The world of tennis has delivered some unforgettable moments, brimming with tense matches between rivals and memorable events that have really left bookies, such as FanDuel Maryland, talking. This year alone, we have seen some epic matches and huge successes from some of our favourite stars which are bound to go down in history.
We’ve pulled together a handful of the most iconic tennis matches of 2022 so far from this year’s Australian Open:
Rafael Nadal & Daniil Medvedev
Concluding the iconic Grand Slam tournament at the Australian Open, this unforgettable match saw Nadal pull off one of the best comebacks ever seen in the final. In the opening set, reigning US Open champion, Daniil Medvedev took the lead, but Nadal looked certain to level the match when he built a second set lead of 5-3 in the subsequent tiebreak. After failing to capitalize on this advantage, Medvedev celebrated a two-set lead after his backhand passing shot winner. Although the match looked like a clear win for Medvedev, especially when he held three break points for a 4-2 lead in the third set, he was unable to convert any of them, and Nadal stepped up and took over set three. This momentum continued into the fourth and fifth too, resulting in an intense win and the comeback of the year!
Amanda Anisimova & Naomi Osaka
Armed with one of the best coaches in the game, Amanda Anisimova tackled two-time Australian Open champion, Naomi Osaka, who has always felt comfortable at year’s first Major. Although the odds were not in Anisimova’s favour, her impressive performance made for tough competition for Osaka who faced no easy match.
After winning the first set, it was looking promising for the 20 year old American who then saved two match points at 4-5 on serve in the third. Anisimova alludes to the fact that this was a huge confidence boost for her and it felt like all of her hard work in preparation was finally paying off. After her loss, Osaka reflected that it felt like it was a good result for the game as there are more superstars in the making and everything is coming full circle, graciously accepting the defeat and claiming that the growth of tennis is an exciting prospect.
Matteo Berrettini & Carlos Alcaraz
Being a big name on the radar for upcoming stars, Carlos Alcaraz is one of the youngest players in the top 10 in over thirty years. The 19 year old from Spain entered his round of 32 contest at the Australian Open with Matteo Berrettini, a well established Italian player.
Alcaraz previously had a flawless 3-0 five set record, and even saved a match point at 5-6 in the final set, leading to an intense match tiebreak which left fans on the edge of their seats. The intense battle spanned an exhausting four hours and 10 minutes and Berrettini managed to gain the competitive edge, much to his relief. After taking the victory, he admitted that Alcaraz was impressive and is only looking to improve as his potential is shown.
