The French Open organisers will no doubt have been thrilled by finals weekend, with both showpiece matches going the distance at Roland Garros. On Saturday Coco Gauff came from a set down to defeat Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set thriller, before Carlos Alcaraz rallied from two-sets down to beat Jannik Sinner and defend his title, saving three match points in the process. At five hours and 29 minutes, it was the second longest final in history so there can be doubt that the Parisian crowd got their money’s worth.<\/p>\n
It was also an interest quirk that in both finals, the world #2 got the better of the player in the ranking’s penthouse. Sabalenka made it clear that she was bitterly disappointed by her defeat, but one suspects that it was Sinner who will have the hardest time bouncing back. He certainly wouldn’t be the first #1 to have suffered a bitterly frustratining defeat to his biggest rival and struggled to bounce back. So the question is: after such a crushing defeat, how will Sinner react?\u00a0 Can Sinner avoid the pitfalls that previous world #1s experienced after losing to the #2 in a Major final?<\/p>\n
1981 Wimbledon final, John McEnroe defeats Bjorn Borg<\/strong><\/p>\n McEnroe v Borg was the big rivalry from 1980 through 1981.<\/p>\n It started with the 1980 Wimbledon final when both players went toe to toe for five sets. Bjorn Borg held a two sets to one lead and then there was surely one of the greatest tiebreaks of all time, which John McEnroe won by 18 points to 16. After that, the momentum seemed to be with the American, but Borg did not succumb – winningg the fifth set 8-6.<\/p>\n The pair were not finished with each other; they met two months later in the 1980 US Open Final. This time McEnroe coming through after another five set\u00a0 battle, 6-4 in the fifth set. Borg got his first taste of being #1 but losing to the #2 who was also defending champion. By 1981 it was all on the line.\u00a0 Borg was looking to win six Wimbledon titles in a row, equalling William Renshaw (who only played one challenge match as defending champion).\u00a0 McEnroe was desperate to win Wimbledon which he saw as his destiny. McEnroe prevailed in four sets and Borg appeared slightly accepting of his fate. As if he knew his time was coming to an end.<\/p>\n This defeat signalled a changing of the guard and they swapped ranking positions. McEnroe went on to defeat Borg in the 1981 US Open final, this time with McEnroe as #1 and Borg #2.\u00a0 The two defeats in 1981 were very significant. Borg was struggling with off court issues including harassment and death threats. McEnroe was a few years younger and ready to take over.<\/p>\n The Wimbledon final defeat meant Borg not only lost his #1 ranking but motivation as well.\u00a0 He would not get either back and disappeared more or less from the scene, making just a handful of appearances in 1982. Borg also went on to suffer personal issues and depression. The pressure of fame and being constantly chased was too much. Almost in contrast to his game which was very disciplined, and not expressive like McEnroe\u2019s.<\/p>\n 1984 French Open final, Ivan Lendl defeats John McEnroe<\/strong><\/p>\n Another fascinating scenario developed in 1984.\u00a0 The decade started with Borg v McEnroe as the number one rivalry in tennis. Borg left early age 26, and Jimmy Connors was already over 30, so another rivalry was needed. That came in Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe who were exactly the same age.\u00a0 McEnroe arrived first and became the #1 player from 1981 to 1984. Lendl, however, was tearing up the ATP Tour. He was the money leader in 1981 and 1982. In fact, in 1982 Lendl won a whopping 15 titles and briefly held the #1 ranking in 1983. Still, McEnroe was the main man. In 1984 he won 82 matches and only lost only 3; an Open era record. Lendl in contrast only won three titles in 1984.<\/p>\n But, what a title to win! As by this stage of his career, Lendl was seen as a \u201cchoker\u201d losing the first four Major finals he played in. He lost the 1981 French Open final to Bjorn Borg in five sets. He then lost the 1982 and 1983 US Open finals to Jimmy Connors on hardcourts. Plus he lost the 1983 Australian Open final to Mats Wilander on grass (when it was still held on grass in Kooyong).<\/p>\n McEnroe meanwhile saw this as his big opportunity to go down as one of the very greatest by winning on clay. Something American players didn\u2019t do very often, even today. The match lasted almost five hours and McEnroe raced into a two sets lead and everything was looking good. However, for whatever reason, things started to unravel. McEnroe began acting strange (not unusual for him) and started having a go at courtside photographers and all sorts. Lendl was focusing on what he was doing, working his way back into the match.