Ithenisi yabesilisa ekhulwini lama-21 ikhiqize izimpi ezishube kakhulu nezingalibaleki emlandweni wezemidlalo. Ama-marathon amasethi amahlanu, amaphuzu omdlalo alondolozwe ngesekhondi lokugcina, izimbangi ezidumile, kanye nezikhathi ezishintshe imisebenzi namazinga zichaze le nkathi. Le midlalo ibingeyona nje eyezindondo – ihlole ukubekezela, imizwa, kanye nomlingiswa. Kubalandeli abaningi, ubusuku obude be-Grand Slam busho ukushintsha phakathi kokufakwa bukhoma, izibalo zomdlalo, namakhefu amafushane ku-inthanethi, ngezinye izikhathi ngisho nokuzikhulula ezinkundleni ezifana ne-Slotozen Casino ngaphambi kokubuyela esenzweni. Ngezansi kukhona ukungqubuzana okungu-11 okulethe idrama ephakeme kakhulu futhi kwashiya uphawu olungapheli kuthenisi yesimanje.
UMarat Safin vs. Andre Agassi, Australian Open 2004, owandulela owamanqamu
Ngo-semi-final ye-Australian Open ka-2004, u-Agassi ubengakaze ahlulwe eMelbourne kusukela ngo-1999, enqobe izicoco ezintathu zilandelana. Khonamanjalo, uSafin ubesanda kuqala ukubuya ngemuva kokulimala esihlakaleni futhi ubengagxiliwe. Lona bekuwumdlalo wesine kwemine yamasethi amahlanu ayidlalile kulo mqhudelwano—wayesanda kunqoba u-Andy Roddick kuma-quarter-final, okumnqabele ukuba akleliswe endaweni yokuqala kulo mqhudelwano.
Umdlalo owandulela owamanqamu udlalwe phakathi nezinsuku kushiswe kakhulu. Kulo mdlalo, osephenduke umdlalo womphebezo wasenkantolo enzima, u-Agassi – owayeseneminyaka engu-33 ngaleso sikhathi – wayebeke amaphuzu kuwo womabili amasethi amabili okuqala. Ngemuva kokuthi umMelika ekwazile ukubuya futhi ngisho amaphuzu ngamasethi amabili lilinye, kubonakale sengathi akukho okungasindisa iSafin; uchithe isikhathi esiningi enkantolo. Kepha u-Agassi uhluleke kuqala – kumdlalo wesine wesethi enqumayo, wenze iphutha langaphambili elikhombise ukumbulala. U-Safin udlulele kowamanqamu we-Australian Open okwesibili emsebenzini wakhe, lapho ehlulwe khona kuphela nguRoger Federer, owayesanda kuqala ukugijima kwakhe okuyingqophamlando.
U-Guillermo Coria vs. Gaston Gaudio, Roland Garros 2004, owamanqamu
Owokuqala (futhi kuze kube manje kuphela) owamanqamu we-Argentina yonke emlandweni we-Grand Slam uphenduke omunye wamanqamu oyinqaba kule minyaka eyishumi. Kwabangwa phakathi kuka-Gaston Gaudio ongafakwanga kanye noGuillermo Coria, obenguchwepheshe wenkantolo yobumba ophambili iminyaka emibili egijima. Njengoba uFederer ehlulwe nguKuerten emzuliswaneni wesithathu kanti uNadal namanje akaziwa kakhulu emphakathini, lena bekuyi-Grand Slam yokugcina lapho obephumelele bekungadingeki abhekane nanoma iyiphi yalezi zinganekwane ezizayo.
I-Coria, intandokazi emangalisayo, iwine amasethi amabili okuqala kalula ngendlela emangalisayo. Khona-ke, kwenzeka okungalindelekile: kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngenxa yemizwa noma ukuphelelwa amanzi emzimbeni kungazelelwe, washaywa amajaqamba ayezomhlukumeza kwaze kwaba sekugcineni komdlalo. U-Gaudio wabamba leli thuba wadlala njengomuntu owafinyelela kowamanqamu wangempela, akazange ayeke.
