Top 5 Grand Slam men's singles matches of 2019

For the first time since 2011, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal swept all the four Grand Slam tournaments on the calendar. While Djokovic won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in the same year for the third time in his career (also 2011 and 2015), Nadal won the French Open-US Open double for the 4th time (also 2010, 2013 and 2017).

In a season which witnessed the arrival of the Next Gen on the big stage, with Stefanos Tsitsipas dethroning reigning two-time Australian Open winner Roger Federer in the fourth round en route to a maiden Slam semifinal (lost to Nadal) and Daniil Medvedev reaching a maiden Slam final at the US Open (lost to Nadal), the Big 3 of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal extended their consecutive Grand Slam win-streak to 12.

It was an emphatic statement of intent from the three most decorated Grand Slam singles champions in the men's game. Grand Slam success is the real deal, and the Big 3 have excelled at it more than anybody else.

Since Federer won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in the summer of 2003, the the three have won 55 of the 66 Grand Slam titles on offer. Only three-time winners Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka, along with Andy Roddick (2003 US Open), Gaston Gaudio (2004 French Open), Marat Safin (2005 Australian Open), Juan Martin del Potro (2009 US Open) and Marin Cilic (2014 US Open) have managed to win a Grand Slam title during the period 2003 Wimbledon to 2019 US Open.

As with any other Grand Slam year, 2019 had its fair share of epic matches. Let us have a look at the five best men's singles Grand Slam matches of the year:

#5 2019 Australian Open 3R: Marin Cilic beat Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-3

Cilic rejoices after his come-from-behind 3R win over Verdasco

Following respective wins over Bernard Tomic and Mackenzie McDonald in the first two rounds, 2018 Australian Open runner-up Marin Cilic faced his first real test in the third round when he ran into 2009 semifinalist Fernando Verdasco.

The left-handed Spaniard rolled back the years as he streaked to a seemingly commanding two-set lead, and Cilic was staring down the barrel.

Only six times in his career had Cilic won a match after overcoming a two-set deficit. The Croat began the comeback by taking the third set 6-1.

In a pulsating fourth set tiebreak, Cilic found himself a match point down. He saved it with a service winner but Verdasco earned a second one, and this time it was on his own serve. However, the Spanish veteran failed to land a serve in the court as he went on to lose the set 8-10 in the tiebreak.

With the momentum now firmly in his favour, Cilic breezed to a 3-0 lead in the decider and never looked back. He completed his seventh comeback from two sets down to seal a return to the second week of the Australian Open.

#4 Roland Garros 4th Round: Stan Wawrinka beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(6) 5-7 6-4 3-6 8-6

Tsitsipas looks disconsolate after losing an epic-five setter to Wawrinka

Fresh off a maiden Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open earlier in the season, Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Maximilian Marterer, Hugo Dellien and Filip Krajinovic at Roland Garros to reach the second week of a Major for the second time in his young career.

A battle of the single-handers ensued in Tsitsipas' first-ever match-up against 2015 winner Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round.

Tsitisipas was slower off the blocks, sending down a double fault on set point down to concede the opener after a keenly fought tiebreak. But the young Greek responded with three breaks of the Wawrinka serve in the second set to make it one set apiece.

Wawrinka survived three break points in the third set, going 22/27 for the match, as he broke Tsitsipas to grab a 2 sets to 1 lead. Tsitsipas responded with an early break in the fourth to ensure that his first-ever encounter with the former champion would go the distance.

In a pulsating deciding set, Wawrinka saved three break points to hold for 6-5. Serving to stay in the match, Tsitsipas saved the first match point but soon a second ensued for the Swiss.

Venturing to the net, the young Greek inexplicably let a Wawrinka sliced backhand go past him, in the hope that it would sail long - only to agonizingly see the ball skim the line.

With the chair umpire ruling the point in Wawrinka's favour, a gladiatorial five-hour battle royale drew to a close. With the win, Wawrinka booked a quarterfinal rematch with his good friend and compatriot Roger Federer.

Tsitsipas was left to wonder what might have been had he opted to make what looked like a pretty makable volley on Wawrinka's second match point.

