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Wimbledon 2019: Six of the best matches from this year's tournament

The 40th meeting between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal was a highlight.

Simona Halep and Novak Djokovic were the big winners at Wimbledon.

Although the 2019 Championships were not a vintage year until the final few days, there were still some memorable matches.

Here, PA takes a look at six of the best.

Salty beef in the second round

Nick Kyrgios admitted to deliberately trying to hit Rafael Nadal during a rally
Nick Kyrgios admitted to deliberately trying to hit Rafael Nadal during a rally (Adam Davy/PA)

The match between Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal was made so much better by the obvious needle between the two, which has arisen due to a war of words over the last couple of months, including the Australian calling the Spaniard "super salty". There was some outstanding tennis, some gamesmanship, the usual moaning by Kyrgios and almost a flash point when he purposely aimed to hit his opponent with the ball while Nadal was at the net. The 33-year-old let his tennis do the talking, though, and won in four highly competitive sets.

A star is born

Cori Gauff, just 15, won the hearts of Centre Court with a memorable third-round win
Cori Gauff, just 15, won the hearts of Centre Court with a memorable third-round win (Steven Paston/PA)

No one would have expected this third-round encounter to be a standout one, but it was the day a star was born on Centre Court. Cori Gauff had already burst on to the scene with her first-round win over Venus Williams but the 15-year-old won the hearts of the tennis world against Polona Hercog. She saved match points to overcome the big-serving Hercog in three sets and make the second week of Wimbledon in her first ever grand slam.

British hopes dashed in marathon match

Wimbledon 2019 – Day Six – The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Joao Sousa won an epic five-set battle against Dan Evans, having trailed in every set (Adam Davy/PA)

Although Dan Evans said after his defeat to Joao Sousa that it would take him 45 minutes to get over, he cannot have helped having some regret at how his Wimbledon campaign ended. It was a topsy-turvy match that swung both ways and ended up finishing late into the night under the new Court One roof. Evans won the opener and then went a break up in every set, including the decisive fifth, but was eventually reeled in in over four hours by the Portuguese.

Riske business for Williams

Serena Williams was given a scare by Alison Riske in the quarter-finals
Serena Williams was given a scare by Alison Riske in the quarter-finals (Victoria Jones/PA)

Fresh from disposing world number one Ashleigh Barty, Alison Riske had the seven-time winner in her sights next and she came close to pulling off an impressive double. After Williams won the first set, Riske showed why she has such prowess on grass, giving her fellow American the runaround to level. She then had victory in her sights as she broke early in the decisive set, but the 37-year-old showed her champion qualities to reel Riske back in and claim victory.

The greatest showmen renew a rivalry

A rivalry was renewed 11 years on from one of the greatest Wimbledon matches and it did not disappoint
A rivalry was renewed 11 years on from one of the greatest Wimbledon matches and it did not disappoint (Adrian Dennis/PA)

An underwhelming men's tournament was brought to life in the semi-final as the greatest tennis rivalry was renewed. It was the 40th instalment of the Roger Federer and Nadal match-up and the first at Wimbledon since the epic 2008 final. The anticipation for this contest was huge and it did not disappoint. Federer took a tight first set on a tie-break, Nadal hit back by romping to the second, before the Swiss edged the next two to win in four sets. The match, although not as memorable as that final 11 years ago, was littered with some of the best quality tennis of the fortnight.

The longest ever final

History was created as Djokovic and Federer served up a classic final that at four hours and 57 minutes was the longest ever. It was also the first ever singles match at Wimbledon to be decided by a final-set tie-break and it was the Serbian that was victorious. After the first four sets were shared, Djokovic winning both of his on tie-breaks, he had to save two match points at 8-7 in the fifth. At 12-12 no one knew who was going to win, but the 32-year-old claimed his fifth crown at SW19 as the Swiss great wavered.

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Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning the final as he and Switzerland's Roger Federer pose with their trophies on July 14, 2019
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