Top 5 battles between Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro

#2. 2012 London Olympics semi-finals

The 2012 London Olympics semi between Federer and Del Potro is one of the greatest Olympic tennis matches

Federer regained the No.1 ranking by winning his 7^th Wimbledon title in 2012. His next tournament was the London Olympics, where he was looking to win his first ever Singles gold medal, having won a doubles gold medal in 2008 with Stan Wawrinka.After surviving a scare from Colombia’s Alejandro Falla in the first round, Federer won his next three matches in straight sets to reach the semi-finals where he was up against Juan Martin Del Potro, this being their 6^th meeting this year with Federer winning the previous five.Del Potro began the match brilliantly and took the first set 6-3. The second set was a nail-biting one and went to a tie-break. Federer levelled the match by taking the tie-break 7-5. What followed the second set was the set of the tournament without the shadow of a doubt. Both Federer and Del Potro played some dazzling tennis in the third set as it went to sudden death. Federer ultimately held his nerve and edged out Del Potro 19-17 to reach the Singles final of the Olympics for the very first time in his career.Federer however, had to settle for silver as he was beaten by Murray in straight sets. Del Potro would claim the bronze medal after beating Novak Djokovic in the bronze medal play-off. The Federer-Del Potro semi-final is the longest “best of three sets” tennis match, lasting 4 hours and 26 minutes, with the final set alone lasting 2 hours and 43 minutes.