forehand kept him in the fight for it. Without doubt, the most important shot of the great Roger Federer’s career.