\u00a0 Lendl played a very modern game, hitting the ball very hard and with a lot of spin thus margin for error. With McEnroe coming to net, Lendl\u2019s passing shots were superb, especially his backhand.<\/p>\n Lendl won the next three sets and sealed the match in a way which summed things up. McEnroe hit a wild volley out under seemingly no pressure (other than scoreboard pressure on match point). Lendl won his first Major title in dramatic circumstances, and McEnroe walked off in a huff during the Presentation ceremony, not participating in it.<\/p>\n McEnroe beat Lendl in straight sets three months later in the US Open final but things changed dramatically in 1985. Lendl took over the number 1 ranking and handed out a heavy beating to McEnroe in the US Open final.\u00a0 McEnroe never regained the number 1 position. He also dropped out of contention altogether and saw Lendl, a young Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander overtake him.<\/p>\n It is worth noting McEnroe spent years claiming that he was two sets up and a break up in the 3rd set. Lendl has since denied that and put the record straight, McEnroe was never a break up in the 3rd set\u2026<\/p>\n 1995 US Open final Pete Sampras defeats Andre Agassi.<\/strong><\/p>\n 1995 was probably the vintage year of the 1990s, it was the year the rivalry between Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras came to the boil and had the whole world talking.<\/p>\n By the start of 1995, Sampras was the clear number 1, taking over from another American Jim Courier. Sampras won four Major titles since turning number 1 including three in a row between 1993 Wimbledon and 1994 Australian Open.\u00a0 By January 1995, Agassi was making a serious assault on the number 1 ranking. He won the 1994 US Open and Paris Bercy Super Nine (Masters 1000). The two would meet in the final of the Australian Open in January 1995. Where Sampras was defending champion and Agassi made his debut at the event. This is despite Agassi turning professional in 1986!<\/p>\n Agassi prevailed in four after losing the first set to win his first Australian Open title. This triggered a remarkable 1995 where the two guys chased each other all year. They would play five hardcourt finals. Sampras retaliated in March, defeating Agassi in the Indian Wells final in straight sets. Which were three sets (best of five set final in 1995).\u00a0 Agassi came back at Sampras, getting revenge for losing the 1994 Miami final to Sampras by winning the 1995 final. By the spring Agassi was up 2-1 in their head to head. They were also set to meet in the Wimbledon final but unfortunately Boris Becker got in the way. Becker came from a set and two breaks! down to shock Agassi in the semifinal.<\/p>\n And this is where it gets interesting. Agassi decided to embark on what he called the \u201cSummer of Revenge\u201d. \u00a0Agassi defeated Sampras in the Canadian Open final, Michael Chang in the Cincinnati final and Stefan Edberg in the Washington final. He went into the US Open as clear favourite and #1 player. Inevitably both reached the final, Sampras beating Courier in the semifinal and Agassi getting revenge on Becker, no love lost between the two.\u00a0 Agassi declared live on television \u201cif you are watching Pete, I\u2019m coming!\u201d Agassi was turning tennis into boxing, his dad was a boxer from Iran.<\/p>\n Agassi went into the final with a 3-1 lead over Sampras in the 1995 head to head, all finals. This would be their fifth final of 1995! Whoever won the match would win two majors that year and seen by the public and commentators as the real #1.<\/p>\n What transpired was an uphill struggle for Agassi.\u00a0 Sampras won the first two sets, went a break up in the third. It looked all over but Agassi broke back, and then broke again to take the 3rd set, getting the crowd involved. It got to 5-5 in the fourth and all of a sudden Agassi was ambushed, and Sampras found himself serving for the match. Agassi won the head to head 3-2 in finals but Sampras won two majors that year to Agassi\u2019s one.<\/p>\n The 1995 tournament and final was notable for two reasons; Nike commercials.\u00a0 The first featuring Agassi and Sampras playing street tennis in front of a large New York crowd (Sampras famously hitting the bus). The other was based on one of the most famous set points in history. Sampras and Agassi turned tennis into Noughts and Crosses, creating crazy angles at speed, trying to move each other out of position.\u00a0 Sampras won with a backhand crosscourt angled winner which left the crowd in a frenzy and Agassi laughing.\u00a0 The theme of the commercial was the point that never ended.<\/p>\n Agassi won every hardcourt match that summer bar one. By his own admission, he found the defeat so hard to take, he plummeted down the rankings to 141 by 1997. Suffered a divorce and had personal issues plus depression. It took Agassi almost four years to recover, finally winning the French Open in 1999.