Podsumowanie sezonu 2018

[arti]

Best ATP World Tour Matches Of 2018 - Part 1

Spoiler:

Kicking off our 'Best of 2018 Series' is a look Monday and Tuesday at the five best ATP World Tour matches of the season. (The best Grand Slam matches of the season will follow Wednesday and Thursday.)

5) Rafael Nadal d. Stan Wawrinka, Rogers Cup, Toronto Third Round, 10 August 2018 (Match Stats)
With Stan Wawrinka still searching to recapture his best form after two surgeries on his left knee in August 2017, the Swiss made a statement against Rafael Nadal in the third round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. Having managed to secure back-to-back match wins for just the second time in 2018, the three-time Grand Slam champion produced some of his best tennis to push Nadal to his limit in Canada.

Wawrinka brought the power, rejecting Nadal's attempts to pick on his backhand with dazzling one-handed missiles up the line. Chasing a record 33rd ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown, Nadal found all the angles and covered the court impeccably, leaving the crowd – and Wawrinka across the net – gasping. The Spaniard stood up to the Swiss' fierce test, defeating his rival 7-5, 7-6(4) after two hours and eight minutes. Read & Watch Highlights.

“It was a good match. Of course, a very positive victory for me against a very tough opponent. Happy to see Stan playing that well again,” said Nadal. “So I am very pleased."

Nadal escaped a 0/40 deficit at 4-4 in the first set when Wawrinka dumped a backhand into the net on his final break-point opportunity. The two were delayed by 46 minutes at 6-5, and after the wait, Nadal broke for the set. To start the second, Wawrinka fell behind 0-2 and looked in danger of fading away. But his trademark one-hander brought him back into the set as he broke with a pinpoint stroke up the line, the start of four straight games that carried him to 5-4.

Under pressure, Nadal quickly responded with a mix of defence and power. The 32-year-old fired a forehand pass before jumping and pumping his fists in celebration as he broke for 5-5. Two games and a tie-break later, Nadal earned his 17th FedEx ATP Head2Head victory against Wawrinka (17-3) to reach another Masters 1000 quarter-final. It may have been Rafa who advanced, but perhaps it was Stan who made the biggest progress that night.



4) Dominic Thiem d. Rafael Nadal, Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid Quarter-Final, 11 May 2018 (Match Stats)
Entering the match with 21-match and 50-set winning streaks on clay, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal needed to defeat Dominic Thiem at the Mutua Madrid Open to avoid his six-week reign at the top of the ATP Rankings from ending. The only man to defeat Nadal on the surface since Novak Djokovic's triumph at the 2016 Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Thiem entered the match looking to avoid another one-sided loss to the Spaniard, after picking up just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 loss to Nadal at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

But, three weeks on from that humbling defeat in the Principality, Thiem played with greater aggression as he stood on top of the baseline, overpowering the five-time Madrid champion to triumph 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 56 minutes. Read & Watch Highlights.

“I had to play an extraordinary match, and that's what I did," said Thiem. "It takes a really good match to beat Rafa on clay, but I think a very important thing was that I went in with the attitude that I can beat him. Obviously, two weeks ago in Monte-Carlo, he killed me love and two. It was very important I went into the match with a positive attitude, with an attitude to win."

Thiem maintained his baseline position, putting Nadal under pressure right from the start of their ninth clash. A repeat of last year's final in the Spanish capital, Thiem took his forehand and backhand early and found extra pace and depth to rush the recently crowned 11-time Monte-Carlo and Barcelona champion.

After failing to convert a set-point opportunity when serving for the opener at 5-4, 40/30, Thiem made no mistake at the second time of asking after breaking Nadal for a 6-5 lead. Thiem continued to push Nadal behind the baseline, with deep returning, and stepped into the court to fire short replies from his opponent into the corners. With an ace out wide, Thiem moved into a one-set lead after 75 minutes.

When Thiem opened up a 3-1 lead in the second set, the Austrian still wasn’t safe. In front of his home fans, Nadal kept fighting and got back to 3-3. Yet the momentum quickly shifted back to Thiem, who showed patience before firing backhand winners in crucial moments. From 3-3, Thiem won 10 of the following 11 points before deservedly becoming only the third player – after Gaston Gaudio and Djokovic – to score three or more clay victories over Nadal.



