Best Grand Slam Matches: Part 1

5. Kei Nishikori d. Andy Murray 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5/QF/US Open

To some, Andy Murray was the favourite, the pick to win his second US Open and claim back-to-back Grand Slam championships during the second half of 2016.

The Scot, who had won his second Wimbledon title in July, was certainly playing like a top contender in New York. Before his quarter-final against Kei Nishikori, Murray had gone 26-1 since his first match at The Queen’s Club in London, where he’d won a record fifth title.

Some doubted his main competition as well. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic had endured an up-and-down July and August. The Serbian had lost in the third round at Wimbledon and in the first round at the Olympics, but he had won the Rogers Cup, his record 30^th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title.

Nishikori, however, likely didn’t care who was the top player. The 26 year old, who reached the 2014 US Open final, knew he could beat anyone at anytime in New York, and that was all that mattered when he and Murray stepped onto Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Murray, the second seed, played like the favourite in the first set, winning more than half of his return points. But Nishikori changed his tactics in the second set, mixing in drop shots and more slice against the World No. 2.

Murray grabbed a back-and-forth third set – five service breaks – and was one set away from the semi-finals. He held to start the fourth and had a break point at 1-0, but a loud noise in the stadium caused a let and changed Murray’s entire mindset.

The Brit was flustered about the disturbance, and Nishikori took advantage, reeling off six consecutive games to even the match. In the fifth set, Nishikori stayed calm, breaking Murray to lead 6-5 and holding to reach the semi-finals at the US Open for the second time.

“There were many up and downs, but I tried to [stay] calm. I think that’s the most important thing I did today. Even though there were many up and downs I tried to stay tough,” Nishikori said.

It was just the latest time that “Clutch Kei” had brought his best tennis in a decider. To date, Nishikori is the most successful player in matches that go to a deciding set, according to the FedEx ATP Performance Zone. Nishikori owns a 99-29 record in such matches, giving him a winning percentage of 77 per cent, higher than anyone in the Open Era.

4. Novak Djokovic d. Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4/F/Roland Garros

Novak Djokovic had meandered through his most complicated Roland Garros path, winning five matches in six days because of a gloomy stretch in Paris. But what awaited the Serbian next in his fourth Roland Garros final was an opportunity that had eluded him all of his career: the Roland Garros title.

The pressure had never been greater. Djokovic was trying to become the third man in history to hold all four major titles at the same time (Don Budge, 1938; Rod Laver, 1962, 1969). The Belgrade native was also attempting to become the eighth man in history to complete the overall career Grand Slam.

Three times before he had come within a match of winning Roland Garros. In 2012 and 2014, Djokovic was in Rafael Nadal’s path to Roland Garros glory, and in 2015, Stan Wawrinka, wearing his plaid shorts, improved to 2-0 against World No. 1s in Grand Slam title matches.

But in this year’s final, Andy Murray stood in Djokovic’s way and placed doubt in Djokovic’s mind for the first nine games. Murray, playing in his first Roland Garros final, bullied a nervy Djokovic to the back of the court for a one-set lead.

The two were playing for the seventh time in a Grand Slam final and for the 34^th time overall in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Murray had been 2-4 against Djokovic in Grand Slam finals, but the Scot started about as well as he could have hoped.

Djokovic took over in the second set, though, returning aggressively and forgetting about the nerves that had hobbled him earlier in the match. He sought to wear Murray down with a steady stream of drop shots and was striking his backhand as cleanly as he had all tournament.

Djokovic rode early breaks in the third and fourth sets. Serving at 5-2 in the fourth set, he was broken but he held two games later to solidify his place in tennis history.

“I started well in the first game and then I dropped four straight games. Nerves kicked in. I needed a little bit of time to really find the right rhythm and start to play the way I intended, which happened in the beginning of the second and practically until 5-2 in the fourth set,” Djokovic said. “It was flawless tennis. I really felt like I played on a high quality and put a lot of pressure on Andy’s serves.”

On his third and final match point, Djokovic said he experienced an out-of-body moment as he tried to clinch the career Grand Slam.

“In the last point I don’t even remember what happened… It’s like my spirit has left my body and I was just observing my body fight the last three, four exchanges, going left to right and hoping that Andy will make a mistake,” Djokovic said. “[It was] a thrilling moment. One of the most beautiful I have had in my career.”

3. Fernando Verdasco d. Rafael Nadal 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2/1R/Australian Open

The stage in the tournament had changed but the drama and level of play was all the same when Fernando Verdasco and Rafael Nadal met during the first round of the Australian Open this year.

Seven years earlier, in 2009, the Spaniards had faced off in the semi-finals in Melbourne. Verdasco was playing in his first and, to date, only Grand Slam semi-final. Nadal was trying to reach his maiden Australian Open final, and he’d fend off his countryman after five hours and 14 minutes, then the longest match in tournament history.

Who would have guessed the two would come close to matching that feat on the same court, Rod Laver Arena, seven years later? Surely not Nadal, especially when he led Verdasco two sets to one and had won the third set in 43 minutes, the fastest set of the match so far. Verdasco’s level had cooled – his winner tally had dropped from 20 in the first set to six in the third set – and it looked like Nadal would cruise to yet another win against his compatriot.

Read Match Report: Verdasco Stuns Nadal In Five Setter

The Mallorca native owned a 14-2 record in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Verdasco. But Verdasco was leading in the “what have you done for me lately?” category, having taken two of their past three meetings, including a three-set win in Miami the year earlier.

In the fourth set, Verdasco earned a break and served to even the match at 5-4. But Nadal fought back to force a tie-break, which Verdasco won with an ace down the T. He’d hit 20 on the day.

The story of the match became the fifth set, and the story of the set was Verdasco’s bullet-like forehands. Nadal gained an early break but Verdasco charged back, winning six consecutive games to end the four-hour, 41-minute match.

“I was just closing my eyes and everything went in!” Verdasco said. “In the fourth set I started serving better than the second and third. He started playing less deep and strong. I started coming inside the court, being aggressive and it went well.

On match point, Nadal served to Verdasco’s forehand, and he replied with a practice-esque cut at the ball for his 90^th winner of the match.

“He had a lot of success hitting every ball at full power in the fifth,” Nadal said. “I have to congratulate him.”

Maybe most telling was Verdasco’s reaction once the ball whizzed past Nadal. He didn’t scream to the sky or jump in celebration. He simply glanced at his box and silently pumped his fist. He had known what it was like to be on the losing end of a back-and-forth battle with Nadal, but thanks to one of his best efforts of the year, Verdasco also knew what it was like to be on the winning end.

Coming Thursday: The Best Grand Slam Matches Of 2016, Part 2