The Top 10 Men's Matches Of The Decade

Big three. Big ballers. Big scores. A giant-sized rundown of the contests that defined the 2010s

- Stephen Tignor

10. Roger Federer d. Nick Kyrgios

7–6 (9), 6–7 (9), 7–6 (5)

2017 Miami semifinal

Normally, the story of a decade in tennis would include a changing-of-the-guard moment, a match that signaled a new generation’s rise. This semifinal, between a 35-year-old Federer and a 21-year-old Kyrgios, provided the opposite: it was the night the guard remained the same.

Federer was coming off a career rejuvenating Australian Open victory; Kyrgios was coming off two wins over Novak Djokovic, and seemed ready to finally make good on his obvious but underused talent. Together, over the course of three hours, in front of a riveted and raucous Key Biscayne crowd, they put on the most intensely concentrated display of top-level tennis over the last 10 years. When the serene Swiss and the aggro Aussie put their radically different styles and personalities up against each other, there was nothing to separate them.

Kyrgios hammered 125-m.p.h. second serves and a 118-m.p.h. forehand. Federer e answered ed with his own, more varied but equally potent attack. Yet it wasn’t the firepower and shot-making wizardry that elevated this compact classic; it was how, just when you thought one of the two might crack, neither did.

“I was expecting him to do trick shots and all that stuff,” Federer said afterward. “For me, it was really important to do the same....to make him feel, well, that’s how I actually also play the game.”

Or, to put it another way: Anything the young guys can do, the legends can still do better.

9. Rafael Nadal d. Novak Djokovic

6–4, 3–6, 6–1, 6–7 (3), 9–7

2013 Roland Garros semifinal