The Australian Open is the tennis season's first Grand Slam and has always lived up to its expectations of nail-biting encounters. It has witnessed intense rivalries, crafty skills, immense sportsmanship, and thrilling encounters since its inception in 1905. It poses a severe challenge to tennis stars with the matches being played in scorching heat in the Australian Summer. But despite the grueling weather on offer, the tennis players have enthralled their fans with memorable matches. Let us take a glance over the most thrilling finals in the history of the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal (2012)
Not only is it one of the great Australian Open Finals, but also ranks comfortably inside the top ten list of all-time matches.
Djokovic tore his t-shirt after winning the title, sparking a celebration that is etched in the memory of the fans.
It was the longest Grand Slam final on record, with Djokovic beating Nadal in 5 hours 53 mins and both the players being left exhausted in the end.
Serena Williams vs Venus Williams (2003)
It's only fitting that the Williams sisters would produce a timeless classic in a Grand Slam Final. Serena won the opening set in a tiebreak, but Venus rallied to win the second set.
In the third set, Serena made an impressive comeback to win. Serena completed the "Serena Slam" with the victory, her fourth straight triumph in a grand slam final, solidifying her position as the top tennis player in the world.
Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer (2009)
Nadal won the Australian Open in an epic against Federer. After 5 sets, 4 hours, and 23 minutes, Nadal prevailed to inflict Federer's first-ever hard-court final defeat.
The Swiss legend was left in tears during the post-match interview after he came second to the Spaniard. Nadal exhibited great sportsmanship as he comforted Fedrer and praised him for his extraordinary effort.
Naomi Osaka vs Petra Kvitova (2019)
Noami Osaka won her first grand slam at Melbourne Park and took the top spot in the world rankings in one of the most unpredictable Australian Open finals in recent years.
Osaka overcame a catastrophic second set to win a second grand slam title in a nail-biting three-set match.
Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal (2017)
Nearly ten years after their absolutely stellar encounter in 2009, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal faced off in the 2012 Australian Open Final in a contest that was equally as good as the first.
In a thrilling contest that captured the attention of the entire world, Federer exacted retribution to win the title.
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