After attempting to recuperate from this gargantuan, phenomenal and heroic marathon-like encounter between two greats of the modern game, and now two greats in the sport's history, a thought struck me: Has a player ever won a major in such spectacular fashion?
World number one Novak Djokovic retained the Australian Open title on Sunday in a titanic struggle with Rafael Nadal who just does not understand the word 'surrender'. From two sets to one down, the Spaniard depicted a dejected figure as he strode to his chair, shoulders slumped, whilst his boisterous opponent jogged to his corner with his fists pumping, chest bumping male bravado oh so plain to see.
However as so often is the case with 'El matador', he does not know when he is beaten. He would have perhaps been forgiven after being on the receiving end of another 4 set defeat to his great rival after succumbing to six straight defeats in 2011, but obviously the Spaniard was undeterred. Testament to the Spanish bull, by saving three break points in a row and trailing 5-3 in the 4th set tiebreak, Nadal roared back and took a marathon 4th set in almost 90 minutes of compelling tennis. In heartbreaking fashion however, Rafa eventually surrendered a 4-2 lead and was denied once more by the Serb in their first five set encounter in just under 6 hours. Perhaps the greatest competitor and fighter the sport has ever seen, he too was a winner today, despite receiving his 3rd straight Grand Slam runners up trophy to Djokovic, he will believe he can stop the rot. I myself am not so sure.
What makes the feat even more impressive is by claiming his fifth Grand Slam title, Novak had to endure two monstrous five setters with a combined length of over ten hours in just three days defeating the 4th and 2nd seeds. Questions over his physical well-being were raised after struggling through a hamstring strain and breathing problems in the two encounters against the dogged David Ferrer and warrior-like veteran that is Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter finals and round of 16 respectively. His indomitable spirit was thoroughly tested in consecutive matches. After initially overthrowing Murray in a 5 set classic and then overcoming Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final ever and the longest match in Australian Open history, a stunning accomplishment that may never be rivalled.
When broken down individually, former legends of the game such as Borg, McEnroe, Sampras and the current crop of Federer and Nadal can all boast glittering careers with a combined total of 58 Grand Slams, a staggering total but which one stood out for each as their greatest against all the odds. In chronological order, Bjorn Borg's, affectionately known as the 'Ice Man', standout moment culminated in what many claim was the greatest match ever in the 1980 Wimbledon Final.
However comparing this to Novak's achievement, Borg's road to the final involved encounters with just one seeded player but impressively had dropped just one set on the way to the final. Whereas Novak had to battle niggling injuries, match deficits and exhaustion especially in the 5th set of the final which was capitalised by this stunning and enthralling 31 shot exchange. (1.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/16780204.stm).
Consequently, with the conclusion of this point Djokovic collapsed to the floor and at the time the impression was that Nadal had struck the final blow, though this extraordinary sporting gladiator was undeterred and roared back into life to take the title 7-5 in the 5th set. Both were incredible achievements but in this instance, Djokovic's achievement in the tournament as a whole just eclipses Borg's endeavours in 1980 and his consecutive 5 set victories at Wimbledon in 1977 which deserves a honourable mentioning.
Once again by trawling back through the greats of the game, John McEnroe's phenomenal 1980 US open campaign where he saw off 10th seeded Ivan Lendl in 4 sets, then ousted his great rival, the gritty and tenacious Jimmy Connors in five before again having to endure five sets against world number one Bjorn Borg. This was a brilliant achievement, but due to today's game being so much more physically wearing on the body perhaps Novak's triumph ever so slightly pips it, nevertheless McEnroe played more sets on his road to victory and faced the 3rd and top seeds compared to Novak's 5th, 4th and 2nd.
Finally, in the glittering careers of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal their greatest achievements have been against one another. The Spaniard's first Slam on his beloved clay transpired in Rafa winning the epic 2008 Wimbledon Final and ending Federer's five year stranglehold at SW19, a great feat. Worthy adversary, Roger Federer's fondest Slam victory arguably happened just a year before, at the same stage by eventually disposing with the up and coming Spanish pretender in five fantastic sets, proving he was still the man to beat bar on clay.
However Rafa's epic Aussie Open triumph just a few months before was extremely reminiscent of Novak's conquest this time round as both had to endure a semi final and final that lasted just below and beyond 10 hours of play. Furthermore with their opponent enjoying an extra days rest to recover for the final and to achieve this feat against Federer in 2009 and Nadal in 2012, is a phenomenal record and according to the Serb "Wimbledon is right up there because it is the tournament I always wanted to win. But this comes out on top." (2.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/16782987.stm)
'This comes out on top'. That statement might just encompass every Grand Slam conquest in my opinion. Perhaps this heroic accomplishment tops all of them in achieving success in the face of adversity, steeped against such physically gruelling and talented players in one of the greatest era's the sport has ever known. It is difficult to gauge what is the greatest as each has their own case, but in a physical sense Novak Djokovic stands alone and it will take an extraordinary effort to usurp this, 'The Greatest of Slam achievements'.
