if this match were 5 sets it would've probably been over 6 hours and probably the greatest match of all time

26:48 that roar!!! I get chills no matter how many times I've watched it over the years.

2009...and i remember this match like it was yesterday... These people Rafa, Nole, RF still ballin' in 2020. What a legends.

The best 3 set match of all time.

Nadal and his craziness in 2009, having all these 4 hour and 5 hour epics. Not to mention those three setters in Rotterdam following that epic AO campaign spanning almost 10 hours in his last two matches there, surviving against Nalbandian at Indian Wells from double break down and MPs down. And a few more before this one. Basically ruined his season...

15+ years of this intensity...without a doubt two of the most physical specimens to showcase this awesome sport. Unforgettable match of the highest quality, toe to toe against a prime Nadal on Clay in bo3 😳 absolutely brutal but brilliant match by both 👏👏

26:49 Nadal’s ultimate Dragon Ball Z moment.

The kid was hilarious 🤣🤣🤣

Amazing match!!!! Both deserved to win!!!! I wish Nole had won but Rafa just took control after the match points!!!! Idemooo Nole!!!! Vamos Rafa!!!!

Nadal was not respecting his body back then in the beginning of 2009..he played mubadala then doha and then played in Australia and won tough back to back 5 sets..and then he didn’t rest well and decided to play indoors in rotterdam where he played tough matches against tsonga,dimitrov and monfils before losing the final against murray (6-0 final set..he had some pain in his knee) he then played indian wells won the title saving match points against nalbandian and lost in Miami in the quarters to delpo in a tough 3 set match...he played a full clay season having only one week to prepare after miami..won montecarlo and barcelona back to back and took again one week rest before winning in rome and reached the madrid final and played the amazing 4 hours match against novak in the semis and in the final he lost to Federer easily he had no tank left..so that was natural that he got injured in the french and skipped wimbledon he wasn’t treating his body well even at 23 years old he was at his peak he could have skipped for example rotterdam and miami and barcelona and focused more on what matters the most the slams !!

Djokovic was the only one on the tour at this time who had the belief that he could stand up to Nadal on clay. The rest of the tour took their beatings from Nadal handily without much resistance.

Has to be one of the best ATP 1000s.That kid was adorable.

loving these extended highlights, keep up the good work!!!

Man crazy how this was more than 10 years ago, it was the first full clay court match i watched. Both guys rely more on their physicality and defense back in the days, crazy how both their games just got even more complete after this

Wow what a classic! Nadal was exhausted after this .. cost him the final and eventually the whole year! Yet he managed to score 9000+ year ending points which is insane।

I could see this like a million times. What an epic match. More than 4h for a 3 ser match. Amazing!!!!

A match that broke both of them for the rest of the season. It played a big part in Nadal RG defeat against Soderling.

Wow, I didn't know there was such a match, it's good that there are channels like yours and videos like this and it is immortalized ❤

Long haired Nadal was a beast

Greatest 3 set match ever by a long way over 4 hours of that quality has never been replicated and it likely never will be.

Might be their very best match, such a clean strokes on both sides. Magnificent!

Who liked the moment when that kid bow down along with rafa after the victory.... did you notice the crowd went crazy with euphoria.... glorious... magical.

Best match in Madrid for sure

this an epic match from two titans of tennis a high tension battle ever where this time nadal defeated djokovic with a very tight score after a long tiebreak in the 3rd set, I like both of them!!!

Tennis does not get better than this.

Increible, tremendo partido, de los mejores que recuerdo, cuando los dos eran prime, sus mejores versiones a la vez, impresionante 👏 👏 👏 👏

So good these two. Physical, mental, skills, so good to watch. Always enjoy when they play each other

Nadal really treated this match like a grand slam final. That's just how serious he took Novak back then even before 2011 happened.

29:50 😂👍

14 Years Ago Really.. 1 of thee Best 4 Sure.. Best Rivalry of All time in my Opinion.. I can imagine Jannik Sinner & Carlitoz Alcaraz Watching This and Dreaming..

This one will go down in history!

rafa was hitting the ball weird that day

thank you! this was one of the best matches of the 2000s and really of all time

Defensive baseline at its extreme best along with ao 2012 final

The curious thing is that in Madrid in 2009, neither of them were at their best, Rafa had a bad season, well below the unforgettable years of 2008 and 2010 and even 2011, in which he finished runners-up, losing to Novak, who was in the peak, Nole in 2009 was on the rise, despite the title in Australia the previous year, their first major, in 2009 it was very different from what we would see 2 years later, but even so they played one of the best matches in 3 sets that I have already watched.

yeah this is probably the best three set match ive ever seen, awesome stuff

29:51 I love this kid.

Wish they had the commentary for the full highlights. Love me some Robbie Koenig!

The best match I've ever seen in my life..

Lo más interesante del 26:20 que acaba con ese punto tan épico y grito que levantó a todos salvando un matchball es que en ese saque djokovic hizo el saque más rápido de su carrera. Partido histórico, el mejor de todos los tiempos para mi.

Tennis master's class. EPIC match

That scream at 6-5 for Nole in the 3rd and the point after,aaaaaaaaaah,Nadal The Beast

These two guys have made tennis history. Amazing careers both. Amazing rivalry Nole and Rafa, i wonder who will fill the gap when they will retire

To look back and think we were watching probably the two greatest players of all time.

The Legend 👌

26:49 AAHHH!!! *Super Saiyan Nadal*

Spanish Clay court tennis at its best 👏🏾👏🏾

Watching Nadal play 15 years later with the same audience vibe but playing this tournament for the last time was truly emotional. The matches he’s played Wow. But no sooner Rafa leaves ,Madrid is cheering for Carlos Alcaraz. Who’ll be 21 this month coming. So Spain is in good hands. Will Nadal attempt RG? That’s a completely different head space, so who knows. But that one will be a huge send off. Thank you Nadal for years of unbelievable tennis…

11 years later and these two are still going at it!

