Rivalries in tennis are won – more so than in any other sport. There are no guarantees for the construction of the calendar, no one guarantees certain meetings in the season.
The only way for two contestants to face each other consistently is to win. Especially when it comes to the elite players who are placed at the top of the charts – rivalries are the reward for reaching the final rounds of the competition. For example, the top two seeds can only meet in the final.
The ATP has selected ten rivalries that have achieved cult status over the past 50 years, from the fiery McEnroe and the icy Borg to the modern era and the run to the greatness of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic.
Styles change over the years, but rivalries remain.
10. Connors vs. McEnroe (1977-91)
Record: 14-20
One of the most intense rivalries in Tour history spanned three decades, with McEnroe winning more than the 34 matches against Connors.
The Americans have met four times in the semifinals of their home Grand Slam, the US Open, with John winning three of them, including the last two in five sets. They also shared four Wimbledon meetings, including the 1982 and 1984 finals.
Throughout their matches on the big stage, which include 14 finals, the clash of characters and will of these great champions comes to the fore.
“That kind of thing never goes away, especially between Mac and me,” Connors told The Independent in 1999. “Having continued our rivalry for so many years and still talking about it to this day, we seem to have left some kind of mark behind us.”
9. Borg vs. McEnroe (1978-81)
Record: 7-7
A clash of styles – in every possible way. The rivalry between them is best remembered for the Grand Slam finals in 1980. They played to five sets each at Wimbledon and the US Open, with Borg triumphing in London and McEnroe in New York.
For the Swede, it meant a fifth Wimbledon title in a row after recovering from a legendary fourth-set loss in which his opponent saved seven match points to win a 20-minute tiebreak at 18-16.
“The ’80 Wimbledon final with Borg is the match I’m most proud of,” says John, who ended Bjorn’s run at the All England Club a year later. “It’s talked about as one of the greatest fights people have ever seen, so it built me up in a lot of ways – even if I lost.”
McEnroe’s rebellious demeanor matched his fearless service-to-the-net style, while Borg was steadfast with his steady baseline play. Although they only met 14 times at the Tour, the contrast between the two built a great rivalry.
8. Borg vs. Connors (1973-81)
Record: 15-8
13 of their 23 meetings have come in finals and this rivalry cannot help but be associated with the biggest stage. Borg won eight of them and built an 8-5 lead in Grand Slam success, but Connors won the ’78 US Open final, which snapped the Swede’s 35-game winning streak.
As with Borg-McEnroe, here too we observe a clear difference in the temperament of the two tennis players.
“Bjorn was a different breed,” Connors recalls. “I told him my best jokes, but he never smiled. It added to the excitement before his matches with me and Mack. We were going crazy and losing our minds, while he was as calm as a Sunday walk.’
“My rivals didn’t know what I was thinking or feeling,” Borg commented on this aspect of their rivalry. “Whether I’m cheerful or sad, whether I’m disappointed or happy. They didn’t know that because I kept it to myself. That’s not to say I wasn’t burning inside, but I would never let anyone see that.”
7. Lendl vs. McEnroe (1980-92)
Record: 21-15
Another long-standing rivalry that can be divided into three parts – the early and late ones dominated by Lendl and the one in the middle by McEnroe.
The Czech-born tennis player hinted at the arrival of a new era with his game, in which he relied on topspin more than anyone else. He used his powerful groundstrokes to neutralize John’s serve-net tactics.
From 1983 to ’85, they met in 14 finals, including at Roland Garros ’84, in which Lendl overturned from two sets down to win the first of his eight Grand Slam titles.
Three years later, McEnroe delivered one of his greatest lines to Esquire: “I’ve got more talent in my little finger than Lendl has in his whole body.”
6. Becker vs. Lendl (1985-93)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhX0w4hWBrU
Record: 10-11
Despite the seven-year age difference, the peak periods of Lendl and Becker’s careers coincide due to the fact that the German enjoyed his best results as a youngster.
At the age of 18, Becker defended his Wimbledon trophy with a victory over Lendl in 1986. Boris won each of their first five Grand Slam meetings, including three finals, before Lendl got revenge at the ’92 US Open, winning their penultimate meeting.
13 of their 21 meetings have come in finals, with Becker also triumphing in the US Open ’89 and Australian Open ’91 in four sets. Beyond the “majors”, Lendl won six finals against the German.
Perhaps their most memorable match came in the 1988 finals at Madison Square Garden in New York, where Becker took advantage of the match point net to triumph 5-7 7-6(5) 3-6 6 -2 7-6(5).
5. Becker vs. Edberg (1984-96)
Record: 25-10
One of the rivalries that inspired the young Roger Federer. His highlights came with three consecutive Wimbledon finals between 1988 and 1990. Edberg wins the first and third and retires with a 3-1 record in their Grand Slam battles.
