At Their Best...

Since arguing that a player's optimum level apparently indicates their ability, I have attempted to propose some of the Big Four's (recently reunited) best respective performances.
Admittedly my memory is limited (and perhaps selective), but hopefully you lot can help me decide Fed's, Rafa's, Djoko's and Muzza's most memorable days (pun not intended).

Federer

1. vs Roddick, AO 2007 SF, 6-4,6-0,6-2
2. vs Djokovic, FO 2011 SF, 7-6,6-3,3-6,7-6
3. vs Nadal, ATP WTF 2011 RR, 6-3,6-0

Nadal

1. vs Federer, FO 2008 F, 6-1,6-3,6-0
2. vs Federer, Wimbledon 2008 F, 6-4,6-4,6-7,6-7,9-7
3. vs Federer, AO 2009 F, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 6-2

(all against Fed - pretty much sums Rafa up)

Djokovic

1. vs Nadal, Madrid 2011 F, 7-5,6-4
2. vs Nadal, USO 2011 F, 6-2,6-4,6-7,6-1
3. vs Nadal AO 2012 F, 5-7,6-4,6-2,6-7,7-5

(all against Rafa. Hmm...)

Murray

1. vs Nadal, USO 2008 SF, 6-2,7-6,4-6,6-4
2. vs Federer, Shanghai 2010 F, 6-3,6-2
3. vs Ferrer, Wimbledon 2012 QF, 6-7,7-6,6-4,7-6

Nice one

Fed - what about winning the WTF final 2010 vs. Nadal or the Wimbledon Final 2007 vs. Nadal. Generally I think his absolute peak was the Aus Open 2007 - after that he looked vulnerable to players other than Nadal, which hadn't really happened for 3 years. Fed's AO 2010 was pretty awesome too.

Nadal - he might think his RG final 2010 when he found he was truly back after a dreadful end to 2009 (by his standards) was one of his happiest, and he had four mighty wins vs. all-conquering Fed in Spring 2006

Djoko - was the Aus Open 2012 F him at his best? I think he was on the way down from his 2011 peaks but still very good. What about IW or Miami finals 2011, when he first started hauling Nadal back? What about his comprehensive defeats over Fed in Aus Open SF's 2008 and 2011, and his complete gubbing of Murray in the Aus Open F 2011?

I still think that Federer's absolute summit in terms of virtuosity and dominance was the 2004 US Open final against Hewitt, particularly the first set. It was tennis the likes of which I've never seen.

His semi-final performance against Roddick in Australia in 2007 was fantastic, of course, but Roddick did himself no favours by consistently coming to the net over and over again when his approach shots weren't really putting Federer in enough of a corner to do so. Even when Federer's not in top form he's still just about the best passer in the world, and Roddick really should have known better after the lesson he got from Federer in the 2005 Wimbledon final.

They didn't always produce it at the same time, but Djokovic v Murray at Rome 2011 produced some great tennis. It was rather overshadowed by what happened the next day but that semi final was a mini classic.

I thought Djokovic's first two sets v Nadal at Wimbledon were superb. Rafa was a bit out of sorts so the match never really became a classic though.

Also Nadal v Djokovic in Madrid 2009 could probably feature in both player's highlights reel.

Federer vs Ferrer Shanghai 2007
Federer vs Monaco US Open 2011
Federer vs Blake Shanghai 2006
Federer vs Hewitt US Open 2004
Federer vs Hewitt Aus Open 2010

all worth youtubing if you haven't seen them

Good article, agree with most of it.
However I don't think Murray's QF against Ferrer was that good. He nearly went 2 sets down, but found a way to win. His final display against Federer was better than that, but even that is not top 3. I think last year's beating of Nadal in Tokyo was number 3.

Murray vs Roddick Queens 2011
Murray vs Djokovic Dubai 2012
Murray vs Nadal Tokyo 2011
Murray vs Cilic Aus Open 2010

CAS wrote:... Federer vs Monaco US Open 2011...

1+ hour, rain in the forecast, close to midnight, and some sublime forehands. First set in 19 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8RMsTx6-LQ

And Monaco is now ATP #10.

I thought Murrays SF loss to Djokovic was perhaps one of his best matches - although his second serve was his achilles heel (sort of).

I thought his match with Ferrer (QF Wim 2012) was probably one of his best matches. Ferrer had demolished Del Potro in the previous round, and has been playing perhaps some of his best tennis of his entire career.

I think I have seen Murray play a few matches at Queens (not 2012 of course)when he looked to be unbeatable (although against "lesser" players).

Murray v Roddick at Queen's is my favourite Murray match of all time (so far ) because he was sublime that day. Whoever was on the other side of the net was getting beat that day.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7iw4nMOF7g

He destroyed Roddick with the slice all match.

