I watched this match live on TV from start to finish all those years ago. Still remains the most intense, epic match I have ever seen - it was so good, they just HAD to invite Younes to participate in the post-match interview with Andy (when usually the loser bows out). Spectacular stuff!
The best tennis matches are not just intense and suspenseful, but heroic. I heard about this one years ago but I missed it, and I'm so glad to finally see at least a part of it.
There so many "No he didn't" moments - like both players looking at the other like, "How the hell did you hit that?!" Just when one thought the point was over, the other one came up with an even better shot. That's what makes this match so epic. They pushed each other to new levels as the match went on.
I was a kid in Casablanca, Morocco back then when Younes El Aynaoui played awesome tennis with amazing player worldwide. He gave us so much pride and pleasure. I've met him once on a kids day event during Hassan II tournament in Casablanca: So nice, generous, always a big smile on his face, gave the best advice and so much time playing with kids ! He made the country so proud on his honorable participation on the ATP circuit during his days. The craziest thing is that he tried twice to make a comeback at very advanced age this recent years ! Will always be a favorite: when you say tennis in Morocco, you remember the guy who made us watch the craziest match of the Australian Open history against Leyton Hewitt at impossible time due to the huge time gap between Morocco and Australia. Really an amazing player and an inspiration to many young moroccan players who struggles to get the proper coaching and motivation to reach international level :(
concluded watching the highlights something like 10 mins ago and i'm still amazed.i don't know what...hit me.What an amazing match it must have been...
the Moroccan Youness shoud have won the australien open at that time really he was amazing and what a match,,i still remember watching this match at 6 am in my time ..wont forget this match pure great tennis really,,if nadal or federer were in this march vs one of these champions,they wud have been crushed..thanks al aynaoui
Come one, they were both on fire this day, that's just It. That's kind of Tsonga Nadal at AO 2008, a level played a few times in a player's career or maybe the only one. You can clearly feel this by the special emotion on the court, crowd is totally absorbed by the match and lives It with the players on every shot.
a true battle of fitness this one. what a classic. had a lot more leverage imo, than the isner mahut one. but thats not to say that one wasn't good. both are classics and im so privileged to be born in an era where i have experienced these.
old good tennis...teniis is dead today or what,,sick of watchin boring tennis these days really...for me this match one of the best tennis matchs ever..amazing really and youness wht a class elegant player sadly he didt win big competitions..
@tvp900 i agree with you there, old post i know, but if that is the guess i think that might actually be a problem roddick needs to fix, being he has too many options so he gets lazy, especially with the grinding it out part. He does still need that bone crushing power, whether he wants it or not, and he's shown he's still had it back in miami, this year though has been just a bunch o bad luck after a wonderful first 4 months.
@Anaconda43VR I disagree. I think overall, Roddick is a better, smarter player then he was back then. True, he could really bone crush the ball when he was younger, but now, he knows he doesn't have to. He can volley if he wants, he can grind it out if he wants, and he can still hit winners off both sides when he wants.
The only time it made a reappearance was at Wimbledon 2009. He really should have beaten Federer in the final. Then it disappeared again. Shame really.
wouldn't you after all the running.... btw... funny to see the picture of federer... like he would sit behind a telly and say ''It's like he's about to vomit'' lols ;)
Its hard to believe a certain frenchmen and a 7ft tall american actually beat this match in time, basically trippling the score and doubling the time! hahaha This is still one of my favorite matches but now it kinda just pales to 70-68...
You've got to be kidding. Isner-Mahut was a fiasco...two huge servers who had ZERO defense. Zero. Zip. Zilch. The only reason they drove up the game score like that is because neither of them could return for shit. Isner, in particular, still has the same strategy...win on serve, lose when receiving, wait for the tie break and then ace his way to the set (and match) victory. Of course, that doesn't work when playing someone who can return well.
Roddick has some of the worst footwork on tour. He moves so carefully and stiffly you'd think he was nursing two rolled ankles. Foot-eye coordination is just horrible. If he didn't play like he was on stilts he would have had much better shots to choose from in any given rally.