Kusethi yesihlanu, uCoria, engakwazi nokuhamba enkundleni, wayesenamaphuzu amabili omdlalo—kodwa uwageje womabili ngamasentimitha nje. Lowo wamanqamu waphawula ukuphela kokubonakala kwakhe e-Roland Garros, okubonisa ukuthi umdlalo owodwa ungawuthinta kanjani umsebenzi wakhe.
UMarat Safin vs. Roger Federer, Australian Open 2005, owandulela owamanqamu
Abaningi babheka lo mdlalo njengomunye wenkundla enzima kakhulu yokuhlangana emlandweni wethenisi. Nakuba izimangalo ezinjalo zihlala zizimele, akungabazeki ukuthi izinga lekhwalithi nokushuba bekungavamile. Ngalesi sikhathi, uFederer wayesezimise ngokuqinile phezulu komdlalo futhi wayeyintandokazi ecacile. Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngaphambili, yena noSafin bake bahlangana kowamanqamu eHouston, lapho uFederer enqobe khona ngamasethi amabili ngemuva kwekhefu eliphule irekhodi. Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, u-Safin wayeshaye uFederer kanye kuphela emidlalweni eyisithupha edlule.
Le semifinal ngokushesha yaba yinganekwane. Ekhefini leqembu lesine, uFederer wayenephuzu lomdlalo lapho esebenza khona ngo-5-3 – kodwa u-Safin wayisindisa nge-lob enesikhathi esihle, okungenye yamambalwa ayizamile emdlalweni. Ekugcineni, uSafin uguqule iphuzu lakhe lomdlalo wesikhombisa waqhubeka nokuhlula uLleyton Hewitt kowamanqamu. Bambalwa abebengacabanga ukuthi i-Australian Open ka-2005 izoba yisicoco sokugcina seGrand Slam emsebenzini kaSafin.
Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer, Wimbledon 2008, final
Lo mdlalo uvame ukunconywa njengomunye wemidlalo yethenisi emikhulu kakhulu eyake yaba khona. Yize “isikhathi sonke” sihlala sivulekele ukuthi kube nenkulumompikiswano, ku-Open Era, imidlalo embalwa ehambisana nokuqina kwayo, idrama nokubaluleka kwayo.
Ukungqubuzana kwama-titans e-Centre Court bekungokwengqondo njengoba bekungokomzimba. U-Nadal, osevele osungulwe njengezitha zikaFederer, ubonakale ekulungele ukugasela iWimbledon futhi anqobe njengenjwayelo kumasethi amabili okuqala. Kodwa-ke inhlanganisela yezinzwa, umoya ovunguzayo, nobumnyama obungena ngaphakathi kwavumela u-Federer ukuba abuyele emuva, ethatha amasethi esithathu nesine futhi asindise amaphuzu amabili omdlalo ku-seti yesine-tie-break.
Nokho isethi yesihlanu ewujuqu, edlalwe cishe ebumnyameni, bekungekaNadal. Lo mdlali waseSpain waphumelela, waqeda ukubusa kukaFederer iminyaka emihlanu eWimbledon futhi akazange afune nje kuphela ubuqhawe kodwa futhi ukleliswe endaweni yokuqala emhlabeni. Umdlalo uhlala uwubufakazi obuhlala njalo bokuqina, ikhono, kanye nemingcele emihle echaza umlando wethenisi.
Rafael Nadal vs. Fernando Verdasco, Australian Open 2009, owandulela owamanqamu
Mayelana nekhwalithi emsulwa, lokhu bekungomunye wemidlalo engcono kakhulu ohlwini. Bambalwa abebelindele ukuthi i-Verdasco ifinyelele kowandulela owamanqamu, nokho umdlalo weSpanishi uphushele uNadal kowamanqamu wakhe wokuqala weGrand Slam enkundleni enzima. Futhi bekungunyaka wokugcina i-Australian Open idlalwe endaweni ye-Rebound Ace.
