The 16 greatest tennis matches in which cramps drew the drama

1. CHANG’S Underhand Serve and the Moonball Miracle

The 17-year-old Michael Chang breaks Ivan Lendl’s iron will through pure physical agony. Eventually became the youngest winner ever in a Grand Slam tournament.

The match: 1989 French Open, Round of 16; Michael Chang def. Ivan Lendl (4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3).

When it happened: Chang began suffering severe leg cramps at the end of the third set, which intensified throughout the fourth and fifth.

The story: Facing the world No. 1, Chang was so depleted he considered retiring. Instead, he began hitting high “moonballs” to save energy. At 4-3 in the fifth, he famously struck an underhand serve that bewildered Lendl. Standing inches from the service line to return Lendl’s serve at match point, Chang mentally broke the champion to secure a historic upset.

2. The Torture of Shuzo Matsuoka and the Birth of a New Rule

A Japanese star’s agonizing collapse on a New York hardcourt changes tennis law forever.

• The match: 1995 US Open, 1st Round; Petr Korda def. Shuzo Matsuoka (6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 5-5, def.).
• When it happened: Matsuoka collapsed with full-body cramps immediately after hitting a forehand winner in the fourth set.
• The story: Under 1995 rules, medical treatment for cramps was strictly forbidden as they were deemed a “loss of conditioning.” Matsuoka lay screaming for three minutes; if anyone touched him, he would be defaulted. As the umpire issued time violations, the crowd booed the lack of mercy. Matsuoka was eventually defaulted while still immobile, leading to the “Matsuoka Rule” allowing medical timeouts for cramping.
  

3. Pete Sampras: Vomiting, Aces, and Pure Dehydration

The world No. 1 finds a second-serve ace in the midst of a mid-match physical crisis.

• The match: 1996 US Open, Quarterfinal; Pete Sampras def. Alex Corretja (7-6, 5-7, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6).
• When it happened: Sampras began staggering in the fourth set and famously vomited on court during the fifth-set tiebreak. Finally won the tournament.
• The story: Looking like a man who might faint at any second, Sampras leaned on his racket between points like a crutch. In a moment of pure instinct, he fired a 120-mph second-serve ace while visibly shaking. He won the tiebreak 9-7 and was immediately rushed to the locker room for an intravenous drip to treat severe dehydration and muscle failure.
  

4. The 20-Minute Game That Broke Arantxa’s Resolve

Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario engage in a marathon of attrition on Wimbledon Centre Court.

• The match: 1995 Wimbledon, Final; Steffi Graf def. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (4-6, 6-1, 7-5).
• When it happened: The cramping began for Sánchez Vicario during a legendary 20-minute game at 5-5 in the third set.
• The story: The game featured 13 deuces and 32 points. As the rallies extended, Sánchez Vicario’s movement slowed due to muscle fatigue and leg stiffness. After Graf finally secured the break, the Spaniard was physically spent and unable to challenge in the final game. It remains one of the most physically demanding finishes in women’s tennis history.
  

5. Jana Novotná’s Choke an TEARS: A Physical and Mental Tightening

A double-break lead vanishes as the Czech star’s body and mind seize under the pressure.

• The match: 1993 Wimbledon, Final; Steffi Graf def. Jana Novotná (7-6, 1-6, 6-4).
• When it happened: Novotná’s muscles began to tighten at 4-1, 40-30 in the final set.
• The story: Often cited as a psychological “choke,” the collapse was also physical. Novotná’s serve disintegrated – hitting a wild double fault that missed by three feet – as her legs became heavy and her swing shortened from tension-induced cramps. She failed to win another game, ending the match in tears on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent.
  

6. Carlos Alcaraz Forfeits a Game to Survive Djokovic

The young Spaniard’s was supposed to contest Djokovic’s supremacy. His nerves manifest as full-body cramps against the relentless Serb.

• The match: 2023 French Open, Semifinal; Novak Djokovic def. Carlos Alcaraz (6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1).
• When it happened: Alcaraz suffered severe cramps in his right calf and hand at the start of the third set.
• The story: The tension of the “heavyweight” clash caused Alcaraz’s body to lock up. Because medical timeouts were only allowed during changeovers, he chose to forfeit his entire service game at 1-1 to get immediate treatment. His movement never recovered, and he was effectively a “walking target” for the remainder of the match.
  

7. The Chair-Bound Trophy Ceremony in Melbourne

Djokovic and Nadal push the boundaries of human endurance in a six-hour war during the Australian night.

• The match: 2012 Australian Open, Final; Novak Djokovic def. Rafael Nadal (5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5).
• When it happened: Both players suffered severe leg and core cramps throughout the fifth set and immediately after the match.
• The story: After 5 hours and 53 minutes of brutal baseline exchanges, longest Grand Slam final ever, the drama peaked after the final point. During the long trophy ceremony, both champions began to stumble and lean on the net. In an unprecedented move, tournament officials brought out chairs for them to sit on while the speeches were delivered.
  

8. Mary Joe Fernández’s Standing-Still Comeback

Cramping forces a tactical shift that destroys Sabatini’s rhythm in Paris.

• The match: 1993 French Open, Quarterfinal; Mary Joe Fernández def. Gabriela Sabatini (1-6, 7-6, 10-8).
• When it happened: Fernández began cramping in the second set while trailing 1-6, 1-5. The nerves!
• The story: Facing five match points, Fernández could no longer run. She decided to “go for broke,” hitting flat, risky winners from a stationary position. This change in speed and depth completely unnerved Sabatini. Fernández saved the match points, won the tiebreak, and eventually outlasted Sabatini in a 10–8 third-set thriller that lasted over three hours.
  