3) Marin Cilic d. Novak Djokovic, Fever-Tree Championships, Queen's Club Final, 24 June 2018 (Match Stats)
After a 6-6 start to the 2018 ATP World Tour season, Novak Djokovic entered his first tour-level final in 51 weeks at the Fever-Tree Championships in June. Following on from improved performances in Rome and at Roland Garros, Djokovic dropped just one service game heading into a final clash against Marin Cilic.

The Croatian, who lifted the trophy for the first time in 2012, was aiming to secure just his second victory over Djokovic in their 16th FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, but found himself on the brink of defeat, facing championship point at 4-5, 30-40, in the second set. However, after landing a booming serve out wide, Cilic then overcame a 1/4 deficit in the ensuing tie-break before eventually triumphing 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-3 in two hours and 57 minutes. Read & Watch Highlights.

"I was just trying to stay mentally in it. And definitely, it was an extremely tough match," Cilic said. "No breaks for me until that last [return] game. I definitely feel relieved that I won it and what a great week."

Djokovic, competing at The Queen’s Club for the first time since 2010, was seeking his 69th tour-level title. In 2008, Djokovic reached his maiden final at the grass-court event, falling to Rafael Nadal in a tight two-hour, 16-minute battle.

"He deserved to win," Djokovic said. "It's a tough loss for me today, obviously. But I have to see it from a positive side. I haven't played a final at any event in almost a year, so this felt great."

Djokovic's run to the championship match at The Queen's Club proved to be the springboard to a remarkable second half of the 2018 season. The 31-year-old won 35 of his remaining 38 tour-level encounters in 2018 after leaving the Fever-Tree Championships, picking up his fourth Wimbledon title and completing the Career Golden Masters at the Western & Southern Open. Djokovic also triumphed at the US Open and the Rolex Shanghai Masters in a run which contributed to the 14-time Grand Slam champion becoming the first player to be ranked outside the Top 20 to finish the same season at No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... 018-5-to-3

[DUN I LOVE]

Slaby był tamten mecz Nadala z Thiemem w Madrycie.

Pewnie mecze RF (oba przegrane ) obsadzą 2 pierwsze miejsca (F Indian Wells, SF Bercy)

[arti]

The 2 Best ATP World Tour Matches Of 2018

Spoiler:

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com looks at the two best ATP World Tour matches in 2018. (Beginning Wednesday, we look at the best five Grand Slam matches of 2018.)

2) Juan Martin del Potro d. Roger Federer, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells Final, 18 March 2018 (Match Stats)
Entering the match on his longest winning streak to open an ATP World Tour season (17), Roger Federer started the BNP Paribas Open final full of confidence after lifting his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and returning to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings following his title run at the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament. Standing in his way was Juan Martin del Potro, who arrived in the championship match in the California desert on a 10-match winning streak after picking up his first trophy of the year at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco.

After losses in each of his three previous ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals, Del Potro was bidding to become just the second man outside of Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to triumph in Indian Wells since 2004. With two men at the top of their games, the crowd was treated to one of the matches of the year as Del Potro saved three championship points to stun Federer 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-6(2). Read More.

“It's so big,” said Del Potro after lifting his maiden Masters 1000 trophy. “I cannot believe I won this tournament, beating Roger in a great final and level of tennis. We played great tennis today."

Federer targeted Del Potro's backhand in the opener, but the Argentine replied every time, and often with power. Del Potro had Federer on the run, pounding his forehand and stringing the Swiss from side to side. But in the first game of the second set, the 27-time Masters 1000 champion pumped himself up and saved two break points. Federer tried to drag Del Potro away from his comfort zone and closer to the net, but the 6'6” right-hander looked as comfortable there as he did behind the baseline. The Argentine earned match point in the second-set tie-break, at 7/8, but he netted a forehand. After Federer evened the match, Del Potro was visibly frustrated.



“It was a horrible moment for me. I was still thinking about my forehand miss and my forehand error, mistake in the match point," Del Potro said. "It's my shot, my forehand from that side of the court. I never miss that forehand."

Del Potro didn't let his disappointment show on the scoreboard however, as he held serve and stayed even with the five-time champion in the decider. At 4-4, Federer broke for a chance to serve for the match. But this time it was Del Potro's turn to save championship points. The 'Tower of Tandil' recovered from 15/40 down and saved three championship points in total, before eventually reaching a final-set tie-break.

