Monica Seles Defeats Steffi Graff (1993) Often stated as one of the greatest women’s tennis matches ever seen; the Seles vs Graff rivalry was at fever pitch in the 1993 Australian Open final. Steffi Graff was dominating the sport at the time, however Monica Seles ended up turning the tide and going on to become champion after a three set thriller.
Martina Hingis Defeats Mary Pierce (1997)
Towards the end of 1996, Martina Hingis began to firmly establish herself as one of the most powerful tennis players on the circuit and a suitable rival to Steffi Graff and Monica Seles. The 1997 final saw Hingis up against Mary Pierce, who she defeated in two sets to become the youngest ever Grand Slam singles title winner at 16 years and 3 months old.
Andre Agassi Defeats Pete Sampras (2000)
The rivalry between Agassi and Sampras can only be described as epic. Battling it out 34 times throughout their careers rivalling for titles and number one rankings, the match at the 2000 Australian Open quarter final is regarded as a classic. Agassi was back to his all-time best after much publicised personal issues and Sampras was as ruthless as ever. Agassi won the match over an exhausting five sets, despite getting hit by a Sampras personal best of 37 aces.
Serena Williams Defeats Venus Williams (2003)
The Williams sisters had a rivalry that stretched all the way back to 1998, meeting many times at tournaments throughout the years. By 2003, the sisters were dominating the Grand Slams and met in the Australian Open final. That year’s event saw Serena win to complete her first “Serena Slam” holding all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.
Rafael Nadal Defeats Roger Federer (2009)
The Federer-Nadal rivalry is known as one of the most intense in tennis history. Two players at the top of their game, to date they’ve played each other 34 times often being the top two ranked players throughout. The 2009 final saw both players in fine form, but Nadal came out on top after a lengthy four set, 4 hour and 20 minute match, with an emotional Federer missing out on matching Pete Sampras’s 14 Grand Slam career record.
Stan Wawrinka Defeats Novak Djokovic (2014)
Novak Djokovic was known as the most dominant force in the men’s singles event winning the 2011, 2012, and 2013 titles. Djokovic and Wawrinka have developed a rivalry through the years which saw them battle it out over three consecutive years at the Australian Open. The 2014 tournament saw Wawrinka defeat Djokovic at the quarter final stage breaking his incredible run of 14 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals, 28 match winning streak, and preventing a record fifth Australian Open title.