9. The Marathon Miracle and the MTO Controversy

Carlos Alcaraz battles “full-body” cramps and a fuming Alexander Zverev to reach the brink of history.

The match: 2026 Australian Open, Semifinal; Carlos Alcaraz def. Alexander Zverev (6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5).

When it happened: Alcaraz began seizing up in his quadriceps and groin at 4-4 in the third set, appearing “ginger” and unable to serve at full speed.

The story: In the longest semifinal in Australian Open history (5 hours, 27 minutes), Alcaraz’s physical collapse ignited a firestorm. Leading by two sets, he took a controversial medical timeout for what Zverev loudly labeled as “fucking bullshit” cramps—illegal for treatment under ITF rules unless deemed an injury. Alcaraz visibly suffered through the fourth set, even telling his coach he felt cramps “in the last hair on his head.” Down a break in the fifth, he summoned a “miracle” recovery, breaking Zverev twice late in the set to become the youngest man to reach all four Grand Slam finals.

10. Gasquet’s Elegant Agony Over Andy Roddick

The Frenchman overcomes a history of cramping to out-finesse the American power-server.

• The match: 2007 Wimbledon, Quarterfinal; Richard Gasquet def. Andy Roddick (4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 8-6).
• When it happened: Gasquet began to feel leg fatigue and cramps during the fourth-set tiebreak and throughout the fifth.
• The story: Gasquet was known for “bottling” matches due to fitness, but here he stayed aggressive. As Roddick’s own movement slowed in the fifth set, Gasquet utilized his iconic backhand to hit 93 winners. Despite his physical distress, Gasquet won 8–6 in the final set, marking the greatest comeback of his career.
  

11. Mats Wilander’s Survival of the Fittest

The Swede fights off the “Lendl Grind” in a record-breaking physical duel.

• The match: 1987 US Open, Final; Ivan Lendl def. Mats Wilander (6-7, 6-0, 7-6, 6-4).
• When it happened: Wilander suffered severe leg cramps starting in the third set and had to wait one year to win a third Roland-Garros.
• The story: In a match that lasted 4 hours and 47 minutes – a record at the time – the two engaged in grueling baseline rallies. Wilander’s legs eventually seized, forcing him to serve and volley more frequently than usual. While Lendl appeared fresh enough for another five sets, Wilander’s gritty performance despite the pain remains a benchmark for Open Era stamina.

12. Jannik Sinner: The Roof That Saved a Champion

Melbourne’s extreme heat almost derails the two-time defending champion’s run.

• The match: 2026 Australian Open, 3rd Round; Jannik Sinner def. Eliot Spizzirri (4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4).
• When it happened: Sinner suffered heat-induced cramps in his arms and legs early in the third set.
• The story: In 38°C heat, Sinner was trailing when the Extreme Heat Policy was triggered. The 10-minute suspension to close the roof allowed him to stretch and lower his body temperature. He later admitted he “got lucky” with the timing, as the break allowed his muscles to loosen, turning the tide in his favor.
  

13. The Cousins’ Final and the Podium Fall

Arthur Rinderknech collapses during his cousin’s victory speech in Shanghai.

• The match: 2025 Shanghai Masters, Final; Valentin Vacherot def. Arthur Rinderknech (4–6, 6–3, 6–3).
• When it happened: Rinderknech suffered a physical breakdown in the third set and collapsed during the trophy ceremony.
• The story: In high humidity, the two cousins fought a brutal match. Rinderknech, the favorite, began cramping in the final set. The drama reached a peak during the presentation: as Vacherot gave his speech, Rinderknech’s legs locked up so violently he rolled off the podium, requiring immediate medical intervention on the court.

14. Raphael Collignon’s “One-Legged” Davis Cup Heroics

A young Belgian collapses in Sydney but finds a way to upset the world No. 11.

• The match: 2025 Davis Cup; Raphael Collignon def. Alex de Minaur (6–1, 2–6, 6–4).
• When it happened: Collignon suffered debilitating leg cramps in the first game of the third set.
• The story: Collignon fell to the court and was unable to move. Faced with forfeiting games to get treatment, he chose to play “on one leg.” He shortened every point, hitting aggressive winners and utilizing drop shots to keep de Minaur off balance. His improbable victory sent the Belgian team into a frenzy.
  

15. Marc Rosset’s Altitude Advantage in the Bullring

Jim Courier’s fitness fails him in a hostile, five-set Davis Cup marathon.

• The match: 1992 Davis Cup, Final; Marc Rosset def. Jim Courier (6 -3, 6 -7, 3 -6, 6-4, 6-4).
• When it happened: Courier began cramping in his thighs and calves midway through the fifth set.
• The story: Played in Fort Worth, Texas, the atmosphere was a pressure cooker. Rosset used his 6’7″ frame to serve aces and move the stocky Courier. By the final set, Courier—one of the fittest men on tour—was hobbling between points. Rosset stayed composed, breaking the American late to secure a crucial point for Switzerland.
  

16. Guillermo Vilas: The Speedster Outlasts Năstase

In a pre-conditioning era, Vilas uses sheer stamina to break the “Bucharest Buffoon.”

• The match: 1974 Masters Final; Guillermo Vilas def. Ilie Năstase (7-6, 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4).
• When it happened: Năstase suffered severe cramps in the final set due to Melbourne’s humidity.
• The story: Vilas was a pioneer in tennis fitness, training like a track athlete. Năstase, while more talented, relied on flair. By the fifth set, Năstase’s legs went, and he resorted to trick shots and underhand serves out of desperation. Vilas remained a machine, winning his first major title by simply out-running a legend.