“I lost my serve a little bit, and then he was clean and I wasn't. And then it goes very quickly in the tie-break,” said Federer. “As close as it can be sometimes when you're not feeling it or momentum has shifted, it's just crazy how it can go the other way.”

With the title hanging in the balance, the Swiss hit two double faults and Del Potro sprinted to the title. Del Potro lifted his biggest trophy since the 2009 US Open final after two hours and 42 minutes, lifting his arms when Federer struck another forehand long.

“It was an unbelievable match in all the ways. I mean, we played a great level of tennis. The people were excited on every single point,” said Del Potro. “Roger and I were nervous during the whole match, and we felt that on court... Unfortunately I couldn't stay calm in the tie-break of the second set, but then the calm came again in the end of the match and I played good in the tie-break.”

1) Novak Djokovic d. Roger Federer, Rolex Paris Masters, Paris Semi-Final, 03 November 2018 (Match Stats)
At three hours and two minutes, Djokovic and Federer contested the longest three-set meeting of their FedEx ATP Head2Head series at the Rolex Paris Masters in November. With Djokovic aiming to extend his 21-match unbeaten streak and Federer looking to move one win away from his 100th tour-level trophy, their semi-final encounter at the AccorHotels Arena required a final-set tie-break to settle the contest. It was there that Djokovic finally overcame Federer, notching a 7-6(6), 5-7, 7-6(3) win to set a final clash against Karen Khachanov. Read More.



Meeting for the 47th time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, Djokovic earned his fourth straight win over his great rival to extend his advantage to 25-22. Not only did Djokovic overcome 54 winners off Federer's racquet, but his 0/12 break point conversion rate proved to be the first time he had squandered double-digit break chances in his career. The Belgrade native consistently found his best level in the big moments, digging deep in the critical stages of both tie-breaks, including a set point saved at 6/5 in the opener.

"We had epic matches throughout our rivalry but this one definitely ranks as one of the best matches we played," said Djokovic. "High quality tennis. Next to the match I played against Nadal in the semi-finals of Wimbledon, this was definitely the most exciting match I have played this year, and probably the best quality tennis match that I was part of.

"It was also expected, because when I get to play Roger, I know I have to get the best out of myself in order to win. And that's why our rivalries and matches are so special."

Federer Djokovic

Djokovic, who was guaranteed to return to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings ahead of the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals, also ended Federer's slim hopes of ending the 2018 season as No. 1 for a record-tying sixth time. The result extended Djokovic's winning streak against Top 10 opponents, with 10 consecutive wins against that elite group since falling to Marin Cilic in the Fever-Tree Championships final in June.

In the early stages, Djokovic's delivery proved to be untouchable. The Serbian was on the prowl with Federer serving at 3-4, but the Swiss kept pace, saving four break points in a game which included a moment of magic that put his razor reflexes to the test. A Djokovic forehand clipped the net and spun towards Federer's head, but the 37-year-old quickly raised his racquet and struck a sublime drop volley to the delight of the Parisian faithful. The riveting first set would proceed to a tie-break and Djokovic would seize the initiative after 71 minutes, saving a set point and sealing the opener when a Federer backhand slid wide.



Coming into the match, Djokovic owned a commanding 17-1 record against Federer when winning the opener, but the Swiss turned the tables in the second set. With Djokovic serving to force another tie-break, Federer pounced. The 2011 champion reeled off nine of 11 points to suddenly snatch a late break and send the encounter to a decider, launching a forehand winner down the line to claim the set.

The drama would reach a pulsating crescendo in a final-set tie-break. It marked the third time in which a tie-break has settled a meeting between the two superstars. Djokovic entered with a 2-0 record, having prevailed in the 2007 Montreal final and 2014 Indian Wells championship match. And the trend continued as the clock edged towards 9pm in Paris. A Federer double fault gave Djokovic a second mini-break at 4/1 and the Serbian did not look back, crossing the finish line after just over three hours when a Federer forehand found the net.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... 018-2-to-1

[DUN I LOVE]

Do przewidzenia - magia nazwisk zdecydowała, bo obiektywnie patrząc mecz Feda z Delpo był bardziej emocjonujący, z większą dramaturgią i zwrotami akcji.

