Top 10 Most Memorable Men's Tennis Moments from the Last Year

OK, so before you all bite my head off...this is MY list of the top 10 most memorable moments from the tennis world this past year or so! Oh and just to clarify, I mean moments from now back to March '08...hence the inclusion of '09 moments.

Just a bit of fun really!

I'm sure there are moments which others would have included and which I have missed out.

I'm also sure that many of you will agree that some of the moments I've included were indeed highly memorable!

So I hope you all enjoy my list. Feel free to comment on your own favourite moments! Let the countdown begin....

10: Federer wins Olympic Gold in doubles with Wawrinka

Yes I am a Roger Federer fan! But this makes my top 10 as it came after he lost his Wimbledon crown and got knocked out of the Olympics singles tournament by James Blake (yep, I don't know what happened there, either... no offence to Blake).

So this was definitely a great moment for my favourite tennis player...I am forever grateful to Stanislas Wawrinka for helping Federer finally get that Gold medal which he so wanted (even if it was in doubles and not singles).

I am sure this helped him to regain some confidence before going into the US Open final (and we all know who won that)

ALSO a great moment because of that funny little ritual thing at the end (as shown in the picture)...now what was that about? Apparently Federer said he was warming up his hands on Wawrinka, as he was on fire?!!

P.S.: Don't worry, not all of my top 10 moments involve Federer!

9: Nadal's Demolition of Federer at the French Open

Not one of those moments that us Fed fans want to remember. But hey, we have to hand it to Rafael Nadal; the guy is invincible on clay.

He completely demolished Federer at the French Open last year, winning in straight sets: 6-1, 6-3, 6-0. It was almost as bad as the recent Davis Cup match in which Nadal beat Janko Tipsarovic 6-1, 6-0, 6-2.

As a Federer fan, I dream of him winning the French Open, but with this guy around, it doesn't seem that hopeful! As Federer recently admitted, it is not that he has a problem on clay, he has a Rafa problem on clay!

What will be interesting to see is if Nadal can beat Bjorn Borg's record of four in a row at this year's French Open...I think it is pretty inevitable.

8: Don't Mention Bird Flu!

Okay so I'm sure many of you realise that this pic is from this year's Australian Open in which Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, retired against Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals.

The Reason? Heat exhaustion. Fair enough...but this isn't the first time that controversy has surrounded a match between these two men.

It is actually quite ironic when we think back to the last time they met. That was the quarter-finals of the US Open in 2008. Anyone remember that?

Both these men are known for having a laugh. Djokovic for his impressions. Roddick for his dry sense of humour (anyone seen his press conference after having lost to Federer (again) in the Australian Open semis of 2007? Hilarious).

However, the 'Djoker' failed to see the funny side when Roddick joked about his "many" injuries...Roddick suggested that Djokovic was suffering with bird-flu, SARS and the common cough and cold (to name but a few!)

Djokovic wasn't having any of it...but complaining about it after having defeated Roddick whilst playing in front of Roddick's home crowd was probably not the best idea.

Should be interesting to see if these two end up meeting this month at Indian Wells...they may once again meet in the quarters of the tournament.

7: Papa Federer

Yep...we have only just heard it but has to be one of the most memorable moments for me.

Wherever this man goes, he generates news. We Federer fans had only just come to terms with the fact that Darren Cahill was NOT going to coach Federer and were just getting over that bombshell when he goes and drops another one!

He is going to be a father in the "summer" (although he won't be drawn on what exactly "summer" means).

What's the betting that the name Rafael is not at the top of the list of potential baby names?!

Anyway, congratulations to him and Mirka!

6: Andy Murray and that Mighty Comeback

I'm talking about Wimbledon 2008. Fourth round. Against Richard Gasquet. Ah yes, so now you remember!

As a Brit, I could not have been prouder of our man. He was two sets down but did he give up? Oh no! He used the crowd support to fight his way back into the match and ended up as the winner.