Laba ababili abangakwesokunxele balethe umbukwane wangempela wethenisi, bexuba ukuhlasela okungapheli nokuzivikela okunenkani. U-Verdasco, obedlala ibhola lomphebezo elihamba phambili ngokungangabazeki emsebenzini wakhe, uhlale enolaka ngesikhathi sonke futhi washaya abawine abangu-95 kumdlalo wemarathon owathatha amahora amahlanu nemizuzu engu-14. Lona kube nguyena osondele kakhulu ekunqobeni uNadal.
I-tiebreak yesethi yesine, i-Verdasco inqobe ngo 7-1, ibigqamile. Kodwa ngezikhathi eziwujuqu, izinzwa zabonakala ziwujuqu. Usebenze ku-4-5 kwisethi yesihlanu, unikeze uNadal umdlalo ngephutha eliphindwe kabili.
UNadal uqhubeke nokuhlula uFederer kowamanqamu, ethatha isicoco sakhe sokuqala kwezimbili ze-Australian Open.
U-Roger Federer vs. Juan Martin del Potro, Roland Garros 2009, owandulela owamanqamu
Ukuphuma kukaNadal ngomzuliswano wesine obekungalindelekile eRoland Garros ngo-2009 kubonakale kumvulela indlela uFederer ukuthi agcine ephumelele isicoco. Noma kunjalo, uhambo lwalungelula neze.
Emzuliswaneni wesine, uFederer bekumele alulame kumasethi amabili ebhekene noTommy Haas. Kowandulela owamanqamu, uphinde wazithola esenkingeni, elandela ngemuva ngo 2-1 kuJuan Martín del Potro.
Bekuyisemi final yesibili ye-Grand Slam yase-Argentina. Ngasekuqaleni kwaleyo sizini, wayebhekane noFederer kowandulela owamanqamu we-Australian Open futhi wahlulwa ngamasethi aqondile. Kulokhu, uphushele uFederer emkhawulweni. I-Del Potro yabusa okuningi kokuhwebelana kwasekuqaleni, yahlula i-Federer ngokushaya phansi kanzima futhi ilawula imibuthano ngokusebenzisa amasethi amathathu okuqala.
UFederer ekugcineni wasinda ngenxa yolwazi lwakhe, ukuqina, nokuzola ezikhathini ezibalulekile. Uma kuqhathaniswa nale mpi, owamanqamu ngokumelene Robin Söderling wazizwa cishe kuqondile.
KuDel Potro, nokho, lo mdlalo ube wuphawu lwalokho okusazokwenzeka. Kamuva ngalowo nyaka e-US Open, waphinde wabhekana noFederer emdlalweni wamasethi amahlanu – kulokhu kowamanqamu – futhi waphuma newini enkulu kakhulu yomsebenzi wakhe.
Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick, Wimbledon 2009, final
Njengoba uNadal engekho ngenxa yezinkinga zamadolo ngemva kuka-Roland Garros, u-Andy Roddick wafinyelela owamanqamu wakhe wokuqala we-Grand Slam eminyakeni emithathu futhi waba nethuba langempela lokuphonsela inselelo uRoger Federer.
URoddick wadlala ithenisi ehamba phambili yomsebenzi wakhe. Uwine isethi yokuqala wabe esebamba amaphuzu amane esigabeni sesibili. Ukuhola okunamasethi amabili bekungafinyelelwa. Kodwa akakwazanga ukuguqula. Isikhathi esibuhlungu kakhulu safika ku-volley ephezulu elula ngesikhathi esimisiwe, asigeja. Ube eselahlekelwa amaphuzu ayisithupha elandelana wadedela uFederer ephunyuka.
