Best Comeback Matches in Majors
Grand Slam tennis is where pressure becomes part of the match from the first ball. A player can be two sets down, facing match points and still find a way back if the timing, belief and shot making are right. That is what makes comeback matches in majors so memorable. They are not just about winning after a slow start. They are about changing the whole mood of a match and proving that nothing is finished until the last point is played. This article looks at the best comeback matches in majors and explains why each one stands out. The list includes famous turnarounds, huge mental shifts and long battles that fans still talk about today.
Grand Slam comeback classics
A great comeback in a major has a special feeling. The crowd starts to believe again, the underdog starts to swing more freely and the favourite begins to feel the weight of the moment. Some comebacks happen in five set epics. Some happen after a player saves match points. Some happen after injury, fatigue or simple nerves. What they all share is the ability to keep fighting when most people would have accepted defeat. These are the matches that turn good players into legends and give tennis some of its most powerful stories.
1. Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer, Wimbledon 2019
This final became one of the most dramatic matches ever played at Wimbledon. Federer had chances to close the match, including match points, but Djokovic refused to go away. He kept finding first serves, made key returns and stayed calm in the pressure moments. The final set went into a tiebreak under the new Wimbledon rule and Djokovic handled it better at the end. The comeback mattered because it showed pure mental strength on the biggest grass court stage in tennis. Federer had the crowd and much of the momentum, but Djokovic found a way to survive and win.
2. Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer, Australian Open 2009
This was another match that showed how a great champion can turn pain into belief. Federer played well and had control in several stages, but Nadal kept pushing him into longer rallies and never lost belief in his own patterns. The match stretched deep into the night and went the full distance. Nadal won after a brutal battle that asked everything from both players. The comeback was not just about a score line. It was about Nadal recovering from pressure and from the challenge of Federer in a major final. The emotion at the end made it one of the most memorable finals of the Open Era.
3. Gaston Gaudio vs Guillermo Coria, French Open 2004
Gaudio produced one of the greatest comebacks in a major final when he came from two sets down to beat Coria. The match looked all but over, but Gaudio kept hanging in and slowly changed the pattern of play. Coria had chances to finish it, yet the pressure kept shifting. Gaudio played with more freedom as the match moved on, while Coria began to tighten. The final set became a huge emotional swing and ended with Gaudio winning a title many thought had already slipped away. It remains one of the most famous examples of a player overturning the expected result in a major.
4. Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka, US Open 2012
Serena faced a very difficult situation in this final before turning it around with huge serving and strong attacking tennis. Azarenka played with energy and control, but Serena found another gear when the match looked like it might go against her. The crowd fed off the tension and Serena used her power to break the rhythm. Her comeback showed why she was so hard to beat in big moments. When the match got tight, she trusted her game and kept taking control of the biggest points. That is why her major comebacks have become such an important part of tennis history.
5. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal, Australian Open 2012
This match is often remembered as one of the best finals ever played and one of the most exhausting. Djokovic had to deal with Nadal at a level of intensity that few players could survive, but he kept finding ways to push back. Long rallies, huge physical demands and constant pressure made this a true test of endurance. Djokovic came back from difficult phases in the match and eventually won after an epic battle. The comeback mattered because it showed the edge of modern physical tennis. It was not enough to play great tennis for a few games. Djokovic had to stay mentally locked in for hours and did exactly that.
6. Roger Federer vs Pete Sampras, Wimbledon 2001
Sampras looked in control for large parts of this famous match, but Federer kept fighting and slowly built belief in the biggest stage of all. The match became a turning point because it showed a younger player refusing to accept the old order. Federer did not win this one, but the comeback style of his performance signaled the start of a new era. He answered pressure with shot making and started to prove that he belonged at the highest level. Even in defeat, the match remains one of the most important comeback style performances in major history because of the shift it represented.
7. Andre Agassi vs Andrei Medvedev, French Open 1999
Agassi completed his career Grand Slam with a brilliant comeback against Medvedev. He was under huge pressure because the French Open had always been the toughest major for him, and he had to fight his way through a difficult final to get the title. Agassi stayed calm, trusted his return game and handled the emotional weight of the match very well. The comeback was not only physical. It was also a comeback in a career sense because it completed a full set of major titles. That gave the match a special place in tennis history.
8. Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev, Australian Open 2022
Nadal came back from two sets down in one of the most dramatic finals in recent major history. Medvedev looked strong early and played with control, but Nadal kept fighting, changed the rhythm and slowly dragged himself back into the match. The final set became a test of will as much as skill. Nadal found ways to extend rallies, stay calm and bring the crowd into the contest. The comeback was huge because it showed that even late in a career, Nadal still had the same refusal to stop competing. It was one of the clearest examples of a champion refusing to fade away.
9. Emma Raducanu vs Leylah Fernandez, US Open 2021
This final became famous for its youthful energy and for the way Raducanu handled a difficult run through the tournament. She came through qualifying, which already made the story unusual, and then played with increasing confidence as the event went on. In the final she had to manage nerves and pressure while Fernandez kept pushing hard. Raducanu remained composed, controlled the key moments and won without dropping a set in the tournament. The comeback aspect of her run mattered because it was not about one match alone. It was a full tournament recovery from outsider to champion.
10. Andy Murray vs Roger Federer, US Open 2012
Murray had suffered several painful near misses in majors before this final, and the emotional value of the victory was huge. He played Federer with strong focus and held together under pressure when the match became tight. The long wait for a major title made the result feel like a real comeback in career terms. Murray had to fight through criticism, disappointment and heavy expectations before finally breaking through. That is why this match belongs on the list. It was not just a comeback in the score. It was a comeback in belief and in career identity.
What makes a great comeback match in a major
Belief under pressure
The best comeback matches all have one thing in common. The player refusing to give up keeps believing even when the score looks bad. That belief changes the mood of the whole match and can push the opponent into doubt.
Physical and mental recovery
A comeback is often about more than shot making. It is about recovery between points, smart point selection and the ability to stay fresh when the match grows longer. Major tennis often asks for both body and mind to stay strong.
Momentum shifts
Great comebacks usually turn on one key game or one key break of serve. Once momentum changes, the whole feel of the match changes too. Fans can sense it, and so can the players.
Legacy value
The best comeback matches stay in memory because they often define a career. One major turnaround can lift a player into a new level of respect and can become the match everyone remembers years later.
Conclusion
Combacks in majors are what make tennis so dramatic. They show that no score is permanent and no match is over until the final point is played. The ten matches in this article all proved that in different ways. Some were finals, some were emotional breakthroughs and some were pure survival under pressure. Together they show why Grand Slam tennis remains one of the most exciting sports in the world. When a player fights back in a major, the whole sport feels it.