Australian Open 2012: Top 5 Most Glorious Finishes in Tourney History

Throughout the history of the Australian Open there have been some hair-raising, heart-pounding finishes. Matches involving recognizable names and tennis' most dominant players like Roger Federer come to mind first, but there's more.

The Grand Slam event began back in 1905 and is consistently one of the more intriguing tournaments in tennis, evidenced by the high attendance numbers and increased television coverage.

Thanks to YouTube and some die-hard tennis fans, we can relive some of those great moments and finishes before more are created in the coming days and weeks.

In honor of the start of the 2012 Australian Open in Melbourne this January, we look back on some of the tournament's best efforts.

Join Bleacher Report as we bring you the top five most glorious finishes in Aussie Open history.

5. Monica Seles vs. Martina Hingis (2002)

Martina Hingis and American Monica Seles were both game in this women's 2002 Aussie Open semifinal match.

The three-time Aussie Open champ Hingis would drop the first set but fight back in the final two to edge Seles 6-4 in the end.

The spectacular back and forth exchange would send Hingis to the final where she would fall to Jennifer Capriati.

4. John McEnroe vs. Henri Leconte (1985)

The No. 2-seeded John McEnroe outlasted Frenchman Henri Leconte in a magical five-set round four match that went back and forth all the way to the end.

McEnroe's winning sets finished 7-6, 7-6 and 6-1.

3. Roger Federer vs. Marat Safin (2005)

This epic 2005 men's semifinal between Roger Federer and Marat Safin came down to the wire and saw Safin knock off the defending Aussie Open champ Federer in five thrilling sets. The final set read 9-7 Safin.

Safin would go on to win the tournament that year while Federer would return to the throne Down Under in 2006 and 2007.

2. Rafael Nadal vs. Fernando Verdasco (2009)

At the 2009 Australian Open, Rafael Nadal met fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the semifinal round and the two engaged in an awesome five set thriller.

Verdasco gave Nadal everything he could handle throughout but couldn't overcome him, eventually succumbing to the legend in the final set, 6-4.

Nadal would go on to win the only Aussie Open championship of his career. 

1. Lleyton Hewitt vs. David Nalbandian (2005)

This 2005 men's quarterfinal match between the hometown hero Lleyton Hewitt and the Argentine David Nalbandian resulted in a brilliant 10-8 final set which sent the Aussie Hewitt to the semifinals.

Hewitt would top American Andy Roddick in the next round before falling to eventual champ Marat Safin in the final.