Top 10 tennis matches of the decade

10.The longest match ever

Fabrice Santoro d. Arnnaud Clement 6-4 6-3 6-7 3-6 16-14, First Round, French Open 2004

At 6 hours, 33 minutes, the game between the two local heroes is the longest match in tennis history. Play was suspended for darkness on the first day after four-and-a-half hours. Clement had two match points (one on each day), but Santoro held at 13-14 in the fifth and went on to win three straight games. For his part, Clement didn’t care too much about setting a longevity record, saying, “what do I get, a medal?” Well, he didn't get a medeal, but the match will always be remembered and it will be really tough to be topped as the longest ever.

9. Agassi's last triumph

Andre Agassi d. Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 6-4 3-6 5-7 7-5, Second Round, US Open 2006

Playing his last Grand Slam in front of his home crowd against the surprising Australian Open runner-up, Agassi went 2 sets up. But the younger opponent quickly clawed his way back in the gae. With Agassi serving at 4-4 in the final set, the pair played an eight deuce game in which the eighth-seeded Baghdatis had four break points. Agassi held, and went on to win. Later, as they laid on the training room waiting for medical attention, Agassi and Baghdatis watched the replay on SportsCenter with their hands clasped together. It was the last match the eight-time Grand Slam champ would ever win.

8.Biggest underdog story

Goran Ivanisevic d. Patrick Rafter 6-3 3-6 6-3 2-6 9-7, Final, Wimbledon 2001

One of the biggest underdog stories. In a rare Monday final, the 125th-ranked Ivanisevic bombed it out with No. 3 seed Patrick Rafter. The big serving Croat came out on top in what was his first and only Grand Slam trophy. There were big double faults, untimely unforced errors, foot faults and racquet-throwing, but the combination of the different crowd and tense action made it an unforgettable match.

7.Rafa reveals his fighting spirit

Rafael Nadal d. Guillermo Coria 6-3 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6, Final, Rome Masters 2005

It was the match that established then teenager Rafael Nadal as a great clay court player. It was a game between Nadal ultimate will power and the diminutive Argentine's magic. Coria was regarded as the best clay courter back then, losing the final of the previous year French Open with an injury. Nadal was the fastest improving player on tour. It resulted a fascinating nail bitting encounter that could have gone either way. Nadal was playing the better tennis in the first 4 sets, running like a rabbit and hitting outrageous winners from impossible positions, but Coria stayed in the match. In the final set, the Spaniard seemed to tire and Coria went 5-2 up.

Nadal's never say die attitude surfaced helping him claw his way back into contention and forcing a deciding tiebreak. It was again Coria who seemed to be in control being 5-2 up in the tiebreak but it was Nadal who, after 5 hours and 14 minutes of highly entertaining action colapsed on his back in celebration.

6.Marat's greatest match

Marat Safin d. Roger Federer 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 9-7, Semi Final, Australian Open 2005

Marat Safin was regarded as a highly talented but a bit of an underachiever, who seemed to often selfdestruct under pressure. Federer was leading the head to head confortably and was the clear favourite. The first set is a close affair until Safin, as he so often does, crumbles under pressure and is broken at 5-6 to give Federer the set. The Russian secures an early break in the second and holds on to level the match. The third set was pretty much a carbon copy of the first. The key moment was in the fourth set at 5-6 when Safin managed to save a match point an eventually force a decider. From then on, Federer seemed to tire and surrendered the initiative. However, the Russian didn't seem able to capitalise on that, missing a lot of chances and keeping the Swiss maestro in the game. Finally, after 7 match points, the FedEx is derailed.

5. Roger's missed chances

Rafael Nadal d. Roger Federer 6-7 7-6 6-4, 2-6 7-6 , Final, Rome Masters 2006

The first great match of this rivarly took place in may 2006 in one of Nadal's favourite courts. Federer was firmly in control of the No. 1 ranking, having won the Australian Open earlier that year and only losing 2 matches until this match, both of them to Nadal.

Federer employed more aggressive tactics than he did in the Monte Carlo final, just two weeks before, where he lost serve seven times. He served-and-volleyed sparingly, but aimed for the corners and followed his baseline shots into the net at every opportunity. Nadal broke serve only three times. Federer won 64 of 84 points at the net. Nadal came forward only 30 times, and won 18 points. Nadal played his usual baseline game, and his heavy left-handed top spin gave Federer problems. The Swiss star shanked several shots high into the stands.

Federer never won a match against Nadal on clay comming into this clash, but he was mighty close this time, leading 4-1 in the deciding set and missing 2 match points at 6-5 in the decider with his deadly foreheand. But in the end, as he so often does, Nadal prevails through his sheer determination after 5 hours and 5 minutes.

