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Tennis fans recently recalled the epic Wimbledon final clash of 2008 between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
The match, an important part of the storied Federer–Nadal rivalry, pitted the then top-ranked Federer against then second-ranked Nadal. After 4 hours and 48 minutes of play, Nadal defeated Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7, 6–7, 9–7.
The match is regarded by many fans and pundits as one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest.
The 2008 Wimbledon men's singles final was the third consecutive year in which Federer and Nadal met in the summit clash at Wimbledon. Federer had won not only both the previous two meetings on Centre Court, but had also been the champion in the preceding five years.
A video from the 2008 Wimbledon final recently resurfaced on Reddit, where the two greats of the game were seen playing some stellar points towards the end of the fourth set. The clip included Federer saving a Championship point with a sensational backhand winner.
Several fans reacted to the video, with one expressing delight at the "magic" they created with their game during their peak.
"Maybe it’s because I was younger, maybe because this era was just reaching its peak. But man oh man you just felt magic it’s not even about who’s the greatest of all time [GOAT]," the fan wrote on Reddit.
"It’s about that feeling of being in the moment of something so captivatingthatwas happening right then and there. I don’t get this feeling much these days. Records will be broken over and over again. But this magical feeling I had while following this sport in the 2003-2014 will never be matched," the fan added.
Other fans recounted in great detail the key moments during the match, and even reminsced where they were when the epic clash unfolded on television.
"I was on holiday in Greece when this match was on. Us and a few others managed to convince the owner of the restaurant we were in to put it on and nobody left," one fan said. "Everyone who was there stayed to watch the match unfold. And people walking by then started coming in buying drinks just to stay and watch. There has never been and maybe never will be a tennis match that captivates people as much as this match. Vamos Rafa!"
Here are some more quotes from fans on the match:
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal locked horns in nine Grand Slam finals
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal battled it out in Grand Slam finals on nine occassions. The Swiss maestro was able to win three out of those finals, with Nadal winning the other six.
The Spaniard first beat Federer in the 2006 French Open final, in four sets. But Federer avenged the loss immediately, beating the Spaniard in the Wimbledon final that year, again in four sets.
The Swiss star again lost the French Open final to Nadal in four sets in 2007. But in a repeat of 2006, he went on to beat him at the Wimbledon final in 2007, this time in five sets.
The two tennis greats, who own a combined 42 Grand Slams between them, met yet again in the French Open and Wimbledon finals in 2008. But this time Nadal was able to prevail over Federer in both.
The Swiss great managed to beat the Spaniard only one more time in a Grand Slam final, at the Australian Open in 2017. Federer lost the French Open to Nadal on four occassions (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011). He also lost the Australian Open final to Nadal in 2009.
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