[Federasta20]

Thiem z Nadalem to bardziej symbolicznie się tu znalazło IMO. No i we wszystkich spotkaniach Fabsterzy z innymi długoletnimi przedstawicielami (poza Austrią).

Wiedziałem, że znajdzie się paryski mecz, w sumie był naprawdę dobry, choć Indian Wells postawiłbym wyżej ze względu na rangę spotkania i nowe rozstrzygnięcie.

Nadal z Wawrinką w Toronto, zgadzam się. Stan walczył jak równy z równym i mógł nawet wygrać.

[arti]

Best Grand Slam Matches Of 2018: 5 To 3

Spoiler:

5. Roger Federer def. Marin Cilic, Australian Open, Final - 28 January 2018 (Match Stats)

In the past, Roger Federer had cried tears of anguish at the Australian Open. Nine years ago, the Swiss couldn't hold back his emotions after losing an epic five-setter for the championship against Rafael Nadal. This year in Melbourne, Federer's tears were full of joy.
The 36-year-old star’s back was against the wall when he met 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic, who found some of his best tennis to overcome a break deficit in the fourth set of their Melbourne clash. Suddenly, the first Grand Slam final of the season came down to a deciding set, and Federer faced two break points in its opening game. Major title No. 20 was slipping away.
But Cilic could not put a forehand return in play on either occasion, and Federer raced away to a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory to make history, joining Roy Emerson and Novak Djokovic with a record six Australian Open titles.
“All day I was thinking, ‘How would I feel if I won it, how would I feel if I lost it? I'm so close, yet so far.’ I think I was going through the whole match like this,” Federer said. “I've had these moments in the past, but maybe never as extreme as tonight. Getting to 20 is obviously very, very special, no doubt.”
Sure, Federer lifted the trophy, his third in five majors. But the fifth-set scoreline could be misleading. There’s no reason to think that if sixth seed Cilic converted on one of those break points in the decider’s opening game, that he would not have been the one to storm ahead to victory. Cilic seemingly grabbed control of the match as he stood on top of the baseline, hammering away at groundstrokes and taking time away from Federer, keeping him from playing aggressively himself.
“I was hitting the ball great. I was just playing phenomenal. Then first game of the fifth set was more or less crucial at the end,” Cilic said. “Just a little bit tougher game, my service game next game. It just ran away from me.”

But it was Federer who came out on top once again, breaking Cilic six times in the match and winning 53 per cent of return points in the fifth set against one of the sport’s biggest servers to triumph. Suddenly, Federer was able to escape the rallies in which he was pulled from side to side by the Croat, using precise serve placement to gain the upper hand. And if you thought winning had gotten old for Federer, his tears during the trophy ceremony said otherwise.
“It's about living the emotions that I went through tonight again at the trophy ceremony, going through a tough rollercoaster match, five-setter against Cilic, who is a great player, and then getting No. 6 here, No. 20 overall. It's just a very special moment. Defending my title from last year, the fairytale continues,” Federer said. “It's definitely a very special moment in my life again.”