Umdlalo uphenduke imarathon. Ithathe imidlalo engama-77 futhi yaphela ngo-16-14 kwisethi yokugcina. Ngokumangazayo, umdlalo wokugcina bekungowodwa kuwo wonke umdlalo uRoddick alahlekelwe ngawo emsebenzini wakhe.
UFederer, osanda kuwina isicoco sakhe okuwukuphela kwakhe u-Roland Garros ngenyanga edlule, wonge amaphuzu ekhefu ngaphansi kwengcindezi futhi wahlala eqinile ezikhathini ezinqumayo. Ngalokhu kunqoba, wephule irekhodi likaPete Sampras lezicoco eziningi ze-Grand Slam futhi wabuyela kunombolo-1 yomhlaba.
Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer, US Open 2010, owandulela owamanqamu
Lona bekungokokuqala kwemibili eyandulela owamanqamu ecishe ifane u-Djokovic noFederer abayidlalile ku-US Open ngo-2010 nango-2011. Kuzo zombili izikhathi, u-Djokovic wawina ngamasethi amahlanu e-Arthur Ashe Stadium – inkundla lapho, kusukela ngo-2007, ehlulwe ephindelela kuFederer.
Nomdlalo ngokwawo ubungalingani ngokwezinga. Bobabili abadlali bazabalazele ukungaguquguquki futhi bakhiqize ithenisi yabo ehamba phambili kuphela kusethi yokunquma. Umzuzu obalulekile ufike ku-4-5, lapho u-Djokovic ebhekene namaphuzu amabili omdlalo emsebenzini wakhe. Esikhundleni sokudlala ngokuphepha, washaya izandla ezimbili zangaphambili ezingesabi futhi wasindisa zombili, washintsha umfutho ngokuphelele.
Kuningi osekushiwo ngesizini ka-Djokovic eyimpumelelo ngo-2011, ejwayele ukuxhunyaniswa nokunqoba kwe-Davis Cup yaseSerbia ngo-2010. Kodwa uma umzuzu owodwa uphawula inguquko yangempela, kwaba yilawo maphuzu amabili omdlalo agciniwe kanye nokuwina kwakhe kokuqala ehlula uFederer kulesi sigaba. Ukunqoba kwamenza wakholwa ukuthi angakwazi ukuhlula okungcono kakhulu ngaphansi kwengcindezi.
U-Djokovic kamuva wahlulwa kowamanqamu kuNadal, kodwa isisekelo sengqondo sokubusa kwakhe esikhathini esizayo sase senziwe.
URoger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic, Roland Garros 2011, owandulela owamanqamu
Lo mdlalo awukhunjulwa kuphela ngezinga eliphezulu lethenisi noma isisindo sawo somlando, kodwa nangomzuzu owodwa oyisithonjana. Ngemuva kokunqoba nge-ace endaweni yomdlalo, u-Federer waphakamisela umunwe wakhe emoyeni, isenzo esithulile esasikhombisa ukuthi usenenqwaba esele ethangini.
Kwaba ukuphela komdlalo weGrand Slam u-Djokovic ehluliwe ngo-2011. Wacishe wadlala imidlalo emibili eya phansi waze wasebenza okwesine njengoba kwakumnyama ku-Court Philippe Chatrier. Ukube wawulinganisa umdlalo, umdlalo wawuzocishe umiswe kuze kube ngakusasa, futhi umphumela wawungase uhluke kakhulu.
Kodwa uFederer, owathi kamuva kwakuwumdlalo wenkundla yobumba ongcono kakhulu emsebenzini wakhe, udlale ngokugxila ngokuphelele. Uqede iculo lika-Djokovic elimangalisayo lokuwina, osekudlule imidlalo engu-40. Ngokufanelekile, lokho kuphumelela kwase kuqale ngokuhlulwa uFederer kuma-Tour Finals ka-2010 – futhi kwagcina kuFederer.