I watched this match live on TV from start to finish all those years ago. Still remains the most intense, epic match I have ever seen - it was so good, they just HAD to invite Younes to participate in the post-match interview with Andy (when usually the loser bows out). Spectacular stuff!
Same here. Except I couldn’t finish the game because I had to go to class. Amazing performance by both athletes
The best tennis matches are not just intense and suspenseful, but heroic. I heard about this one years ago but I missed it, and I'm so glad to finally see at least a part of it.
This is easily in the top 10 best matches of all time. 2017 and I still watch it with awe.
There so many "No he didn't" moments - like both players looking at the other like, "How the hell did you hit that?!" Just when one thought the point was over, the other one came up with an even better shot. That's what makes this match so epic. They pushed each other to new levels as the match went on.
great sportsmanship at the end
4:07 is the most incredible volley I've seen in my life..
Andy's expression says it all. "Seriously?!" Yep - seriously!
Younes El Aynaoui simply the best
El Aynaoui plays such a great tennis!! It's a pleasure to watch
I was a kid in Casablanca, Morocco back then when Younes El Aynaoui played awesome tennis with amazing player worldwide. He gave us so much pride and pleasure. I've met him once on a kids day event during Hassan II tournament in Casablanca: So nice, generous, always a big smile on his face, gave the best advice and so much time playing with kids ! He made the country so proud on his honorable participation on the ATP circuit during his days. The craziest thing is that he tried twice to make a comeback at very advanced age this recent years ! Will always be a favorite: when you say tennis in Morocco, you remember the guy who made us watch the craziest match of the Australian Open history against Leyton Hewitt at impossible time due to the huge time gap between Morocco and Australia. Really an amazing player and an inspiration to many young moroccan players who struggles to get the proper coaching and motivation to reach international level :(
He's still giving back to tennis by directing Doha Tournament right now ! His passion will never die :)
iv only been to one tennis match in my life and this was it. talk about lucky! what a match! it finished at 2am local time for memory
Simply epic. The look of respect in eyes of both players when they shook hands end of the match said it all. Unforgettable.
Younes played very well than andy . Ijust dont know how andy beat him
great match between to players. So touched at the end of the match.
Damn younes had some good hands at the net. Roddick grunting on a serve lol. Good to see this year that the Aussie Open is now the fastest slam .
A pity I couldn't have watched this live back then since I was only 1. Must've been an EXTREMELY intense match
Best game i ever seen, 6:09 amazing from younes
concluded watching the highlights something like 10 mins ago and i'm still amazed.i don't know what...hit me.What an amazing match it must have been...
The shotmaking in this match is just freaking insane. Unbelievable how they kept a high level right until the end.
I always watch that match point that Roddick faced at 4-5. What a shot! What a reaction! So EPIC!!
the Moroccan Youness shoud have won the australien open at that time really he was amazing and what a match,,i still remember watching this match at 6 am in my time ..wont forget this match pure great tennis really,,if nadal or federer were in this march vs one of these champions,they wud have been crushed..thanks al aynaoui
Probably the greatest match that i've ever seen. :-D
5:26 seriously on match point
back in the days when you needed to know how to do something other than serve well to win the fifth set
6:13 wooooooooooooooow
woow i remember that's strong moroccan player
We miss youness so much 🔕
Come one, they were both on fire this day, that's just It.
That's kind of Tsonga Nadal at AO 2008, a level played a few times in a player's career or maybe the only one.
You can clearly feel this by the special emotion on the court, crowd is totally absorbed by the match and lives It with the players on every shot.
The best moment,thank you Younes ;)
probably the best tennis that andy has played
awesome sportsmanship at the end from both players:)
for me more enjoyable than wimbledon 08 nadal vs federer. i wish it wasn't tape-delayed when it aired in 2003
Aynaoui has so much potential crazy how he accomplished so little with. Charismatic man.
Very entertaining clip.
No kidding!! It just became this loopy thing rather than that amazing cannon shot which he first had....