World number one Novak Djokovic retained the Australian Open title on Sunday in a titanic struggle with Rafael Nadal who just does not understand the word 'surrender'. From two sets to one down, the Spaniard depicted a dejected figure as he strode to his chair, shoulders slumped, whilst his boisterous opponent jogged to his corner with his fists pumping, chest bumping male bravado oh so plain to see.
However as so often is the case with 'El matador', he does not know when he is beaten. He would have perhaps been forgiven after being on the receiving end of another 4 set defeat to his great rival after succumbing to six straight defeats in 2011, but obviously the Spaniard was undeterred. Testament to the Spanish bull, by saving three break points in a row and trailing 5-3 in the 4th set tiebreak, Nadal roared back and took a marathon 4th set in almost 90 minutes of compelling tennis. In heartbreaking fashion however, Rafa eventually surrendered a 4-2 lead and was denied once more by the Serb in their first five set encounter in just under 6 hours. Perhaps the greatest competitor and fighter the sport has ever seen, he too was a winner today, despite receiving his 3rd straight Grand Slam runners up trophy to Djokovic, he will believe he can stop the rot. I myself am not so sure.What makes the feat even more impressive is by claiming his fifth Grand Slam title, Novak had to endure two monstrous five setters with a combined length of over ten hours in just three days defeating the 4th and 2nd seeds. Questions over his physical well-being were raised after struggling through a hamstring strain and breathing problems in the two encounters against the dogged David Ferrer and warrior-like veteran that is Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter finals and round of 16 respectively. His indomitable spirit was thoroughly tested in consecutive matches. After initially overthrowing Murray in a 5 set classic and then overcoming Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final ever and the longest match in Australian Open history, a stunning accomplishment that may never be rivalled.
When broken down individually, former legends of the game such as Borg, McEnroe, Sampras and the current crop of Federer and Nadal can all boast glittering careers with a combined total of 58 Grand Slams, a staggering total but which one stood out for each as their greatest against all the odds. In chronological order, Bjorn Borg's, affectionately known as the 'Ice Man', standout moment culminated in what many claim was the greatest match ever in the 1980 Wimbledon Final.
However comparing this to Novak's achievement, Borg's road to the final involved encounters with just one seeded player but impressively had dropped just one set on the way to the final. Whereas Novak had to battle niggling injuries, match deficits and exhaustion especially in the 5th set of the final which was capitalised by this stunning and enthralling 31 shot exchange. (1.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/16780204.stm).
Consequently, with the conclusion of this point Djokovic collapsed to the floor and at the time the impression was that Nadal had struck the final blow, though this extraordinary sporting gladiator was undeterred and roared back into life to take the title 7-5 in the 5th set. Both were incredible achievements but in this instance, Djokovic's achievement in the tournament as a whole just eclipses Borg's endeavours in 1980 and his consecutive 5 set victories at Wimbledon in 1977 which deserves a honourable mentioning.
Once again by trawling back through the greats of the game, John McEnroe's phenomenal 1980 US open campaign where he saw off 10th seeded Ivan Lendl in 4 sets, then ousted his great rival, the gritty and tenacious Jimmy Connors in five before again having to endure five sets against world number one Bjorn Borg. This was a brilliant achievement, but due to today's game being so much more physically wearing on the body perhaps Novak's triumph ever so slightly pips it, nevertheless McEnroe played more sets on his road to victory and faced the 3rd and top seeds compared to Novak's 5th, 4th and 2nd.
At the turn of the 1990's a 19 year old 'Pistol' Pete Sampras's first slam was on home soil in the US Open and may have been his most impressive of his grand total of 14. In his title winning escapades, Sampras as a 12th seed defeated in the final four rounds, the 6th, 3rd, an unseeded John McEnroe and 4th seed Andre Agassi in the final with a combined set count of 16 in four rounds, just 1 set short of Novak's total.
Finally, in the glittering careers of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal their greatest achievements have been against one another. The Spaniard's first Slam on his beloved clay transpired in Rafa winning the epic 2008 Wimbledon Final and ending Federer's five year stranglehold at SW19, a great feat. Worthy adversary, Roger Federer's fondest Slam victory arguably happened just a year before, at the same stage by eventually disposing with the up and coming Spanish pretender in five fantastic sets, proving he was still the man to beat bar on clay.
Conversely, neither of these endured an energy sapping run to the final as Federer and especially Rafa achieved in the 2009 French Open and the 2009 Australian Open for Nadal respectively. From the jaws of defeat, Federer, in the 4th round and then battling through a five setter in the semi's before finally achieving the elusive career Grand Slam.
'This comes out on top'. That statement might just encompass every Grand Slam conquest in my opinion. Perhaps this heroic accomplishment tops all of them in achieving success in the face of adversity, steeped against such physically gruelling and talented players in one of the greatest era's the sport has ever known. It is difficult to gauge what is the greatest as each has their own case, but in a physical sense Novak Djokovic stands alone and it will take an extraordinary effort to usurp this, 'The Greatest of Slam achievements'.
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