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal, Australian Open 2012, final
Ngemva nje komdlalo, abaningi bawubize ngokuthi owamanqamu we-Grand Slam ongcono kakhulu nomangalisayo weshumi leminyaka. Izimangalo ezinjalo zihlala zizimele, kodwa iqiniso elilodwa elingephikwe – kuthathe amahora amahlanu nemizuzu engama-53, okuyenza ibe ifayineli emide kakhulu ku-Open Era.
U-Djokovic ugcine ephumelele ngemuva kokulandela ngo 4-2 ekuhambeni. Umdlalo ubugcwele ukushuba nomfutho. Ngehora lesihlanu bobabili abadlali base bekhathele ngokomzimba, nokho izinga lethenisi ekugcineni lahlala liphezulu ngokumangalisayo.
Impumelelo ibe mnandi kakhulu uma kubhekwa ukuthi ezinsukwini ezimbili ezedlule u-Djokovic uphinde wadlala owandulela owamanqamu wamasethi amahlanu ebhekene no-Andy Murray. Kuleyo midlalo emibili, uchithe cishe amahora angu-11 enkantolo. Kwakuwukubonakaliswa okucacile kokukhuthazela, ukuqina, namandla engqondo.
Ngalokhu kunqoba, u-Djokovic uthole isicoco sakhe sesithathu esilandelanayo se-Grand Slam futhi waqinisa isikhundla sakhe njengenombolo yokuqala yomhlaba, eqinisekisa ukubusa kwakhe phezulu kakhulu komdlalo.
U-Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic, Roland Garros 2013, owandulela owamanqamu
Umdlalo owandulela owamanqamu phakathi kukaNovak Djokovic noRafael Nadal eRoland Garros uphenduke waba mnandi ngempela – lokho abalandeli abebekulindele kulo mbango. U-Nadal ubesanda kubuya ngemuva kokuphuthelwa izinyanga ezingaphezu kweziyisithupha ngenxa yezinkinga zamadolo futhi ngokushesha wakhombisa izinga eliphezulu, wafinyelela kumanqamu ayisishiyagalombili emiqhudelwaneni yakhe yokuqala eyisishiyagalombili ebuyile ohambweni. U-Djokovic, ngaleso sikhathi owayehamba phambili ekuklelisweni komhlaba, wayeseke wamshaya uRafa ngasekuqaleni kwentwasahlobo, emphuca isicoco sesishiyagalolunye seMonte-Carlo.
Isimo sangaphambi komdlalo sasithinta imizwa nakakhulu ngenxa yenhlekelele yomuntu siqu. Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambili, umqeqeshi wokuqala ka-Djokovic, uJelena Genčić, wayeshonile. Wayevame ukumchaza njengomama wesibili futhi wayezimisele ukuqedela i-Career Grand Slam yakhe enkumbulweni yakhe.
Ukungqubuzana bekubhekwe kabanzi njengomdlalo wonyaka nangaphambi kokuthi kuqale. Isiteshi sethenisi sihlele ukusakazwa kwayo ngo-7:00 am ET e-United States, sikuphatha njenge-Super Bowl. Abadlali baphile ngokuvumelana, baletha enye i-classic ethathe amahora amane nemizuzu engama-37.
UNadal uwusebenzele umdlalo ngesethi yesine kodwa wahluleka wukuwuvala. Kwesesihlanu, wawa ikhefu ngemuva futhi wama onqenqemeni lokuhlulwa. Noma kunjalo, walwela ukunqoba umdlalo wakhe wama-58 kwengama-59 eRoland Garros futhi wadlulela kowamanqamu wakhe wesishiyagalombili. Ngemuva kokuxhawulana, uNadal ubonge isixuku wabe eseqala ngokusicela ukuthi sishayele imbangi yakhe ihlombe – isenzo esifingqa inhlonipho phakathi kwabashayi ababili.