Wow... that was a never-ending game!
a true battle of fitness this one. what a classic. had a lot more leverage imo, than the isner mahut one. but thats not to say that one wasn't good. both are classics and im so privileged to be born in an era where i have experienced these.
both were awesome!
the best tennis matchs ever
The forehand from el Aynaoui at 4:51 is AMAAAZING !!! :O
Both players deserved to win
joy to watch
Incredible!
i'm speechless...
That forehand at 5:32 was rediculously good
Younes excelent and greats persons player
younes had a match point against rodick in this match ; i remeber it very well ; and i watched it on eurosports with deutchland comment hhhh :)
Younes, Perfection!
MAR & US keepin' it hot!
2 guys who like each other
Would have been an amzing match without the 5th set but whoa!
couldnt agree more !
That's the FIFTH SET, BTW!
godd job! what a match!
Best match ever
Who ever thought Roddick would be done :'(
oh I say!
old good tennis...teniis is dead today or what,,sick of watchin boring tennis these days really...for me this match one of the best tennis matchs ever..amazing really and youness wht a class elegant player sadly he didt win big competitions..
7:12 »7:29 no comments
Now Roddick...that's what I call real grunting
great vid,but u shouldve put the moment when they both handed the racquets to ballboys for 2,3 points..:D It was in 5th set,maybe 15 - 15 or something
@tvp900 i agree with you there, old post i know, but if that is the guess i think that might actually be a problem roddick needs to fix, being he has too many options so he gets lazy, especially with the grinding it out part. He does still need that bone crushing power, whether he wants it or not, and he's shown he's still had it back in miami, this year though has been just a bunch o bad luck after a wonderful first 4 months.
amazing....
5:32
Remember when Roddick had that shot? Now he hits powderpuff forehands.
5:32 what was the speed of that forehand
Its a shame i was too young to see roddick play this way. I like his game much better from when he was only about 20
Le maraoc reste toujours Grand couer on aime le monde sosiable
Younes El Aynaoui, multiple Grand Slam winner today... amazi......
ow.... wait..... :)
@Anaconda43VR I disagree. I think overall, Roddick is a better, smarter player then he was back then. True, he could really bone crush the ball when he was younger, but now, he knows he doesn't have to. He can volley if he wants, he can grind it out if he wants, and he can still hit winners off both sides when he wants.
younes did win some competition one of them master 1000 doha qatar
The only time it made a reappearance was at Wimbledon 2009. He really should have beaten Federer in the final. Then it disappeared again. Shame really.
roddick was super fast here; nadal-like speed
wouldn't you after all the running....
btw... funny to see the picture of federer... like he would sit behind a telly and say ''It's like he's about to vomit'' lols ;)
Sa reste te compétition de valeur
Forehand at 5:32 !
wow... roddick used to kick ass back then..
6:10 might make Fed jealous
wooow how fas was roddick's forehand at 5:31
Its hard to believe a certain frenchmen and a 7ft tall american actually beat this match in time, basically trippling the score and doubling the time! hahaha This is still one of my favorite matches but now it kinda just pales to 70-68...
You've got to be kidding. Isner-Mahut was a fiasco...two huge servers who had ZERO defense. Zero. Zip. Zilch. The only reason they drove up the game score like that is because neither of them could return for shit. Isner, in particular, still has the same strategy...win on serve, lose when receiving, wait for the tie break and then ace his way to the set (and match) victory. Of course, that doesn't work when playing someone who can return well.
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4:06; 6:10 ;7:31 ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
6:57 holy fuck lol
There aren't too many of those.
3.45 El Aynaoui taking the ass of roddick
@TheDragonforces, arazi wasn't bad
He got soft hands, don't he?
3.45
7:55 sounds like he's about to vomit
Bilal elghammad
Roddick has some of the worst footwork on tour. He moves so carefully and stiffly you'd think he was nursing two rolled ankles. Foot-eye coordination is just horrible. If he didn't play like he was on stilts he would have had much better shots to choose from in any given rally.
Nah mate your wrong.
+James McLoad He's just hyperactive.
those daim hot interns ;)
eh a liam
ugh i miss this kind of tennis rafa and fed make it pretty gay