Best tennis matches of the decade

Best Tennis Matches of the 2000s

By Bryan Armen Graham

1	2008 Wimbledon men's final Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7

After a series of rain delays and 4 hours and 48 minutes of play, Nadal edged Federer to capture his first Wimbledon title -- and become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.

(Click here to watch the entire fifth set in nine parts.)

2	2001 U.S. Open men's quarterfinals Pete Sampras def. Andre Agassi, 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 7-6(2), 7-6(5)

In the twilight of their spectacular careers, Sampras and Agassi met under the Arthur Ashe lights in a match for the ages. Sampras eked out the victory after three hours and 33 minutes in a match where neither player lost serve.

(Click here to watch the entire match in 24 parts.)

3	2005 Australian Open men's semifinals Marat Safin def. Roger Federer, 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(6), 9-7

At the peak of Roger Federer's brilliance, Safin snapped the Swiss master's 26-match winning streak in a four-and-a-half-hour epic.

(Click here to watch the entire match in 25 parts.)

4	2005 Wimbledon women's final Venus Williams def. Lindsay Davenport, 4-6, 7-6(4), 9-7

Against top-seeded Davenport, Williams became the first player in 70 years to save a championship point and come back to win the title. She also became the lowest-ranked (No. 16) and lowest-seeded (No. 14) champion in Wimbledon history.

(Click here to watch the entire match in 18 parts.)

5	2009 Wimbledon men's final Roger Federer def. Andy Roddick, 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-6(5), 3-6, 16-14

Federer surpassed Sampras' career Grand Slams record after saving four break points in a second-set breaker that would have given Roddick a two-sets-to-none-lead.

(Click here to watch the entire match in three parts.)

6	2002 Australian Open women's final Jennifer Capriati def. Martina Hingis, 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-2

Capriati rallied from a 4-6, 0-4 deficit -- and saved four championship points -- to stun Hingis and defend her Aussie Open title. The American became just the second woman in tournament history to save a match point in the final and win the match.

7	2004 French Open men's first round Fabrice Santoro def. Arnaud Clement, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (7-5), 3-6, 16-14

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"The Magician" needed 6 hours and 33 minutes to finish off Clement. It was the longest match in the Open era, played over two days after darkness forced a suspension during the fifth set.

8	2006 Rome Masters men's final Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer, 6?7(0), 7?6(5), 6?4, 2?6, 7?6(5)

The 19-year-old Nadal trailed 1-4 in the fifth set and saved two match points against top-ranked Federer before storming back to capture the match in a tie-breaker. With the victory, the Spaniard matched Guillermo Vilas' 53-match winning streak on clay in the Open era.

9	2003 U.S. Open women's semifinals Justine Henin-Hardenne def. Jennifer Capriati, 4?6, 7?5, 7?6(4)

Henin-Hardenne came within two points of losing 10 times but rallied to outlast Capriati in a thrilling U.S. Open semifinal that stretched past midnight.

(Click here to watch the entire match in 16 parts.)

10	2005 Tennis Masters Cup final David Nalbandian def. Roger Federer, 6-7(4), 6-7(11), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(3)

Nalbandian, who only made the year-end championships because of injuries, rallied from two sets down to snap Federer's 35-match winning streak.

(Click here to watch the entire match in 24 parts.)

Honorable Mention: Agassi def. Blake in '05 U.S. Open men's quarters; V. Williams def. Hingis in '00 U.S. Open women's semis; Ivanisevic def. Rafter in '01 Wimbledon men's final; Hewitt def. Federer in '03 Davis Cup semis; Roddick def. El Aynaoui in '03 Australian Open men's semis; Federer def. Sampras in 2001 Wimbledon men's fourth round; Nadal def. Verdasco in '09 Australian Open men's semis; Philippoussis def. Krajicek in '02 Wimbledon men's quarters