'It was an absolute war' - Frances Tiafoe selects marathon epic as his favorite ATP Masters 1000 match

Several memorable matches stand out in tennis history, with the highest quality often saved for encounters at the ATP Masters 1000 and Grand Slam level. With fans undecided on the best matches at these events, American tennis star Frances Tiafoe chose to chime in on the matter.

The Maryland native is currently competing at the 2025 Canadian Open. Tiafoe stifled a comeback from Australian Aleksandar Vukic to reach the round of 16, where he'll face Vukic's compatriot Alex De Minaur after the seventh seed received a walkover victory to the fourth round.

With the Canadian Open being one of the ATP Masters 1000 events on tour, Tiafoe was interviewed and asked questions based around the prestigious tournaments. The World No.11 was asked to name his favorite ATP Masters match of all time, prompting Tiafoe to recall a classic match that took place almost two decades ago.

Tiafoe revealed his favorite match at the Masters level was the epic bout between a young Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the 2009 Madrid Masters. The fan favorite event, played on clay and during Nadal's prime, is widely regarded as one of the best matches in tennis history.

Nadal battled back from the brink of defeat

The Spaniard lost the first set to a very in-form Djokovic, before winning the second set after prevailing in a tiebreak. Nadal would find himself facing three match points in the third set tiebreak. However, the King of clay showcased his indomitable spirit by hitting some ridiculous forehand winners to keep the match alive. The Mallorca native would eventually seal his victory after a lung-busting four hours and three minutes on court.

"Rafa was down match points, he hit a crazy forehand inside-in to save match point," recalled an incredulous Tiafoe. "It was an absolute war. That’s one that stands out."

Tiafoe would also pick the Madrid Open as his favorite ATP Masters 1000 venue, stating he enjoyed everything the city of Madrid had to offer.

"Madrid is fire, I love Madrid," admitted the American. "I’m cool with some guys at Real Madrid, I like to hang out with those guys, that’s cool. The food is great there, the people are so nice.
“Partying is fire, nightlife is great. The city itself is cool. I like places where you can walk around: There’s a lot of good dining, there’s a good energy around. Going to Real Madrid matches is nice."