Federer vs Del Potro 09
Federer vs Soderling US Open 09 (Soderling actually played really well that day)
Federer vs Wawrinka Aus Open 2011


Nadal vs Ancic Indian Wells 2010
Nadal vs Murray World Tour Finals 2010
Nadal vs Berdych Rome 2012

I'd probably say for Murray:

Ancic (Rotterdam 09)
Djokovic (Miami 09)
Roddick (Queens 11)
Federer (Shanghai 11)

Tsonga vs Nadal Aus Open 08 still remains the most jaw dropping performance I've ever seen, probably because it wasn't expected with Federer you know he has it in him

Nadal vs Federer...Miami 2004.
Has there ever been such a blistering performance by a 17 year old versus the No.1 of the day? And on hard-court. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umZ0lmtOdh0
Sometimes I wish Nadal would play as aggressive as he did early on in his career.

Federer vs Monaco...USO11...utterly destroyed Monaco.

Lydian, it was a great performance but I thought it was quite well documented that Federer had sun stroke that match? Nonetheless, theres a level Federer does not go below so any win against him is great

I never bought the sunstroke reason which he said he brought from Indian Wells because he breezed through all the rounds barely losing games, except Agassi, and won the final vs Henman in easy straight sets for loss of 6 games.

About that Miami 2004 Nadal match Federer said:

“I came with a sunstroke from Indian Wells, fine,” said Federer of his first close encounter with a player of the Rafa kind, “but I was starting to feel better and I was like ‑‑ didn't quite understand what just quite happened.”

“You don't just come out and beat world No. 1 four and four,” said Federer. (The score was actually 6-3, 6-3) “It just doesn't happen. You have to have something special to do it. Of course he was still a clay‑court player at that point, but that was hard court. I knew he was very good, so I didn't underestimate him in any way, shape, or form. He just got me. So that was impressive.”

Nadal was a different player back then, far more aggressive and his DHBH was far better than it is today...I have no idea what happened to it.

What about Fed's performance against Djoko in Cincy 2009? Djoko looked to heaven for answers after the 1st set went 6-1 and Fed was leading 2nd set 2-0 I guess.

Federer has had so many sublime performances over the years. You could probably add up all the great performances of the other top three and it would be roughly equal to Fed's tally. Whe Fed is in the zone only Nadal on clay can match that level of dominance. Of coure TMF does it with effortless panache to boot.


Some of the earlier ones that people tend to forget:

Fed V Sampras W 2001
Fed v Agassi WTF 2003
Fed V Roddick W 2003 semi and final vs the Ozzie
Fed v Roddick W 2005 final
Fed v Gasquet W 2006
Fed v Bjorkman W 2006

Fed v Hewitt USO 2004
Fed v Roddick USO 2006
Fed v Safin AUS 2005 (this is in my view the highest quality match of the last 10 years - both players played at an amazing level right throughout)

Fed v Nadal WTF 2007
Fed v Del Po AUS 2009 (total massacre with two bagels )
Fed v anyone AUS 2007

Those are just the ones that come to me off the top of my head.



emancipator

CAS wrote:Tsonga vs Nadal Aus Open 08 still remains the most jaw dropping performance I've ever seen, probably because it wasn't expected with Federer you know he has it in him

Totally agree with this.

In terms of sustained power hitting close to the lines, this has no equal. It was way better than Rosol at W. I mean Tsonga beat Rafa 2,3,2 iirc. He just blew him off the court. Rafa was shaking his head throughout and looking up at his box.

barrystar wrote:Nice one

Fed - what about winning the WTF final 2010 vs. Nadal or the Wimbledon Final 2007 vs. Nadal. Generally I think his absolute peak was the Aus Open 2007 - after that he looked vulnerable to players other than Nadal, which hadn't really happened for 3 years. Fed's AO 2010 was pretty awesome too.

Nadal - he might think his RG final 2010 when he found he was truly back after a dreadful end to 2009 (by his standards) was one of his happiest, and he had four mighty wins vs. all-conquering Fed in Spring 2006

Djoko - was the Aus Open 2012 F him at his best? I think he was on the way down from his 2011 peaks but still very good. What about IW or Miami finals 2011, when he first started hauling Nadal back? What about his comprehensive defeats over Fed in Aus Open SF's 2008 and 2011, and his complete gubbing of Murray in the Aus Open F 2011?

Federer was rubbish in the W 2007 final for the first four sets.

He only stepped it up in the fifth set. He looked tight, edgy and disgruntled throughout that match. Most definitely not one of his better W performances.

Gasquet vs Roddick Wimbledon 2007 is a memorable match for me, Gasquets backhand became godly that match. Getting a bit off topic here though so apologise

So I will suggest Djokovic vs Monfils Montreal 2011, Monfils looked embarrassed and frustrated as he was completely outclassed

Didn't Monfils win the first set in Montrael last year against Djokovic

It Must Be Love wrote:Didn't Monfils win the first set in Montrael last year against Djokovic

That was Cincinnati

Yep, sorry about that