I think that Gasquet couldn't quite believe what had hit him.

After making it into the quarters at Wimbledon last year Murray has gone from strength to strength. He went on to reach the finals of the US Open last year.

He has also defeated the mighty members of the world's top 3 (Nadal, Federer and Djokovic) several times since that memorable day at SW17.

The Big 3 has become the Big 4 and surely it can't be long before Murray wins his first Grand Slam! GO MURRAY!!!

5: Nadal Winning the 2009 Australian Open...

Not the result that I wanted as a Fed fan (why couldn't you just let him get no.14, Rafa?!) but I have to admire Nadal. The guy has proved he is now a force to be reckoned with on any surface...be it clay, grass or hard-court.

Nadal seems to be unstoppable at the moment and the question everyone is now asking is: Can he do it? Can he be the next man (after Rod Laver) to get the calendar Grand Slam. I wouldn't put it past him at this point...

So I have to say...well done, Rafa! You have certainly proven that you are the best player in the world at the moment.

Oh and I think it is really sweet how you line up your water-bottles and fold your bananas so precisely at every change-of-ends (no that is not some sort of pun or innuendo..)

4: ...and Federer's tears of frustration

Not something I am going to dwell on...it is a memorable moment, but certainly not a happy one.

We could have a debate about why it happened (sad not to get Grand Slam no. 14...can't seem to figure out a way beat Rafa on ANY surface...disappointment with the 5th set/his serve etc....) but no-one will really know exactly what was going through his mind at that moment except the great man himself.

We could also debate about whether it is right to make the loser of a Grand Slam final stand up and make a speech...is it really necessary when they give a press conference anyway? But again, I'll leave that to another day.

But I must mention how it was so heart-warming to see Rafa put his arm around Federer and comfort him. Awww...what a pair of gentlemen these guys are!

3: The Coming of Fernando Verdasco

He was the hero of the Spanish Davis Cup team last year. And for many, he was also the hero of this year's Australian Open.

It could almost have been a Fernando Verdasco-Roger Federer final...it probably would have been, too, if it hadn't been a certain someone called Rafael Nadal who Verdasco had to face in the semis.

Verdasco put on an awesome display of tennis to take Nadal to five sets and make their semi-final the longest match in Australian Open history.

Verdasco is now a name on everyone's lips...

2: Federer Winning the US Open 2008

Nearly there now!

Yes...had to put this in. After everyone writing off Federer last year (after all, the guy only reached 3 Grand Slam finals and 1 Grand Slam semi-final!) what a joy it was to watch him win the US Open title.

AND...he set a new record: five straight US Open titles.

OK, so Murray was the other side of the net, and as a Brit I should have been giving him my full support...but I just couldn't. So I was happy when Federer won the match and silenced all those doubters.

(And by the way, I'm sure Murray will win it in the future anyway...and he'll have my full backing!)

Yes, what a wonderful way for Federer to end his year. Just looking at this picture makes me happy!

1: Wimbledon Final 2008

And finally...not just the greatest moment of the past year but probably one of the greatest moments in tennis history. That's right. It is the Wimbledon final 2008.

What can I possibly say to do this match justice?

There was Federer making an awesome come-back from two sets down to take the match to five sets...the rain delays...the incredible Federer backhand pass down the line to save match point...the darkness...Nadal's unwavering determination.

Whatever the outcome..history would be made. Federer getting six titles in a row to beat Bjorn Borg's record of five or Nadal winning Wimbledon and the French Open back-to-back to equal Borg's record. Well, we all know the outcome of that!

It also went down in the records as the longest ever men's singles final at Wimbledon.

It was the time that marked the changing of the guard...Roger Federer was soon afterwards displaced as world No. 1 by Rafael Nadal. And then the rivalry really began...

This is indeed a Golden Era of tennis. As a fan I am so grateful for these two men and what they bring to the world of tennis! It would be a lot more boring without them...