#3 2019 Roland Garros Semi-final: Dominic Thiem beats Novak Djokovic 6-2 3-6 7-5 5-7 7-5

Thiem beats Djokovic in the Roland Garros semifinals

In his fourth consecutive Roland Garros semifinal, Dominic Thiem faced 2016 winner Novak Djokovic who was looking to hold all four Grand Slam titles for the second time in his career.

In the duo's third meeting on the terre battue of Paris - Djokovic beat Thiem in the 2016 semifinals and the Austrian returned the compliment in the 2017 quarterfinals - it was the Austrian who got off to a brighter start. But after taking the first set with two breaks of the Djokovic serve, Thiem could not build on his momentum; Djokovic fought back gamely to restore parity at one set apiece.

Amidst swirling winds, Thiem broke for a 3-1 lead in the third as the match was suspended for the day. Djokovic returned the next day to get back on serve. In a pulsating end to the third set, Thiem grabbed the decisive break en route to taking a two sets to one lead.

Once again, however, Djokovic fought back. With the elements relenting, the Serb found more depth in his groundstrokes as he began to puncture holes in Thiem's baseline game.

The Austrian was unable to muster an adequate response to the new strategy from his opponent as Djokovic took the fourth 7-5 to force a decider.

It was now uncharted territory for Thiem as he was taken the distance for the first time at Roland Garros. However, he surged to a 4-1 lead in the decider and earned a break point - when a third interruption ensued.

Upon resumption Djokovic held serve and broke Thiem at 2-4, only to lose serve in the next game to allow his opponent to serve for the match. The World No. 1 was not done for the day though.

At 5-3 on Thiem serve's, Djokovic saved two match points to get back on serve. But just when it looked like the momentum was firmly in the Serb's favour, Djokovic dropped serve at 5-5.

Thiem would not blink at the second time of asking. He took big cuts at the ball off both wings en route to closing out a hard-fought five-set win, booking a Roland Garros final rematch with 11-time champion Rafael Nadal.

The loss to Thiem marked Djokovic's first loss in 11 Grand Slam semifinals, as the Serb fell to 29-10 in five setters while Thiem improved to 7-6.

#2 2019 US Open Final: Rafael Nadal beats Daniil Medvedev 7-5 6-3 5-7 4-6 6-4

Nadal beats Medvedev in an epic 5-set final

In his first Grand Slam final, Daniil Medvedev made a brisk start by grabbing the first break of the match to take a 2-1 lead. But Rafael Nadal returned the compliment in the following game, and then another break in the 12th game of the set gave the Spaniard a one-set lead.

A single break of serve sufficed in the second set as Nadal took a seemingly insurmountable two-set advantage.

When Medvedev dropped serve to trail 2-3 in the third, a swift end was in sight. But the Russian quickly bounced back to recoup the break.

Games proceeded on serve till Nadal served to stay in the set at 5-6. Medvedev sensed the moment to lay siege on the Nadal serve; the Russian eked out a 0-40 lead and converted his second break point to take the third set against the run of play.

What initially looked like a straight-set affair, had suddenly sprung into life.

In a competitive fourth set, there were no breaks of serve in the first nine games as Medvedev held for a 5-4 lead. Serving to stay in the set, Nadal looked good for a routine hold by taking a 30-0 lead. But Medvedev reeled off three straight points and on his break point opportunity, blasted a brilliant backhand return winner past the stunned Spaniard to force a decider.

The US Open final would go the distance for the first time since 2012 (where Andy Murray beat Novak Djokovic).

With the momentum now firmly in his favor, Medvedev held serve to begin the fifth. But he would rue not converting three break points in the next game as Nadal held serve and broke twice to take a seemingly insurmountable 5-2 lead.

Medvedev was still not done though.

In one final twist to the tale, the Russian broke Nadal for 3-5 and saved two championship points to hold for 4-5. A break point to get back on serve came and went for Medvedev in the next game before Nadal closed out a 4hr 49min battle for his fourth US Open triumph and 19th Grand Slam title.

