Federer vs Nadal: 5 Best Grand Slam finals between the two legends

The Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal rivalry is arguably the greatest rivalry the game has ever witnessed. Thanks to their consistency, Federer and Nadal have given us many memorable encounters in tournament finals.

Their encounters in Grand Slam finals have added some of the most memorable pages in the history books of the game. Nadal leads the head-to-head in Grand Slam finals by 6-3, but that doesn't mean the matches have been one-sided. Except 2008 Roland Garros, it has been the exact opposite.

Federer and Nadal were scheduled to face each other in the Indian Wells semifinal this week, but Nadal unfortunately had to withdraw due to injury. However, the proposed meeting took everyone down memory lane, making them reminisce the best moments that the two have shared on the court over the years.

On that note, let's look back at five of the best Slam finals between these two legends.

5. 2011 French Open

Nadal and Federer at the 2011 French Open

Rafael Nadal d. Roger Federer 7-5 7-6(3) 5-7 6-1

Match Stats

Time Duration: 3 hrs 40 minutes

Points Won: 143-130 (Nadal)

Aces: 11-4 (Federer)

Winners: 51-37 (Federer)

Unforced Errors: 37-55 (Nadal)

The 2011 Roland Garros tournament is well remembered for Federer's amazing performance in the semifinal, which stopped Novak Djokovic's winning run. That was one of the best ever performances of Federer on clay, if not the best.

That was also the year when the big serving American John Isner unexpectedly gave a first round scare to Nadal at his favorite tournament, forcing the Spaniard to fight five sets to get through the first round.

The final was a memorable one which lasted for more than three and a half hours. The first three sets were as close as they could get. Nadal won the first two while Federer claimed the third.

But as Nadal usually does at Roland Garros, he upped his game to pull out the fourth set in dominant fashion, and with it his 6th French Open title - leveling Bjorn Borg's record.

4. 2007 Wimbledon

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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)

The 2007 Wimbledon Championships in the men's category was in a way an action replay of 2006. This time Nadal found himself a little closer to lifting the winner trophy, but ultimately still very far - a year away to be exact.

Both of the 2006 finalists reached the final again, and just like the previous year Federer came out the victor again. In the process he equaled Bjorn Borg's record of five straight Wimbledon titles.

The first set was very close which had to be decided in a tiebreak; Federer won that by the margin of 9-7. But Nadal fought back to claim the second set and level the match.

The third set again had to be decided in a tiebreak, and Federer won this one a little easier, by the margin of 7-3. Following the pattern of the first three sets, Nadal won the fourth to level the match and extend the match into the deciding fifth set.

The king of grass then won the deciding set by breaking Nadal's serve twice and saving break points on his serve.

3. 2009 Australian Open

2009 Australian Open: Day 14

Rafael Nadal d. Roger Federer 7-5 3-6 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2

Match Stats:

Time Duration: 4 hrs 19 minutes

Points Won: 174-173 (Nadal)

Aces: 11-4 (Federer)

Winners: 64-44 (Federer)

Unforced Errors: 58-67 (Nadal)

The 2009 Australian Open will be remembered as the tournament when Nadal, after proving himself on clay and grass, proved himself on hardcourts as well.

The previous two Slam finals between Federer and Nadal had been won by the Spaniard. The first of those was the 2008 French Open where Nadal absolutely humiliated the Swiss, and the next was 2008 Wimbledon, where he defeated Federer in an iconic five-set encounter.

2009 was the first hardcourt Slam final for Nadal, which he reached by defeating his compatriot Fernando Verdasco in a five-hour-long epic semifinal.

The first set was won by Nadal in 12 games by the score of 7-5. Federer then leveled the match by winning the second, before the Spaniard claimed the third in a tiebreak.

Federer fought back to level again, but soon lost the fifth and with it the match. Federer was reduced to tears during the post match ceremony, and the picture of Nadal comforting his heartbroken rival has become a part of folklore.

This as the only Australian Open title for Nadal, who went on to lose all the four subsequent finals in Melbourne over the next 10 years.

2. 2017 Australian Open

Nadal and Federer at the 2017 Australian Open

Roger Federer d. Rafael Nadal 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3

Match Stats:

Time Duration: 3 hrs 38 minutes

Points Won: 150-139 (Federer)

Aces: 20-4 (Federer)

Winners: 72-35 (Federer)

Unforced Errors: 26-57 (Nadal)

2017 was the year when the old gods rose again. Nadal was World #9 coming into the Australian Open and Federer was #17. Nadal hadn't won a Slam since the 2014 French Open and to top that Federer hadn't won a Major since 2012 Wimbledon.

The two legends started the tournament with quite low expectations. They both had a couple of tough matches on their way to the final - Nadal had to play five-set matches against the young Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov in the 3rd round and the semifinal respectively, while Federer had to dig deep in the 4th round against Kei Nishikori and against Stan Wawrinka in the semifinal.

Federer broke Nadal's serve in the 7th game of the final to win the first set 6-4. But Nadal came back in the second set to level the match. Federer again took the lead by winning the third comfortably, before Nadal leveled the match again by winning the fourth.

The Spaniard started on top in the fifth, breaking Federer's serve early. The Spaniard was 3-1 up and looked to be on the cusp of his 2nd Australian Open. But Federer spoiled his wish by winning the next 5 games in a row to lift his 5th Australian Open title and 18th Slam overall.

1. 2008 Wimbledon

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Nadal def. Federer: 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9–7

Match Stats:

Time Duration: 4 hrs 48 minutes

Points Won: 209-204 (Nadal)

Aces: 20-5 (Federer)

Winners: 98-65 (Federer)

Unforced errors: 41-65 (Nadal)

2008 was in a way the beginning of a new golden era of tennis. All three of the 'Big 3' won Slams that year, and the rest is history.

Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open at the start of the year to start his Slam count. Nadal won at Roland Garros in one of the most one-sided Slam finals ever, against Federer. Now it was time for Wimbledon, where Federer had defeated Nadal in the previous two year's finals.

Nadal won the first two sets by breaking Federer's serve thrice. Federer won the third in a tiebreak, and saved a few championship points in the fourth set tiebreak before winning it 10-8 to force the fifth set.

The final set was no exception to the rest of the match - there were numerous service holds and break points erased from both ends. Finally, in the 15th game, Nadal broke Federer's serve and seemingly his spirit too.

But the five-time champion was yet to give up. He saved another championship point in the final game of the tournament, but this was Nadal's moment to shine and he did so by holding his serve.

After the match Nadal lay on the ground in joy for a few minutes to take in the surreal experience. It was a changing of the guard moment in more ways than one.