We review in detail the historic moments experienced in the ATP season of 2009, which is considered by many to be the greatest year of tennis of all time.
Looking back allows us to understand the present much better, to assess what we’ve lived through, and to get excited about the future. This is what we aim to achieve in this article, where, after reviewing data and recalling epic moments, we realize that 2009 was a splendid and unforgettable year in tennis. The Big 3already dominated, but faced serious competitors. Was it the best season in history?
If you are fortunate enough to be young enough not to remember this year in tennis, you should know that you missed a series of historic moments that are hard to match. At that time, I was 16 years old, and I vividly remember all the ingredients of a unique recipe that allows us to argue without fear that 2009 was the best year in the history of men’s tennis.Â
Moments of great rivalry converged between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the clear notion that Novak Djokovic was destined to break that duopoly, a great version of Andy Murray, and two outsiders who defied predictions in major tournaments, such as Juan MartÃn Del Potro and Nikolay Davydenko.
How did the ATP ranking end that season and who won the most Grand Titles?
The equality that permeated among the best in the world that year meant that the major tournaments were very distributed. Rafael Nadal suffered a great shock with his first defeat at Roland Garros, one of the historic events of the year, but he managed to end the season with 1 Grand Slam (the 2009 Australian Open) and 3 Masters 1000. Roger Federer was the number 1 at the end of the year thanks to his titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, as well as 2 Masters 1000.Â
We can’t forget Novak Djokovic, who was in the midst of maturing and had already made the firm decision to do everything in his power to infiltrate the Fedal rivalry. The Serbian offered some of the most unforgettable moments of the year, although he could only win one Masters 1000. Everything experienced that season felt like crashing against an apparently impenetrable wall, but he learned the lesson and fed off those disappointments to soon become the best in the world.
In addition, Andy Murray won 2 Masters 1000 and was a strong opposition to the emerging Big 3. Perhaps the most noteworthy and nostalgic aspect for fans analyzing the current state of the circuit is the performance of two players who managed to defy predictions in major tournaments by beating the best, such as Juan MartÃn Del Potro at the US Open and Nikolay Davydenko at the Shanghai Masters 1000 and the ATP Finals.
| Tournament | Category | Champion | Finalist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | Grand Slam | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer |
| Indian Wells | Masters 1000 | Rafael Nadal | Andy Murray |
| Miami | Masters 1000 | Andy Murray | Novak Djokovic |
| Monte Carlo | Masters 1000 | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic |
| Rome | Masters 1000 | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic |
| Madrid | Masters 1000 | Roger Federer | Rafael Nadal |
| Roland Garros | Grand Slam | Roger Federer | Robin Söderling |
| Wimbledon | Grand Slam | Roger Federer | Andy Roddick |
| Montreal | Masters 1000 | Andy Murray | Juan MartÃn del Potro |
| Cincinnati | Masters 1000 | Roger Federer | Novak Djokovic |
| US Open | Grand Slam | Juan MartÃn del Potro | Roger Federer |
| Shanghai | Masters 1000 | Nikolay Davydenko | Rafael Nadal |
| Paris | Masters 1000 | Novak Djokovic | Gaël Monfils |
| ATP Finals | ATP Finals | Nikolay Davydenko | Juan MartÃn del Potro |
The unforgettable moments of a 2009 apotheosis for tennis
Nadal’s feat at the Australian Open
The miracle of Melbourne that Nadal achieved endures in the memory and heart of all tennis lovers. That epic semifinal with Verdasco is considered by many as one of the greatest matches of all time, but what no one could imagine was that just 48 hours after that grueling match lasting over 5 hours, he would defeat Federer in five sets in a final that brought Roger to tears and left the image of two friends embracing, with Nadal visibly affected by the Swiss’s desolation.
Nadal vs Djokovic, a match for the history books in Madrid
That semifinal was an ode to tennis by two men who gave their all for 4 hours and 3 minutes, offering a memorable spectacle that constitutes the longest match in history played in a best-of-three-sets format. Rafa would later pay for the effort in the final against Federer, but that match is part of the golden book of this sport’s history.
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