In the process, Medvedev fell short in his bid to become the first player in 70 years, since Pancho Gonzalez, to win the US Open after losing the first two sets in the final.

#1 2019 Wimbledon Final: Djokovic beat Federer 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12(3)

Djokovic beats Federer in an epic Wimbledon final

Four hours and 10 minutes into the 2019 Wimbledon men'singles final, Roger Federer, who had just broken Novak Djokovic at 7-7 in the fifth, served up consecutive aces to arrive at two championship points.

Two championship points on serve. One swing of the racquet from Federer would have sealed the deal. A ninth Wimbledon title and a 21st Grand Slam beckoned.

A 15,000-strong partisan Centre Court Crowd waited with bated breath. This was what most of them had come for.

Television and mobile phone cameras were ready to capture the moment. The much loved Federer was on the cusp of another Wimbledon title, 16 long years after he captured his first.

A wide forehand from Federer drew collective groans. First championship point squandered. But there was another one on the Federer serve.

The Swiss made the right play, attacking the Djokovic forehand with a serve down the T and venturing to the forecourt - hoping to seal the point, the match and the title with a volley into an open court. But Djokovic had other ideas. A rasping cross-court pass tantalizingly eluded Federer's racquet and skimmed the sideline.

Deuce. Two championship points squandered. And two points later, it was eight games all.

The moment had come and gone in a flash for Federer. Centre Court descended into a cacophony of stunned silence.

Federer recouped quickly, remained strong on serve, and laid siege on the Djokovic serve in the 23rd game of the set. At 11 games all Djokovic led 40-0, only to be reeled back by Federer and face two break points.

The partisan crowd roared in approval again. Another opportunity loomed for Federer to break Djokovic and serve for the championship for a second time. But yet again, Djokovic slammed the door shut.

Federer then held serve to hold for 12 games all. The Wimbledon final now ventured into uncharted territory; for the first time in the history of the tournament, there wouldn't be a timeless fifth set. A deciding tiebreak would come into play, following a rule change at the end of the 2018 Championships where a 26-24 fifth set win for Kevin Anderson over John Isner in the semis made for a lopsided final.

For a third tiebreak in the match, Federer was slow off the blocks and paid the price. Djokovic opened up a 6-3 lead. Three championship points for the Serb, two of them on the Federer serve.

A deep return by Djokovic forced Federer to shank a forehand, drawing a gladiatorial Wimbledon final for the ages to a close.

Djokovic and Federer

At 4 hrs and 57 mins, the 2019 Djokovic-Federer match is the longest ever Wimbledon final. Subdued celebrations ensued for Djokovic, who triumphed for the fifth time in his sixth Wimbledon final, matching Federer's tally of five titles from the latter's first six Wimbledon finals.

Not since the 1948 edition, when Robert Falkenburg saved three match points against John Bromwich, had a Wimbledon champion saved multiple championship points in the final.

In another epic title match on the same court 11 summers ago, then five-time defending champion Federer, in his sixth (consecutive) Wimbledon final, had come second best against Rafael Nadal. Federer's defeat evoked painful memories of the 2011 US Open semifinal too, when the Swiss maestro also had two match points at 5-3 (40-15) on serve against Djokovic but went on to lose the match.

A year earlier Federer was denied by Djokovic in another US Open semifinal after having match points in the fifth set.

The 2019 Wimbledon triumph was Djokovic's 75th career title (75-34) and 16th Grand Slam, numbers bettered by only two other active players - Nadal (82-37 in all finals, 18 Grand Slam titles) and Federer (102-54 in all finals, 20 Grand Slam titles).

The victory in the final marked a fifth consecutive victory for Djokovic in his head to head against Federer (26-22) and a 14th win in 20 title clashes against the Swiss. Nadal has also won 14 tournament finals at the expense of Federer (14-10).

It marked the 10th time Djokovic had beaten Federer in a Grand Slam (10-6). Nadal is the only other player to have 10 Grand Slam match wins over the Swiss (10-4).

Only six other players (Arnaud Clement, Alex Corretja, David Nalbandian, Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Juan Martin del Potro) have multiple Grand Slam match wins over Federer.