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12/14/11 12:36 AM | Ricky Dimon
The Tennistalk panel has spoken and is ready to reveal its Top 10 matches of the year. Part 1 features the 10th, ninth, and eighth best matches, beginning with a five-set stunner at Wimbledon.
10) Wimbledon quarterfinals: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. Roger Federer 3-6, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Roger Federer was 178-0 in Grand Slam matches in which he lead two sets to love heading into the Wimbledon quarterfinals. So when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga fell behind 2-0, he was all but finished. Or was he? Tsonga had other ideas, and instead of booking the first flight out of London he staged an improbable comeback and scored arguably the most shocking upset of the year.
Needless to say, it required out-of-this-world tennis to end a Federer streak of winning 178 such matches. And Tsonga delivered. He fired 18 aces against just four double-faults, served at 70 percent, and struck 63 winners to 22 unforced errors. Over the final two sets Tsonga recorded nine aces, one double-fault, 23 winners, and only four errors. Interestingly, Federer’s numbers were even better—and almost hard to believe: 17 aces, one double-fault, 75 percent serving, 57 winners, and a mere 11 errors.
"Except the score, many things went right," Federer noted. "I was pretty pleased with my performance today and at least it took a special performance to beat me. He played an amazing match."
9) U.S. Open second round: Juan Carlos Ferrero d. Gael Monfils 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4
Gael Monfils was playing great tennis heading into the U.S. Open and he played great tennis after the U.S. Open, but the hot streak was not enough to subdue Juan Carlos Ferrero in New York. Although they were out there for four hours and 48 minutes, it was the 31-year-old Spaniard who outlasted the flamboyant Frenchman (who was celebrating his 25th birthday that very day) in five wild sets.
"Maybe one time," Monfils said when asked if he had ever been so well-received by a crowd during or after a losing effort. "But this one was very good. It was like very lovely. It was a good feeling. Even though I lost the match, it was a good feeling…. It's not bad. I think I give my best. Today I have a big fighter against me. I take only the good side of this loss. I think I made a great game."
Ferrero and Monfils have faced each other twice, but both were thrillers featuring outrageously entertaining tennis (the other coming two years ago in Montreal). Just think if they ever square off on clay as opposed to fast hard courts. Get your popcorn ready if these two meet at…say…the 2012 French Open.
8) Miami final: Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
If Masters 1000 finals were still best-of-five, who knows how long this slugfest would have gone. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal battled in the Miami heat for three hours and 22 minutes, spending most of the time engaged in memorable, grueling rallies. Nadal raced to a 5-1 lead in the first set, Djokovic surged to a 3-0 advantage in the second, but an even third could barely separate the top two players in the world.
A tiebreaker had to decide it after 12 straight holds and it was Djokovic who finally seized the upper hand. The Serb and Spaniard would face each other in six finals in 2011, with none matching the competitiveness of the Miami showdown. Only the third set of the U.S. Open title match could rival—and surpass—the third set in Miami
"It was one of the closest and best finals that I have played ever," said Djokovic. "I think it was a very high level of tennis today. I think everybody enjoyed it, even us playing. It was very close, and up to the last stroke we really didn't know which way it's going to go."
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I really believe Djokovic's snowballing over Nadal started with that Miami match. I don't think there were any mental problems until then.
ts38 , 12/14/11 9:05 AM
A big apology to anyone who tried to log in at about 1:30 GMT. Tennistalk was hacked and for about a half hour, everyone who attempted to log in got the error message "you are banned from this site".
Thanks for your patience, and again, apologies for any inconvenience.
cherylmurray , 12/14/11 3:51 PM
Thanks for reminding me about the Ferrero-Monfils match. That whole match was like a highlight reel, at least in memory. Maybe that's why there isn't one out there.
I remember Fed being criticised for being too passive vs Tsonga at Wimbly, but it's not unreasonable to expect a guy to hand you a break sometime over three sets. And then he lost to Djoko at the USO much the same way, although that was closer at the end. Unbelievable!
Ramara , 12/14/11 8:22 PM
Yay! Ricky's top ten matches for 2011! I came on just at the right time! I am loving the matches that have been mentioned! I agree with these.
I do think that Miami final was a crucial match for Rafa. I have always believed that if he could have pulled out the victory, things might have been different for him. That was the kind of match that you expect Rafa to do his Houdini act and pull it out of his hat to get the win. But he was uncharacteristically exhausted and severely dehydrated at the end. I am not saying that Djoker wouldn't have been able to win against him the way he did, but at least it would have given Rafa the mental belief and confidence that he could come back and even up the score.
I can't wait for the rest of Ricky's list!
cheryl,
I had no problem signing on! :)
Nativenewyorker , 12/15/11 5:06 AM
remember it's the whole panel's list (several of us voted). Although my list is relatively similar.
here is part 2 - http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20111215/Tennistalk%27s_Top_10_match es_of_2011_%E2%80%93_part_2
RickyDimon , 12/15/11 6:02 AM
Ricky,
My apologies and your comment is duly noted. So a big shoutout to everyone who helped compile the top ten lists!
Nativenewyorker , 12/15/11 7:33 AM
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Tsonga-Federer highlights - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn1m9lfSYF8
Djoker-Nadal highlights - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFlfxOcyALg
haven't found any of Ferrero-Monfils other than Monfils' acrobatic retrieval of a Ferrero overhead
RickyDimon , 12/14/11 1:44 AM