I think this match was essentially what helped roger win the RG that year. He beat rafa the next day and gained more confidence on clay by doing so which helped massively in RG.

incredible !

One of the best matches i have ever seen in my life. Unfortunately also one of the reasons why Nadal has so many injuries today. Novak had made points on those MP (3) but somehow Nadal was finding impossible forehands and won that match despite winning less points in the match. Crazy match. Today's "next gen" can't touch this level, maybe dream about it.

This was before Djokovic changed his diet in 2010 and he was still battling evenly with Nadal on clay. Since 2011 he improved his stamina and got better in long matches.

How im the world did i miss this epic Masters 1000 match????!😢 Was i sick back in 2009???!😊

top 3 masters matches of all time easily

The ball barely moved through the air What a grueling encounter

Yes, it is.

The greatest masters 1000 games off all time. Goat rafaaa

the best rivalry ever in tennis history

Tremendo partido, este y el de la semi final de Roland Garros 2013, fabulosos

I agree, but probably they would not apply the same intensity in an eventual 4 set, which is common in those long games in 3, Nole would certainly fall out of production in 4, but 5 hours would be the most likely, but a particularly do not remember one game in 3 sets so long, great show of an irreplaceable generation.

This match with an equally good 1st set as the next 2 would've made this match maybe even able to reach 5 hours, and it's a fucking best out of 3 match. This was a miracle, and it wasn't even the final, but who talks about that this was the real final in the eyes of everyone.

And now - Djokovic-Alcaraz, Cincinnati 2023 💯

Perfect

What a big match !

What a match 4 hours

This is a tournament when Thanks to Novak Djokovic,took Rafas legs completly getting into final. Federer beat Nadal in final and first set 6 0,...after longest ever best of three semis in history on clay. Its perfect example how good was Novak even before 2011 on clay.Solving health issues somewhere in 2010 just proved that Rafa is gonna lose eventually on clay.

One of the rare matches where Djokovic had 3 match points and still lost

Está muy yendo

Incredible match , Novak put Nadal under severe pressure. What a legends .

Son: Dad, what noise does a Goat make? Dad : 26:49

who would say these two would still be fighting at a high level in 2020.

26:48😂😂😂😂💪💪

that kid wasn't letting Rafa go... very pushy youngster... security was also unable to deal with him :-)

best 3 set match ever i think

This is probably djokovic best match on clay ever, I CANT STILL BELIEVE HE LOST THIS MATCH😭😭😭😭

I love these matches where Nadal and Djokovic are just on level performance with each other and the match takes forever to finish.

that last point where djokovic served, he could have risked to play near the net as he had hit second return very fast and nadal took time to pickup ball...or he took delay to come middle of court...either wise both are good players...

Utterly visceral. They are gladiators.

GOAT VS GOAT + GOAT = RAFA correct✓

Выдающаяся битва двух титанов, лучший трехсетовик в истории, было всё, качество игры запредельное, отдача, нервы, мощнейший драйв, сеча, в которой Рафа оказался чуть сильнее. Спустя три года они же сыграли лучший пятисетовик на грандслэмах в Австралии, очередная изнурительная, многочасовая бойня, но уже тогда чаша весов склонилась в пользу Новака. Имхо, несмотря на эпический матчи испанца и серба с Федерером, лучшее противостояние в истории тенниса на сегодняшний день, это Надаль-Джокович. Уважение им, они и есть теннис 💪

VAMOS RAFAAA

baseline tennis at its best both are now more complete player

Nadal celebra como si fuera ya la final y eran semi finales , pero para mi esta fue la final anticipada y uno de los mejores partidos que existen!

Was the kid Uncle Tony's son? Classic match!

drogas drogas drogas drogas!!!!... que juego tan limpio

In the first set, I don't think Nadal will win this match, i don't believe it. Why ? Cause Novak will never give up. When Novak won set 1, he knows what he need to do. He played stronger, faster and risky. He keep that straegy during the rest of the match. Well played, Novak. You have a respect from me. The best thing of Nadal is he never stop playing defensive till he says it's over. Nadal is Gladiator in this match. Djoko put a lot of pressure to Nadal and Nadal gets through it. What a player ! Also, Nadal have a strong weapon to strike back, his forehand too strong and his legs is crazy too. Nadal knows what he need to do, he take a chance too good in important moments to destroy Novak's spirit. Overall, Congratulation to Nadal and a big respect to Novak. Both players are incredible. What a dramatic match !

what the hell is wrong with this commnet section. Instead of appreciating an epic match people are calling djokovic chokovic and all

The majority of the early action was happening on Rafa's serve. To imagine Novak was having easier service games on clay against Rafa. Great match. Really intense

feels like a grandslam final

An incredible match by both Legends. Once again, Nadal dug deep and found the win. Nadal Is My Champion!

Fantastic matches. It’s interesting to note that many times these legends won majors/ masters against each other after saving match points. So when they are not winning they are coming close enough to earn match points but just unfortunate to lose. Djokovic could easily have won this match but it was just not his day to win.

Probably the GOAT 🐐

The day Goat showed 100healthy rafa is beatable on clay.

I've always wondered who the hell was that kid at the end??!😅 Wouldnt that be somethin *IF* that was Carlos Alcaraz, future men's #1?

29:33 who’s kid is that? 🤬Coming in and ruining the moment at the net lol 😂

Lol this boy in the end...

Man as a Rafa disciple, how did i miss this match???

Is this Djokovic's best ever performance in a match he ultimately lost?

Rafa❤️