Tennis is a sport with a long history. It has produced some of the most memorable rivalries in the arena of sports. The open era has witnessed some of the iconic tennis rivalries.
In any sport, it is the rivalries that make the game interesting for the fans. Here are some of the all-time iconic tennis rivalries.
Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal
The rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is the most highly rated of tennis rivalries. The rivalry was so high-profile that it has been labeled ‘Fedal’ by fans and spectators. Roger Federer was a dominant force being world number 1 in major parts of his career. From 2006 to 2009, they were respectively world number 1 and 2.
The Swiss and the Spainard faced each other in the French Open and Wimbledon finals 3 years in a row. Nadal has the ultimate lead with 24 matches won against Federer.
Andy Murray vs Novak Djokovic
The tennis rivalry between Andy Murray vs Novak Djokovic made for some spectacular show on the court. Andy Murray represented Great Britain while Novak Djokovic played for Serbia. Djokovic and Murray have faced-off a total of 36 times, with Murray winning 11 games and Djokovic winning 25.
Their rivalry emerged in the 2013 Wimbledon final when Murray won against Djokovic in the 2013 final. It was a huge moment for Great Britain, who hadn’t won a Wimbledon final in 36 years. The year prior, Murray had made his first Wimbledon final and lost to Roger Federer.
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John McEnroe vs Bjorn Borg
John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg thrilled the audience between 1978 and 1981 with one of the iconic tennis rivalries. The competitiveness between American John McEnroe and Swedish Bjorn Borg was often termed the Fire and Ice rivalry. It all started when a young McEnroe debuted playing off against Borg, the four-time defending champion.
The 1980 Wimbledon final was dubbed the Woodstock of tennis, when the two locked horns. It was a five-set battle for glory, and Borg prevailed over McEnroe. The very next year McEnroe turned the tables to win the title and settle the score against the Swedish competitor.
Boris Becker vs Stefan Edberg
Boris Becker vs Stefan Edberg enticed the crowd with their rivalry in the 1980s and 1990s. They faced each other 35 times, with Becker winning 25 of those games. The rivalry which began in the mid-1980s continued into the early 1990s. They met in three consecutive Wimbledon finals, with Becker emerging victorious in two of them. Their matches were often characterized by long rallies and nail-biting tie-breaks.
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Pete Sampras vs Andre Agassi
The 90s witnessed one of the greatest tennis rivalries between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. The two Americans faced each other 34 times with Sampras emerging triumph on 20 of the games. They met each other in five major finals and Sampras won on four occasions.