Two of the best exponents of the service-net school of play differ in how they take advantage of the tactic. While Becker is known for his fearsome opening shot, Edberg is more about variety. The German’s heavy forehand was his trademark from the baseline, while his opponent was famous for his exquisite one-handed backhand.
16 of their clashes have come in finals.
“It was important,” Federer recalled of the rivalry between the two legends. “I remember standing on the carpet in the living room because I was too nervous to watch from the couch.”
The competition between them also went into the coaching profession between 2014 and 2015, when Becker joined Djokovic’s staff and Edberg – in Federer’s.
4. Agassi vs. Sampras (1989-2002)
Record: 14-20
A rivalry driven by immense respect between the two competitors. The Americans battled for the top spot in the rankings for most of the 1990s.
They have met in five Grand Slam finals, with Sampras winning four – including the final match of his career in the 2002 US Open final.
“I felt that if I played my best tennis, I could beat anybody,” Agassi recalled. “But if I played my best tennis against Pete, it still didn’t mean I was going to win. It has cost me many titles and given me many sleepless nights. Now I’m grateful that he was a part of my career.”
The greatest serve hitter of this era vs. the best return hitter. Sampras’ constant forays into the service net challenged Agassi’s baseline game.
One of their most memorable matches was in the quarterfinals of the ’01 US Open, in which the two took to the court in white (Pete) and black (Andre). Four tiebreaks and no breakthroughs produced a memorable show for their compatriots in New York.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9s3MKnHKYY
“We’re both Americans, we go for different styles,” Sampras says. “We were completely contrasting and there was the potential to create a rivalry. When I played against him, it was different – we had a lot of respect for each other. We’ve been competing since we were 8 years old, I have to raise the level when I’m against him.”
3. Federer vs. Nadal (2004-Present)
Balance 16-24
Federer’s sporting legacy will always be linked to Nadal’s and vice versa, a fact that is due to the years of quality rivalry they have built.
They became global icons not only on the court but off it, and shared 25 finals, including nine Grand Slams and 12 Masters.
“We shared the most important moments of our careers facing each other,” Rafa commented before their semi-final at Roland Garros ’19, which he won enroute to the trophy. “Every game against him is important. The level of tennis you need is always the highest you are capable of.”
The only Slam final to escape their collection is the US Open, and between them they won 11 straight major titles between 2005 and 2007.
2. Djokovic vs. Federer (2006-Present)
Balance 27-23
There is one very telling statistic about this rivalry – no one has beaten Federer at all four “majors” except Djokovic, and no one has beaten the maestro at any of the Grand Slams except the Serbian.
“We’ve played a lot of exciting matches over the years,” Novak recalled. “Every time I step on the court against him, it’s exciting because the clash transcends the sport.”
Between them, they have reached 11 Grand Slam semifinals, including three straight at the US Open between 2009 and 2011. Federer won the first and Djokovic saved match points in the others to reach success.
Nole fended off two match points in their Wimbledon ’19 final as well to triumph from a break down in the fifth set 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12(3).
Federer also had his successes in the rivalry, including the ’07 US Open final and the following year’s semi-final, which helped him retain the New York crown for five years. He also boasts a 3-1 record in the finals in Cincinnati.
“In fact, I believe that rivalries are extremely important for the sport – they make it more popular,” said the Swiss. “I think you always need someone to have a good rivalry with. I’m glad to have them – we get the most out of each other.”
1. Djokovic vs. Nadal (2006-present)
Balance 30-29
The 59 matches that Djokovic and Nadal share are the most between tennis players in the Open era. They are the only two players to have met in the finals of each of the Grand Slams and have met in 14 Masters finals.
Rafa leads Nole with 22 to 21 major titles, while the Serbian holds the Masters-level lead (38-36), boasting two Golden Masters.
An early classic between them was the final in Madrid in 2009, in which Matadora saved three match points in a three-set battle that lasted more than four hours. Five hours and 53 minutes were contested in the Australian Open final before the Serbian triumphed – the longest Grand Slam trophy match in history and a true test of tennis players’ endurance.
The sport’s superstars have met 10 times at Roland Garros (8-2 for Rafa) and nine times in Rome (6-3 for Rafa).
They have each had their own winning streaks in the rivalry – Djokovic won seven in a row between 2011 and 2012, while Nadal had eight wins in nine matches between 2008 and 2009. However, it has remained level for the past 17 years. Both are now in their mid-30s and their last two meetings remain among the most memorable – in 2021 and 2022 they played two extremely high-quality clashes at Roland Garros, with the winner in each case taking the title.
“Of course there is a lot of history in common,” commented the Spaniard after their last fight. “Very important moments that have come after our matches. This is the truth. Matches against Novak are always special.”