4. Marin Cilic def. Alex de Minaur, US Open, Third Round - 1 September 2018 (Match Stats)

If some fans were unfamiliar with #NextGenATP Aussie Alex de Minaur before this year’s US Open, they certainly got to know him well in Flushing Meadows. It took Marin Cilic until 2:22 am — just four minutes shy of the tournament’s latest finish — to beat the 19-year-old 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in three hours and 59 minutes.
“The atmosphere was very, very intense. Everybody was on their feet. [It was] 2 a.m. in the morning, fifth set, 5-All,” Cilic said. “It doesn't get better for the crowd.”
The scoreline itself was epic in that Cilic battled back from two sets down for the sixth time — and just the second time in four and a half years. But the decider was what made this tilt stand out; a clash of wills that went deep into the New York night.
Read Match Report
Cilic led 5-2 in the fifth set and held a 0/40 lead on De Minaur’s serve. The Croat had found his game from the baseline, and his firepower was proving too much for the tiring Aussie speedster. At that point, it appeared the teenager’s time on centre stage was near its end.
But De Minaur simply did not go away. He found his very best on Cilic’s match points, chasing down ball after ball, when the 2014 champion didn’t necessarily do anything wrong. De Minaur found his way back on serve, and was on the verge of stunning the Croat. But Cilic finally converted his eighth match point.
“It was just incredible to find the composure, as well, also to stay focused, to stay in the moment, even though I missed so many opportunities there to finish it off, I stayed very focused,” Cilic said. “Obviously that fifth set was, as well, very emotional from both sides. I felt that he was also getting a little bit tired, but still he was pushing and pushing. Big credit to him for staying in there, almost getting to the line. What separated us was a couple points, nothing else.”
It’s not often a star is born in a loss. And De Minaur had already proven himself on the ATP World Tour, reaching championship matches in Sydney and Washington, D.C. But in New York, in the first classic match on the new Louis Armstrong Stadium, De Minaur showed that he is ready and willing to compete against the very best in the sport, no matter what it takes.
“Every time I step out on court, I tell myself that I'm going to play until the last point. He was going to have to beat me. Eventually that's what he did,” De Minaur said. “But I did everything in my power to try and get back, every ounce of energy to try and push. I managed to come back, but then he was too good at the end.”

3. Rafael Nadal def. Juan Martin del Potro, Wimbledon, Quarter-finals - 11 July 2018 (Match Stats)

It took everything World No. 1 Rafael Nadal had to defeat the resurgent Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 6-7(7), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in an epic battle on Centre Court.
While the tennis was top-notch throughout, Nadal was close to taking a two-set lead. Before that match, the Spaniard was 205-2 when winning the first two sets. So with a 6/3 lead in the second-set tie-break, it appeared the top seed was on the verge of taking an insurmountable lead. But a double fault changed the trajectory of the match, allowing Del Potro right back into the clash.
Read Match Report
“Of course I was worried when I lost the second set. Winning 6/3 in the tie-break, it's true that he played two great points with his serve, but then I made a very important mistake. That double fault was a big mistake,” Nadal said. “Then the match changed.”
Del Potro would ride his forehand to a two-sets-to-one lead, forcing Nadal to dig deep. And that’s exactly what the Spaniard did.
“He played well. I believe I increased a little bit the level in the fourth and the fifth. But the fifth, he was playing huge. It was so difficult to stop him,” Nadal said. “I am very happy the way that I survived a lot of important points in that fifth set.”
Two-time former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray was commentating on the match for the BBC, and even he was in awe of the quality of tennis.
“This fifth set is one of the best sets of tennis I’ve ever seen live,” Murray said.
Del Potro gave himself plenty of chances in the fifth set, earning five break points thanks to his massive forehand and even more courageous effort, showing he was unafraid of diving across the historic grass when needed.
But Nadal was undeterred, throwing in a serve and volley on his first match point, dashing in to put away a backhand volley, turning around and lifting both arms straight in the air after sealing his triumph. On the other side of the court, the Argentine was left lying still, stomach down, on the court after stumbling in his chase after the ball. Exhaustion. Disappointment. All of those feelings hit Del Potro, and understandably so.
Nadal would step over the net and come to embrace the ‘Tower of Tandil’. As is the case in many epic matches, both players deserved to win. But only the Spaniard could move on.
“At the moment I'm feeling sad after almost five hours of running and playing this high level against the No. 1 in the world, and I lost. It's not good for me. But maybe tomorrow or after tomorrow when I get home and I watch the match or some points again, I will be glad with my level, with my style of game,” Del Potro said. “I think Rafa in the end deserves to win once again.”

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... 018-5-to-3

[Barty]

No to półfinały Wimby na przedzie.

[DUN I LOVE]

Obstawiam:

2. Nadal d. Thiem US Open QF
1. Djoković d. Nadal Wimbledon SF

[Barty]

Rzeczywiście, zapomniałem o Thiemie, to będzie nr 2.

[Kiefer]

Jak widać na Nadalu tenis stoi.

[DUN I LOVE]

Podzielili się - Rafa zorganizował szlemy, Fed mastersy, a Djoković pobrał główne laury.

[Barty]

Best Grand Slam Matches Of 2018: 2 To 1

Spoiler:

ATP World Tour Season In Review: Best Grand Slam Matches

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com looks at the two best Grand Slam matches of the 2018 season.

