Australian Open: 5 Greatest Men’s Singles finals

In this article, we present to you our top 5 picks of the greatest-ever men’s singles Australian Open finals.

The first Grand Slam of the year is held annually in Melbourne, marking the start of the tennis season with the Australian Open. Played at the world-renowned Rod Laver Arena, this tournament has seen countless memorable matches between some of the sport’s greatest players. Over the years, many of these epic encounters have captured the imagination of tennis fans around the world. The intensity, drama, and remarkable athleticism displayed on the court have made these matches not only iconic but also been etched in the memories of tennis enthusiasts for years to come.

Let’s take a look at the five greatest Men’s Singles finals played at the Australian Open. 

5. Mats Wilander vs Pat Cash (1988) | 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 6-1, 8-6

Another year, another Swede in the final, as 1985 finalist Mats Wilander returned to the championship match in Melbourne on the newly-inaugurated hard courts of Flinders Park. Both Wilanders and Pat Cash came through all five of their matches before the semi-finals without having dropped a set.

In the semis, it was a battle between the top four seeds as the first seed, Ivan Lendl, took on the fourth seed, Cash, and the third seed Wilander faced two-time defending champion Stefan Edberg. Both encounters went the distance, with Cash and Wilander coming out on top. Both had been to the final before—Wilander three consecutive finals from 1983–85, and Cash once in 1987.

Cash had gained experience since then, though, claiming his first Slam title at Wimbledon in 1987, having defeated Wilander in the quarter-finals there. While Wilander took the upper hand by taking the first set, Cash roared back to go up two sets to one, one set from glory. But the Swede overturned the momentum in amazing fashion, grabbing the fourth 6-1 and pushing the match into a decider. Wilander dug deep to complete the victory, his third triumph in Melbourne and fifth Slam title overall. It was heartbreak and disappointment for the home crowd as Cash yet again failed at the final hurdle.

It was a great game of tennis between two highly-accomplished tennis players, both of whom had unbelievable skill and talent. This was a fabulous battle between Wilander and Cash—one most tennis fans have remembered over the years.

4. Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev (2022) | 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5

Multiple Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal won his second-last major at the Australian Open three years ago, making an unbelievable comeback from two sets down against a hard-court specialist in Daniil Medvedev in one of the most memorable matches at Rod Laver Arena. 

Nadal had made a comeback in the Australian Open after an injury layoff, and with Novak Djokovic not playing in this particular edition he had a great chance to go the distance. However, he was massively tested in both the quarters and semis. Medvedev, on the other hand, was the stronger player, having come through a tougher draw into the final. 

To the dismay of the Rafa brigade, Medvedev went into a two-set lead: the first set was a one-sided encounter, but the second was a tight set decided in a tie break. Down 0-40 in the first game of the third set and almost out of the match, with his back against the ball, Nadal did what only Nadal could do, he crawled his way back into the game slowly and started to dominate the points. He then conjured up a comeback that no one thought was possible. He broke Medvedev in the third and the fourth sets to win both sets 6-4. The decider was a tricky affair, though, with both players tiring out, having played long punishing rallies. It was Medvedev who broke Nadal, with the game now tied at 5-5, but Nadal went on to win the next two games to lift his second Australian Open trophy. The fans could hardly believe what they had just witnessed. 

This was a gruelling 5-hour-24-minute encounter, testing physical as well as mental limits of both the players, and ended up being one of the most thrilling finals at Rod Laver Arena. 

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3. Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer (2009) | 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-2

Roger Federer was up against his nemesis Rafael Nadal, who had beaten him in both Wimbledon and French Open the previous year. However, on the back of his recent US Open title and the form he had shown getting into the final, beating Andy Roddick in straight sets in the semis, everyone expected him to run away with this final. Nadal, on the other hand, came through a tough five-set, five-hour battle against compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the semis a day ago, and people believed he would be hampered by fatigue.

But boy did he prove everyone wrong!