4. Verdasco's missed chance at glory

Rafael Nadal d. Fernando Verdasco 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-7 6-4, Semi Final, Australian Open 2009

Verdasco played the tournament of his life. He probably will never ever play anywhere near that level. But on those two weeks, he was outstanding. He knocked out Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfired tsonga earlier in the tournament, but noone really expected him to stand a chance against Nadal. However, he came on court all guns blazing and he soon had his opponent running helpless all over the place. The amount of winners he was hitting that night was outrageous, he finished with over 100 winners. It took Nadal two hours for his first break of serve. From then on, everybody was expecting Verdasco to fade away, especially having lost the third set on tiebreak. The fourth set also wnt to a tiebreak and Verdasco stunned the sold out stadium with 6 consecutive winners. He took the tiebreak to 0 and froced a decider. Nadal managed to outlast his opponent once again. At 5-4 in the decider and break point down, a tired Verdasco hit a double fault to hand Nadal the victory. A sad ending to a terrific game. The shot making of both players on that particular night was so fenomenal that some proper highlights of that game should be an hour long.

3. The day when Roger cried

Rafael Nadal d. Roger Federer 7-5 3-6 7-6 3-6 6-2, Final, Australian Open 2009

Somebody pointed out adter this match: if Federer is the greatest player ever, then what about the guy who made him cry?

Nadal was comming after his gruelling semi final win against Verdasco, while Federer had the advantage of a faster win against Roddick and one more day of rest. Many wondered if the Spaniard will be able to play at a decent level given his lack of rest. The first set had ups and downs for both players. Federer started stronger with an early break, Nadal fought back instantly. On the tail end of the set, Nadal's mental edge over his arch rival played dividends, as Federer started rushing the points and comitting more unforced errors. Federer upped his game in the second and won it 6-3 breaking at 4-3. The third set was really close, and again, when it's close, Nadal ends up on top. The third set tiebreak seemed to spur Federer on as he took the fourth with a ruthless display of attacking tennis. But he couldn't take the momentum into the decider and Nadal cruised to victory in the final set, winning it 6-2 and denying Federer the chance to equal Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slams.

The lose proved to much for the Swiss who burst into tears during his oncourt speech.

2. Roger becomes greatest of all time

Roger Federer d. Andy Roddick 5-7 7-6 7-6 3-6 16-14, Final, Wimbledon 2009

Roger Federer was looking to be crowned as the best ever with a win, while Andy Roddick seemed to have a mountain to climb in order to have any chance at the trophy. Federer was a real boogeyman for the American winning 18 of their 20 clashes. However, it was Roddick who drew first blood, breaking Federer in the last game of the first set. The two sets that followed saw no breaks of serve and were both decided by tiebreaks, both going Federer's way. The second set tiebreak was a key moment, Roddick missing 4 set points for a 2-0 lead. It seemed there was no way back for the American, but he proved everyone wrong and sent the match into a fifth set.

What followed was a great display of power serving, neither player having any real chance on the return. Roddick seemed the fresher player, but he just couldn't capitalize on that and Federer took the first chance he got and wrapped up the match, surpassing Pete Sampras record of Grand Slams. 'I tried to hold him off, Pete', said a visible heartbroke Roddick towards Sampras who was watching from the box.

1. The greatest match EVER played

Rafael Nadal d. Roger Federer 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7, Final, Wimbledon 2008

In the years before this final, a familiar pattern was followed. Nadal was beating Federer in the French Open Final, then Federer would take revenge in the Wimbledon Final. However, in this particular year, Federer took a massive beating against Nadal in the French Open, winning just 4 games! That made many people speculate taht his five year reign in London was about to come to an end.

Nadal started brightly, harrasing Federer's backhand with his heavy topsin and getting the early advantage. Nadal was executing his gameplan to perfection and the Swiss Maestro found no way back in the first set.

In the second set, Nadal seemed to have lost focus, falling behind from the start. But he regains his composure and levels at 4-4. A dissapointed Federer was broken in the following game and soon Nadal was 2 sets up.

Third set went on serve until 4-5, the players pleasing the crowd with some outstanding rallies and awesome winners. The clash of styles, Federer's raw talent against Nadal's determination was brought to a halt by rain. Nadal was particulary dissapointed, feeling that he might lose his momentum, while Federer was looking at it as if it was a gift from God. After several hours, play resumes and it goes to a tiebreak wich Federer wins, 7-5. Game on!

The fourth set followed a similar pattern as the thrid. No breaks of serve, once again a tiebreak is needed. Nadal races into a 5-2 lead but Federer levels. Nadal gets himself two match points, but on each ocasion, Federer founds the answer and ultimately snatches the tiebreak and roars in celebration while the Spaniard looks in disbelief.

In the fifth set, Nadal barely gathers himself to hold serve a couple of times, then at 2-2, rain strikes again. after 30 minutes delay, the players are back on court, this time under the threat of darkness. Nadal came back playing better, determined not to let this golden chance go begging and weep in the dressing room like the previous yeat. A 7-7 after 5 break points, Nadal finally gets the vital break and seals the victory minutes later and colapses on his back once again, in near darkness.