2. Novak Djokovic def. Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon, Semi-finals - 14 July 2018 (Match Stats)

There are epic matches, and then there are epic moments; clashes during which you lose track of the score and are simply mesmerised by sensational tennis. Classic rallies feel like they will never end — to nobody’s dismay — and fans' roars build up between points until they’re unleashed after a tremendous shot.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal’s Wimbledon semi-final felt like one of those moments, one that will play centre stage in books about the sport for years to come. Neither player was going to be left unscathed, leaving it all out on the court, no matter what it took. And after a titanic five hours and 15 minutes in the pair's record 52nd FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, Djokovic beat Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(9), 3-6, 10-8 to reach his 22nd major final.

“If I show you my feet, you would understand,” Djokovic said of the toll an epic against Nadal could take. “He's probably the greatest fighter ever to play this game. I mean, he battles every single point like it's his last... That's why you put in 'X' amount of hours on the practice court, preparation, trying to be as professional as you can, because you need to compete with a guy like Nadal. He does the same.”

There was a lot on the line for both players. Nadal, the No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings at the time, was trying to reach his first final at SW19 in seven years. Then there was Djokovic, who was seeking a breakthrough against one of his greatest rivals.

While the Serbian had won the tournament three times, he arrived in London as the World No. 21 after struggling due to a right wrist injury. Djokovic reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and had match point to win the Fever-Tree Championships, but the former World No. 1 was missing an ‘I’m back’ win. This was an opportunity to not only make a statement to the field, but reaffirm his belief in himself.

Part of the drama stemmed from the day's first semi-final, as Kevin Anderson beat John Isner 26-24 in a fifth set, pushing back Djokovic and Nadal's start time so that they had to break after the third set for the evening due to curfew.

And after the fifth set went past 6-6, the match appeared to be a sheer battle of wills. Nadal consistently attacked Djokovic’s forehand, but the 31-year-old’s neutralising and at times offensive defence consistently bent without breaking. These two warriors didn’t limp to the finish line, either. At 4-3, deuce in the decider, Djokovic raced to the net for a drop shot, soared straight into the air for a high backhand volley, and Nadal still managed to cut off the Serbian’s sharp angle with a rifled forehand winner right over the net post, from outside the court.

It felt like tennis’ version of, “Anything you can do, I can do better.” After staving off a strong push from Nadal at 7-7, Djokovic found his first match point at 8-7. But even then, there was no end in sight, as he couldn’t quite retrieve a masterful drop shot carved by Nadal.

“It was one of those moments where I think time stopped for me. Match point, I saw him coming in, I played a relatively solid shot. It was a moment of decision-making for him, knowing whether he was going to go for a drop shot or just smack the backhand. When I saw him changing the grip, I started running,” Djokovic said. “But the drop shot was just too good. I was too far away. But I did try to, like in 'Space Jam,' with Michael Jordan, when he was trying to stretch, that's probably something that comes to my mind to describe it.”

Eventually, Nadal could not hold off any longer, as at 0/40 while serving at 8-9, the Spaniard hooked a cross-court forehand a couple of feet wide, and all Djokovic could do was look at his box and smile after taking a 27-25 lead in his series against the Spaniard.

“Normally I am very critical with myself,” Nadal said. “I hit great shots. I played aggressive. I missed balls, not too many, but I missed some ones. When you play with that intensity, with that level of risk, that level of passion, sometimes you go over. nothing to complain [about]. I think I played a great match. I have not much more inside me. I gave it my best, and that's it."

1. Rafael Nadal def. Dominic Thiem, US Open, Quarter-finals - 4 September 2018 (Match Stats)

Rafael Nadal’s victory against Juan Martin del Potro in this year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals was an all-time classic between two of the titans of the sport. Yet, however high of a moment that was for him, losing in the semi-finals against Djokovic was equally as devastating.

But just two months later, Nadal found himself in yet another tussle to remember. Dominic Thiem gave the top-seeded Spaniard everything he had during his first trip to the last eight at Flushing Meadows. But Nadal summoned his best tennis to outlast the Austrian 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7(4), 7-6(5) in four hours and 49 minutes.

That first-set scoreline is not a typo. Nadal won just seven points in the opening set. Seven points for Rafael Nadal in an entire set! And while the Spaniard was not at full throttle, a lot of credit has to go to Thiem for coming out swinging.

