The Greatest Rivalries in Tennis


LONDON - JULY 06: Roger Federer of Switzerland congratulates Rafael Nadal of Spain in winning the Championship trophy during the men's singles Final on day thirteen of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet ClubWhen Roger Federer took on Rafael Nadal in the final of the 2008 Wimbledon Open Championship, few tennis fans expected to witness one of the greatest games in the history of the tournament – not to mention the longest match in open tennis history, clocking in at 4 hours 48 minutes.

The talented youngster had seemed unable to carry his dominance on Europe’s clay courts at the French Open over to the hard and lawn courts used in some of the biggest tournaments in tennis, and seemed unlikely to depose Federer at a tournament the Swiss had made his own over the previous five years.

The results of the match-up between the in-form Nadal and a determined Federer were breathtaking. After 14 games in the 5th set Nadal finally broke Federer’s serve to go 8-7 up, and minutes later forced a final error from his opponent to claim his first Wimbledon title. While some were quick to announce the end of the Federer era, others recognised the moment for what it was - the coming of age of  the greatest rivalry in tennis history.

Over the years the centre court of the All England Lawn and Croquet Club has staged more than its fair share of classic rivalries. As excitement builds up for the next Wimbledon Championship, we take a look back at some of the greatest rivalries in the history of men’s tennis.

Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - NOVEMBER 10: Swedish tennis player Bjorn Borg raises the trophy after his victory over John McEnroe (R) in the Stockolm Open 10 November 1980. Born in S?dertSlje, Borg first major title was the Italian Open (1974)
The rivalry between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg provided some of the most entertaining matches of their era. McEnroe was described as the temperamental artist in the rivalry, while the ice cool Borg was known as the craftsman.
 
The two met 14 times between 1978 and 1981, sharing the spoils with 7 victories apiece. Some of the most famous matches between the two were played at Wimbledon, with the 1980 Wimbledon final remembered as one of the most nerve wracking, as Borg beat McEnroe in a 20 minute long tie-breaker to take his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title. A year later McEnroe was back to defeat Borg in a thrilling five set encounter.

Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi

NEW YORK - AUGUST 27: Pete Sampras of the USA and Andre Agassi of USA are seen after the final match at the US Open in Flushing Meadows on August 27, 1990 in New York, United States. (Photo by Bongarts/Getty Images)

One of the greatest rivalries in tennis history was an all-American affair. Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras dominated men’s singles tennis during the 1990s, and met in several classic grand slam final encounters. The rivalry was spiced up by the two very different personalities and playing styles involved. Sampras was known for his reserved, methodical approach to the game, whereas Agassi embraced a more flamboyant approach to the game.

The two met 34 times in matches during their careers, with Sampras taking 20 victories to Agassi’s 14. Sampras had a clear edge over Agassi in grand slam final encounters, winning 4 of their 5 grand slam final matches. Agassi’s only grand slam victory against Sampras came in the 2005 Australian Open final, when he defeated his great rival in a thrilling four set match.

Stefan Edberg vs. Boris Becker

18 NOV 1994: BORIS BECKER OF GERMANY PLAYS A BACKHAND VOLLEY DURING HIS MATCH AGAINST STEFAN EDBERG OF SWEDEN DURING THE ATP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FRANKFURT, GERMANY. BECKER WON THE MATCH IN 3 SETS. Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill/ALLSPORT

Stefan Edberg met Boris Becker in 35 matches during his career. 18 of these games were tournament finals, where the mature Edberg came up against the youthful brilliance of the German star. The rivalry closely resembled the Federer-Nadal rivalry, with Edberg using experience and maturity to counter the strength and agility of his opponent.

Edberg met Becker in three consecutive Wimbledon finals, winning the first grand slam final encounter between the two in 1988. Becker avenged his defeat in 1989 claiming his second Wimbledon title, before Edberg came back strongly to win the 1990 Wimbledon final in a classic five set thriller. While Edberg outscored Becker in Wimbledon finals, Becker dominated the remainder of their encounters, winning 25 of his matches against Edberg.

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