Nadal was out of the straps, engaging in a fierce baseline battle, and it was Federer’s backhand against his forehand. The match was punctuated with gruelling rallies and shots of the highest quality as the two tried to outwit each other. It was Nadal who dominated the opening exchanges in the first set. Federer wasn’t too far behind, though, and started to grow in the game, winning the second set. The third set was a tight affair, with Nadal edging it in a tie-break with Federer making a rare double fault at set point. The game kept hanging in a balance as Federer took the fourth set, pushing the match in a thrilling decider. However, Nadal showed great levels of fitness and athleticism, producing awe-worthy moments as he won the final set and his first Australian Open title. 

Another epic encounter between the two best players in the world at that time, this 4-hour-23-minute-long final was a Nadal masterclass that left Federer clueless. The Spaniard covered every inch of the court, returning impossible shots to outclass the Swiss maestro. 

2. Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal (2017) | 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

Another fierce battle between the two famed adversaries. For context, Federer had not played competitively for six months due to a long injury layoff and was ranked an astonishing 17th in the world. Nadal hadn’t been in great form the year before, had not even won the French Open, and ranked a lowly ninth in the world. However, the two champions reacted like champions and made it to the Australian Open final to the delight of tennis fans all over the world. This was long overdue, as the pair had not met in a final for six years, the last occasion being the Roland-Garros final of 2011. Both the players had had a difficult route to the finals, winning their respective semi-final in tiring five-set battles. This was the 35th meeting between the two—a ninth Grand Slam final. The whole world waited with bated breath for the match, and the two champions didn’t disappoint the massive turnout at Rod Laver Arena. 

It was Federer who took the early initiative, winning the first set. But Nadal wasn’t the one to back down and broke in the second, consolidated the break, and took the second set. But that didn’t deter Federer, who stormed through the third set, winning 6-1. Nadal made another comeback and took the fourth, pushing the match into a decider. With the fourth set, it looked like the momentum was on Nadal’s side as he took a 3-1 lead in the fifth set, but Federer had other plans. He blew away Nadal, winning five straight games to take his fifth Australian Open title and add to his mammoth tally of 17 Slams. 

This was probably one of the most engrossing encounters between the two legends, who weren’t really at the peak of their powers at the time, had to deal with injuries, but they proved they weren’t really done yet and had enough in the tank to still challenge for the biggest trophies. 

1. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal (2012) | 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5

This match would not just rank as the best Australian Open final but may just be the greatest final in the history of tennis. Djokovic was coming into this final having won the last two Slams of 2011 and taking the World No. 1 crown from Rafael Nadal while also defeating him in both the finals. Both players had dropped just one set en route to the semis, with Djokovic meeting Andy Murray and Nadal meeting old foe Roger Federer in the semis. 

Both came through the semi-final challenge to set up an exciting finale. The match that then played out has gone down in history as one of the most epic Slam finals ever and stands as the longest Slam final by time on court. This wasn’t just a tennis match; it was a battle of physical fitness, athleticism, and mental resolve along with tennis skills. Both Djokovic and Nadal exchanged blows, punches, and counter-punches until one finally gave up. Nadal won the opening set, but Djokovic came back to win the next two. Nadal fought through the fourth set and won it in a tiebreaker, but it was the Serbian who finally came through in the fifth. It might sound like it was another five-setter, a no big deal, but it really wasn’t.

This was a match of epic proportions. The lengthy duration of 5 hours 53 minutes was interspersed with long punishing rallies, stinging winners, awe-worthy moments, and incredible mentality—one even the on-lookers would get tired while just watching. The audience at Rod Laver Arena were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime match, one they would not forget and tell tales of to their kids and grandkids. Such was the effort this match took that both players could barely manage to stand on their feet during the post-game presentation. Both Djokovic and Nadal put their blood, sweat, and tears into this final, and it was one of those rare occasions where you wish tennis had draws, as neither player deserved to lose this iconic match.