One of the biggest hitters on the ATP World Tour began the match as if he were the Hulk wielding Thor’s hammer as a racquet, completely controlling play. Thiem hit 13 winners to just two unforced errors straight out of the gate. His 6-0 romp over Nadal in the opener was the first bagel-set the Spaniard had lost at the US Open since losing to Andy Roddick in straight sets 14 years ago.

“[It was] very demanding in all aspects. [It was] a very tough start for me,” Nadal said. “After that first set, then the match became more normal. Tough match against a great opponent.”

In a way, the tennis became like a boxing match with two athletes trading jabs and sporadic uppercuts while remaining in the pocket the entire time. There are players who might be able to attack Nadal for two sets, or sometimes even three. But it's rare that the left-hander has found an opponent who could match his physical output on the court for a five-set marathon.

It was Thiem's first match to last more than four hours, but you wouldn't have been able to tell. The Austrian kept taking massive cuts at the ball, ultimately leading to 74 winners. And he was not shy about stepping up when it counted, saving 12 break points in the match.

As the clock approached 2 am local time, both players had fans rising to their feet point after point as if they were members of each athlete’s box. It was fitting the pair went to a deciding tie-break, but Thiem launched an overhead long off of a scrambled lob by Nadal to end the affair at 2:04 am.

“I played against a great opponent. He played a good match. Sorry for him. He's a top guy, being honest. He's one of the best guys on Tour,” Nadal said. “I’m sad for him because when we arrived at this moment, he did all the things well to win the match. Me, too, I think. I fought until the end. [It] was a question of a little bit of luck at the end, and it was for me.”

Nadal

Thiem was so close to one of the biggest wins of his career in the best Grand Slam match of the season. But the Austrian was sent packing.

“It's cruel sometimes, tennis, because I think this match didn't really deserve a loser. But there has to be one. And I would say if we skip the first set, it was a really open match from the beginning to the end,” Thiem said. “The way it ended up in the fifth set tie-break, there it's 50/50. He made one more point than me.”

Nadal, the only player to advance to the quarter-finals at all four Grand Slams in 2018, actually won five fewer points than Thiem. But the last one was what counted, and Nadal advanced.

“It's going to be stuck in my mind forever,” Thiem said. “Forever I'm going to remember this match.”

Thiem is not alone there.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/be ... 018-2-to-1

[DUN I LOVE]

Nawet tutaj pomyliłem kolejność.

[Kiefer]

Trochę ich poniosło, emocje ogromne, ale mecz Djokovica z Nadalem był po prostu kosmiczny, być może najlepszy z ich udziałem.

[Federasta20]

Zgadza się, w dodatku jaki ładunek emocjonalny. Tym samym mają już rozegrane epickie mecze we wszystkich szlemach.

Najbardziej ich poniosło z pozycją nr 5.

[DUN I LOVE]

Finał szlema. Musiał być.

[Barty]

Zgadza się, absurdalny wybór.

Cała historia tego półfinału, włącznie z czekaniem w nieskończoność na koniec pojedynku wieżowców, cisza nocna + dramaturgia samego meczu + poziom + potencjalny historyczny czynnik - czynią go bezwzględnie meczem roku.

[Kiefer]

Pozycja nr pięć to też niezły absurd, no ale pamiętam jak finał AO 2012 był określany mianem najlepszego w historii tylko dlatego, bo był najdłuższy, a jeśli o poziom chodzi to był po prostu niezły. Tegoroczny finał AO to był zwyczajnie kiepski mecz

[Federasta20]

Barty jak zwykle bezbłędny w swoich ocenach Trzeba będzie to mieć na uwadze w nieuchronnie zbliżającym się plebiscycie.

Przepiękny baner tak w ogóle, kolejny zresztą. Nie wiem kto to tworzy, ale zasługuje na uznanie.

[Barty]

Tej, weź się nie podlizuj z takimi głupotami, pewnie chcesz, zebym jak najwięcej głosów Ci dał.

Szkoda, że nie ma w zestawieniu Isner-Anderson. Męczący był w odbiorze, ale w pewnym sensie historyczny, bo doprowadził do skrócenia meczów od przyszłego roku.