Top 5 matches of 2014
Saturday 10 January 2015 17:35, UK
We take a look back at the Top 5 tennis matches of the year, including Andy Murray's marathon Valencia Open final against Tommy Robredo.
Monfils v Federer - US Open quarter-final
World No 2 Roger Federer faced a US quarter-final match against Gael Monfils of France, ranked 20th in the world. The Frenchman cruised to a comfortable lead after taking the first two sets 6-4, 6-3 while Federer failed to find any rhythm in the match.
Federer came back to win the third set but in the fourth faced two match points that threatened to end the encounter early. However the former World No 1 managed to save both to force the match into a fifth and final set. The Swiss master then immediately assumed control of the deciding set, taking the match 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.
Nadal v Murray - Rome Masters quarter-final
It was a case of early leads and failed comebacks when Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray locked horns in the quarter-final of the Rome Masters. The British No 1 took the first set 6-1 in easy fashion before Rafael Nadal hit back 6-3 in the second.
The third and final set was far more closely-fought. In the opening game of the set Nadal broke Murray, but Murray did the same in the second. Murray then broke his opponent in the sixth game before Nadal returned the favour in the seventh to make it 4-3 to Murray. The final break of the match belonged to Nadal, who eventually won the tense affair 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Sharapova v Wozniaki - US Open fourth round
Tenth-seed Caroline Wozniacki faced a tough ask of meeting World No 5 Maria Sharapoca in the fourth round of the US Open. The Dane had not managed to progress to the quarter-final of a grand slam since the Australian Open in 2012 and she looked on her way to ending that run when she claimed the first set 6-4.
Sharapova replied with a convincing 6-2 domination of the second set setting the pair up for a difficult third set. The defining moment of the match came in the fourth game of that deciding set, with Wozniacki chasing down three tramline returns before Sharapova hit the net with a response. Wozniacki had broken serve and went on to win the match 6-4 2-6 6-2.
Federer v Wawrinka - ATP World Tour semi-final
Roger Federer won his semi-final in this year's Barclays ATP World Tour Finals against compatriot Stan Wawrinka, a mere month before the two paired up to help their country to a Davis Cup win. Federer seemed uncharacteriscially rusty in the opening exchanges of the match, going down 4-6 in the first set before fighing back to take the second 7-5.
The third and final set produced a tie-break, which Federer edged 8-6 to bring down the curtain on the duel which lasted two hours 48 minutes. Federer survived four match points during his comeback voctory, setting him up with a final against old rival Novak Djokovic at the O2 Arena in London.
Murray v Robredo - Valencia Open final
Andy Murray needed a win at the Valencia Open in an attempt to assure himself of qualification for the ATP World Tour Finals later in the year. In tough conditions the World No 3 battled to a 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (10-8) win over Spain's Tommy Robredo, in a match in which the lead changed hands numerous times.
The two had faced off in the Shenzhen Open final two months prior to this match, and in this encounter as per the previous one, Murray was forced to save five match points before coming away with the victory. The marathon match in Valencia went deep into the fifth set, with Murray waiting 3 hours 19 minutes before hitting a backhand winner to put both players out of their misery.
