Federer vs Nadal: Top 5 Grand Slam matches between the LEGENDS

4. 2007 Wimbledon semifinal

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Roger Federer d. Rafael Nadal 7-6(7) 4-6 7-6(3) 2-6 6-2

Match Stats:

Time Duration: 3 hrs 45 minutes

Points Won: 165-158 (Federer)

Aces: 23-2 (Federer)

Winners: 80-58 (Federer)

Unforced Errors: 41-59 (Nadal)

Background

2007 was almost a replay year of 2006. Roger reached the final of all four Majors and won three, except the French. Nadal had reached the final of the Wimbledon previous year and lost to Roger in the final.

Just a few weeks previously the Spaniard had defeated the Swiss in the Roland Garros final, and was determined to change the result of Wimbledon from last year.

Federer reached his fifth straight final dropping just one set, in the quarterfinal against Juan Carlos Ferrero. Nadal on the other hand had to play two back to back five set matches. One against Robin Soderling in the third round when he was 2 sets to love up and yet had to dig deep to advance to the next round, where he was two sets to love down and came back to win three straight sets against Mikhail Youzhny.

Federer beat the Frenchman Richard Gasquet in straight sets in the semis to reach the final. Nadal faced Djokovic, who retired in the third set due to injury.

The Match:

The first set began with Roger holding his serve with fair ease and Nadal getting broken in a long and tight game. Nadal broke back in the fifth game and held his serve to level the set. After that the two players held their serves to go into the tiebreak.

Federer started strong and was three set points up after a few moments, but Nadal fought back to save all of them to level the tiebreak at 6-6. Federer went on to win the tiebreak 9-7, on his 5th attempt.

The second set started with both men holding their serves. Nadal created two break points and Federer was 15-40 down in the 6th game, but he responded with 3 aces in a row to go a game point up and then converted it to level the set at 3-3.

Then after a few holds of serve Nadal created two set points on Federer's serve. He converted the first with a fabulous backhand to level the match at one set all.

The third set went on without any breaks of serve into the tiebreak. Soon Federer was 6-2 up, having four set points. Nadal saved the first one but couldn't save the 2nd and lost the set.

Nadal came out all guns blazing into the 4th set, winning the first four games and then winning the set 6-2.

The fifth and deciding set started with both men holding their serve. In the 3rd and 5th games Nadal had 2 break points in each, but the 4-time defending champion saved all of them and then broke Nadal's serve twice to win his 5th Wimbledon in a row.