04/26/24
August 14, 2006
The top ten Men's Tennis matches of the aught's.: Consider it the transition from Agassi/Sampras to Federer/Roddick/Nadal. Can you remember one that should be included?
posted by Ufez Jones to tennis at 10:16 PM - 5 comments
2001 Wimbledon Final: Goran Ivanisevic def. Patrick Rafter 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 If this was a list of "matches played in the most exciting atmosphere," this would be at the top of the list without a doubt. The match was moved to Monday due to rain. This meant that regular ticket holders did not get to keep their seats and bring their "proper and stiff" clapping. All of a sudden, a gigantic queue formed at SW19 with tennis lovers who previously never dreamed of getting a ticket to the finals. Croatians and Australians filled the seats on Monday, bringing along their flags, chanting and enthusiasm. It was more electrifying than a Davis Cup match. Goran did the unthinkable, winning Wimbledon as a wildcard entry. I had a summer job in London that summer and my wife was a beneficiary of the rain on Sunday as she popped down to Wimbledon and got to see the match on centre court. I had to work, but watched it in bits and pieces at the bar in the lobby of my office building in the City amongst a fairly partisan Australian crowd. Somewhere in storage, we have some great photos my wife took there that we had blown up.
posted by holden at 09:51 AM on August 15, 2006
Down here Pat Rafter is probably remembered more for that match (and his graciousness and sportsmanship while losing) than for his two US Open wins. Hard to believe for Australians, isn't it? Sort of like Gallipoli, only no-one died.
posted by owlhouse at 06:13 PM on August 15, 2006
Off topic a bit, but, Owlhouse, that noble trait is shared by more than one of your fellow Aussies, I would say that Greg Norman's acceptance of his devastating loss at the '96 Masters, (and all the other heartbreaking close calls he had) is one of the most admirable things I have witnessed in sport.
posted by mjkredliner at 09:11 PM on August 15, 2006
Yep, I bet he sometimes goes a whole 10 minutes without thinking about it. :-)
posted by owlhouse at 09:17 PM on August 15, 2006
2005 U.S. Open Quarterfinal: Andre Agassi def. James Blake 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 And SpoFi was there!!!!