\u00a0 He eventually reclaimed the world #1 position from Sampras in July 1999.<\/p>\n 2008 Wimbledon final Rafael Nadal defeats Roger Federer.<\/strong><\/p>\n Roger Federer was the undisputed #1, setting records all over the place. By the time of the Wimbledon final, he already surpassed Jimmy Connors record of consecutive weeks as #1. That was eventually set at 233, almost five years straight uninterrupted at the top of the mountain.<\/p>\n Even so, in 2005 out of the blue, Rafael Nadal emerged to challenge him. Nadal already beat Federer in Miami in 2004 as a 17 year old, in straight sets!\u00a0 In 2005 things got more serious. Nadal played Federer in the Miami final and went two sets up. Remarkably Federer came back to win in five (the great days of five set Masters Finals).\u00a0 But Nadal had revenge taking Federer out in the semifinal of the French Open whilst still only 18 years of age and went on to win the title.<\/p>\n By 2006, Nadal already established himself as the clear #2 with the tennis season increasingly defined by his rivalry with the Swiss. He beat Federer in an epic Italian Open final which lasted five hours.\u00a0 Then he defeated Federer in three straight French Open finals between 2006 and 2008. 2008 was a humiliation, Federer getting only four games and lost the final set 0-6\u00a0 as Nadal romped to victory in Paris. Federer returned the \u201ccompliment\u201d by beating Nadal in the 2006 and 2007 Wimbledon finals. But already things were getting more difficult. In 2007 Nadal took Federer to five sets and looked as if he could do it.<\/p>\n So, in 2008 the talk was Nadal could be ready to take the crown. No doubt this would have rattled Federer internally. Both reached the final as expected.\u00a0\u00a0 On an overcast day which delayed the start, Nadal went into a two sets lead with Federer looking out of sorts. Nadal\u2019s golden ticket was giving Federer\u2019s backhand a workover with high lefty topspin forehands, kicking up high even on grass.\u00a0 In the 3rd set things went to plan for Nadal, almost getting the decisive break; then the rain came, which changed everything.<\/p>\n Federer came out with renewed purpose and took the next two sets on tiebreaks, with the Wimbledon crowd going crazy. Around 8pm at night, they embarked on a fifth set, with Federer as the favourite. But again, Nadal showed his resilience, he had match point in the 4th<\/sup> set tiebreak which Federer saved with a great backhand passing shot. But Nadal was not to be deterred, breaking Federer late on and serving out the match for a 9-7 fifth set triumph.\u00a0 The match finished well into the night, just enough natural light for the match not to be called off until the next day.<\/p>\n Nadal\u2019s triumph was again significant. He would take the #1 spot a month later when Federer lost to Ivo Karlovic in Cincinnati. There was no Borg \/ McEnroe \/ Agassi collapse by Federer; he was made of stern stuff.\u00a0 Federer would reclaim the ranking twelve months later in 2009 when he reclaimed the Wimbledon title. But there is one undeniable fact; Federer would never be the main man for the rest of his career. He became part of the \u201cBig Three\u201d, where Federer was fighting hard to keep up with Djokovic and Nadal.\u00a0 They were both five to six years younger than him.<\/p>\n The 2008 Wimbledon final was the moment that transition happened and Nadal officially became the best tennis player in the world. It will be fascinating to see how Jannik Sinner handles the next twelve months of tennis. All eyes and minds will be fixed for the next Alcaraz v Sinner Grand Slam final.<\/p>\n Main photo credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The French Open organisers will no doubt have been thrilled by finals weekend, with both showpiece matches going the distance at Roland Garros. On Saturday Coco Gauff came from a set down to defeat Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set thriller, before Carlos Alcaraz rallied from two-sets down to beat Jannik Sinner and defend his title, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3857,"featured_media":84868,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[935,205,274,5729,204,325,5862,160,1613,135,114],"class_list":["post-84920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-atp","tag-andre-agassi","tag-australian-open","tag-bjorn-borg","tag-carlos-alcaraz","tag-french-open","tag-ivan-lendl","tag-jannik-sinner","tag-john-mcenroe","tag-pete-sampras","tag-rafael-nadal","tag-roger-federer"],"modified_by":"Jim Smith","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3857"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84920"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84920\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85143,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84920\/revisions\/85143"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}