Here are the five greatest matches ever played in tennis history

1. Rafael Nadal d. Roger Federer – Wimbledon Championships 2008, Final

Final Score: 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7

This match was, without question, the greatest match ever played. It had everything: high stakes, an intense rivalry between the game’s top two players, and a final filled with drama both on and off the court.

The clay king Nadal hadn’t won a major outside of Roland Garros and finished as the Wimbledon runner-up to Federer in the two years prior. This match was Nadal’s to win, and he cemented his legacy as not just a clay specialist, but an all-around beast.

If Borg and McEnroe kicked off the fire and ice comparisons, Federer and Nadal brought it to the modern age. Nadal’s vicious topspin and side-to-side athleticism was the polar opposite to Federer’s graceful and artistic dance on court.

The match went through two rain delays and went deep enough into the night that, even with the lights on, the Hawkeye line system was no longer functionable. It was defined their careers and was merely the kickstart to a decade-long rivalry that still goes on in the present day.

"That probably is one of the most emotional matches that I played in my career,” Nadal said in 2018. “After losing two finals, that final created a big impact in my career. The personal satisfaction that tournament gave to me is difficult to compare with other things.”"

I could go on and on about this match. It defined the current era of tennis and showed a teaser of how dominant Federer and Nadal (and later Djokovic) would become. This was the greatest match because it had everything. The two best players in the world played a match no fan will ever forget. It was monumental for both players’ careers. It humanized Federer and put Nadal on the map as the game’s best. Who knows what would’ve happened without this 2008 bout.