#3 2009 Madrid Open semi-final
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After winning the Madrid Masters in 2005, Nadal failed to reach the final in the following three years. In 2009, though, the Spaniard put together a good run, not dropping a single set until the quarter-finals. After beating Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals, Nadal was set to face Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
The Serb drew first blood, winning the first set convincingly 6-3. In the second set, Nadal saved two break points while serving at 4-4 and eventually took the set in a tiebreak to level the match.
The third set was another exciting one as both players fought hard with the set again going to a tiebreak. During the tiebreak, Nadal saved three match points before edging out Djokovic 11-9 to take his clay-court win streak to 33.
The match lasted four hours and three minutes, thus becoming the longest three-set tennis match in men’s tennis history, a record that was later broken by Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro in the semi-finals of the 2012 London Olympics.
However, Nadal would go on to lose the final against Federer in straight sets.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
