From atptennis.com http://www.atptennis.com/en/newsandscores/news/2004/top10matches_2003.asp With so many outstanding matches in 2003, it was no easy task picking this list. .Here is a look back, in no particular order, at our Top 10 matches of 2003! Andy Roddick vs Younes El Aynaoui (Australian Open) In an epic encounter in the Rod Laver Arena, it took 40 games in a dramatic fifth set before a winner emerged from this drama-infused duel. It was a match for the record books, with the longest fifth set, in terms of games played, since the beginning of the Open Era in 1968. And with a total of 83 games, it was the longest match in number of games at the Australian Open since the tie- break was instituted (for all but the deciding set) in 1971. Roddick fought off a match point at 4-5 in the fifth set before winning 4-6, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 21-19. Roger Federer vs Scott Draper (Cincinnati) Federer saved an astonishing seven match points against Draper in this nail- biter at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati. The recently crowned Wimbledon champion pulled out all the stops in this battle, saving four consecutive match points against the free-swinging Australian veteran at 2-6 down in the third set tie-break, before eventually triumphing 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(10). Albert Costa vs Tommy Robredo (Roland Garros) Costa gave new meaning to the term 'marathon man' at this year's Roland Garros, winning four five-set matches and playing more than 18 hours of tennis through his first five rounds of play. Against Robredo, Costa looked down and out at two sets to love down, but much like he had done in earlier rounds against Sergio Roitman and Nicolas Lapentti,the defending champion mounted a miraculous comeback to win 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. Andy Roddick vs Mardy Fish (Cincinnati) These two close friends and former housemates put on a thrilling display of hard court tennis in the final of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati. Fish earned himself two match points and did not drop his serve throughout the match, but still failed to stop Roddick claiming his second Tennis Masters Series title in as many weeks (after Montreal). Roddick, whose win sent him above Roger Federer at the top of the ATP Champions Race, battled through to win 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(3). Tim Henman vs Sebastian Grosjean (Paris) In front of a raucous Paris crowd, Henman exacted revenge on Grosjean who had beaten him this year on home soil at Queen's and Wimbledon. The Brit clawed his way back from a one set deficit to earn a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win in 2 hours and 22 minutes. Henman continued on to record successive wins over Gustavo Kuerten, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Andrei Pavel in one of the most impressive title runs on the ATP circuit this year. Guillermo Coria vs David Ferrer (Sopot) Coria's 7-5, 6-1 victory in the Idea Prokom Open final in Sopot over David Ferrer capped a remarkable three week stretch for the Argentine, who claimed his third title in as many weeks, without losing a single set in 15 matches. Coria's streak started in Stuttgart where he defeated Tommy Robredo in the final with the loss of just five games, before triumphing in Kitzbuhel the following week with a similarly convincing win in the final over Nicolas Massu. No player had won three titles in three weeks since Thomas Muster in 1996 (Estoril, Barcelona, Monte Carlo). Andy Roddick vs David Nalbandian (US Open) Nalbandian was just one point shy of upsetting Roddick in this blockbuster US Open semifinal. The Argentine dominated the encounter from the outset but failed to close out the match in the third set tie-break, allowing Roddick to set about an enthralling five-set comeback victory. The American showed his true colors at match point down in the third set tie-break, blasting down a 138 mph service winner and never looked back, triumphing 6-7(4), 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-3, 6-1. Andre Agassi vs Fernando Gonzalez (Washington) Big-hitting Gonzalez came from a set and a break down to topple top-seeded Agassi in a dramatic three set encounter in the semifinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington. Gonzalez's comeback looked to be on course as he led 4-2 in the final set but another momentum swing saw Agassi break back to take the match to a decisive third set tie-break. Gonzalez pulled out some blistering winners when it mattered, sealing a classic encounter 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) to deny Agassi the chance to win a sixth Washington crown. Jiri Novak vs Roger Federer (Gstaad) Federer, who was coming off two grass-court title wins in Halle and Wimbledon, looked to be mastering the clay on home soil in Gstaad with consummate ease, as he looked to be headed to a third consecutive title. Novak had other ideas however, ending the Swiss star's 15-match winning streak with a shock 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 marathon win in two hours and 49 minutes. Novak had pulled off a similar upset in the Gstaad 2001 final, when he defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero. Nicolas Lapentti vs Victor Hanescu (Davis Cup World Group Play-Off) Lapentti headed into his match against Hanescu needing a win to keep his country alive in this World Group Play-Off tie in Quito. The No.1 Ecuadorian did just that - and how. To the delight of the home crowd, Lapentti outlasted Hanescu 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-7(5), 7-6(12), 6-3 to take the tie to a decisive fifth rubber. Romania finally edged the tie 7-5 in the fifth set of the fifth rubber to close the curtain on this memorable encounter. All five matches went to five sets and accounted for nearly 20 hours of play at 2,800 meters above sea-level. --

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