Before announcing which match I chose I'll go through which matches were up for consideration but didn't quite make the top spot. In Melbourne this year Andy Murray came so close to ending the run of Nadal and Djokovic Grand Slam finals when he was on the brink of beating Djokovic in the semi finals of the Australian Open. Murray had three break points at 5-5 in the fifth set, after battling back from 5-2 down, but he couldn't convert any of them and Djokovic took full advantage. After four hours and fifty minutes of gruelling play it was the Serb who advanced to the final. These two were involved in one other match I considered. Their meeting in Shanghai was the turning point for Djokovic in my opinion. He was starting to lose the close matches to the top players but in this meeting he just looked like the Djokovic we had come to love last year. He faced five match points points but like the true champion he is he fought back and took the match 6-3 in the third.
Many people may be surprised I considered this match but anybody who sat down and watched Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic playing in the French Open final would know why I've chosen it. It may only have been four sets and it may not have been the close match everybody expected but it was a thrilling encounter from start to finish. The rallies were fascinating to watch as Djokovic threw everything at the Spaniard but to no success. Nadal was a man on a mission and let no point go as he finally set the record straight against Djokovic at a Grand Slam.
The ATP World Finals was very competitive this year but one match stood out above them all. The final between Djokovic and Federer was the perfect way for the season to end as the two men gave an exhibition of tennis. There were no signs of fatigue from either man and no lack of motivation as they produced their best tennis on the big occasion yet again. Federer, fresh from a convincing win over Murray the night before, gave it his all but found no way to beat Djokovic who was in ominous form throughout. Djokovic prevailed 7-6 7-5 and I think the win was a warning sent to all the tour that he is back to his best.
Juan Martin Del Potro was close to his best in London at the Tour Finals when he beat Federer indoor for the second time in one year but it was another meeting in London that I considered for match of the year. At the Olympic Games both men were involved in the longest three set match in history as Del Potro desperately tried to leave his mark on the tour's biggest stage again. It wasn't to be this time out though as Federer got the better of him 19-17 in the third set. The final match I considered contained none of the top four players. At the US Open David Ferrer and Janko Tipsarevic played out a thrilling match and in my mind the best match of this year's US Open. Tipsarevic was at his best and hit some extraordinary shots but could find no way through the relentless Ferrer who chased down everything and seemed to never tire. They were playing for four and half hours and treated the fans who chose to watch their match instead of seeing Djokovic, Murray or Federer.
This brings me to the match of the year. Right from the moment I selected my shortlist this match was always number one. It wasn't hard to separate from the rest and to be completely honest I consider this to be one of the greatest matches of all time, possibly greater than the famous Federer-Nadal Wimbledon final. On Sunday January 29th 2012, tennis fans waking up to see the Australian Open final were treated to so much more than they expected. Nadal and Djokovic had developed an incredible rivalry in 2011 and it seemed Nadal could no longer get close to the Serb. This match changed everything. The momentum swayed back and forth throughout the first set as both men came out firing from the start. After two sets they were locked at one set each, Nadal taking the first 7-5 before Djokovic hit back 6-4. The third set went the way of Djokovic, on a 6-2 scoreline and so often in the fourth set he looked to be on the verge of victory. The fourth set tie break was dramatic as Nadal hit back from 5-2 down to win 7-5 and send it into a decider.
The fifth set was possibly the best set of tennis the game has ever seen. Both men played with intensity and showed tremendous desire even after five hours of play. The rallies were getting longer as neither player was willing to concede an inch to their opponent. Nadal got a decisive break to go 4-2 up and had break point to make it 5-2 but couldn't convert. In the next game Nadal missed an easy backhand down the line at 30-15 to allow Djokovic into his service game and the Serb broke back. After five hours and fifty three minutes, Djokovic broke Nadal one more time to win his third Australian Open title. It was without doubt the best match either man had ever played. We knew it would be enthralling, we knew they would entertain but as we all got up early to watch them do battle nobody could have foreseen the classic match we got. They went on to face each other three times on the clay with Nadal winning all three meetings but Nadal's injury stalled their rivalry. I think that these two players are the best rivalry in the men's game and without Nadal Djokovic lost some of the intensity and desire he shows when the Spaniard is on the other side of the court. With Nadal coming back in 2013 it won't be long before we get to see these two giants of the game battling each other on a tennis court again. For now, we are left with the memory of their epic battle in Melbourne which has been chosen as my ATP World Tour Match of the Year.
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