The Longest Tennis Match in Wimbledon History
Wimbledon has produced most interesting encounters of tennis over the years, from the Nadal Federer final of 2008 to the Borg and McEnroe bout of 1980.
However, none of these matches can compare to the first-round singles match on court 18 during 2010, which is recorded as the longest tennis match in Wimbledon history. Look overview in a short about this match;
Hero of this History
28 years American John Isner
33 years French qualifier Nicolas Mahut
Umpire
The witness of this history was, the lucky umpire Mohamed Lahyani.
Hold at
John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played for over 11 hours in 2010 at Wimbledon
Duration
This match went down as the longest match in tennis history. It takes time for clocking in at 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days with the deciding set ending a remarkable 70 games to 68.
Have a look at the lowdown on the match
This historical match started at 6:13 pm on Tuesday 22nd of June in 2010, that took place on the second day of the 2010 Wimbledon championships with 23rd seed, the American John Isner, playing the French qualifier Nicolas Mahut in the first round.
They recorded the first four sets of the match passing without any real incident leaving the score 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7-9), 7-6(7-3) or 2 sets all when the match was halted due to fading light.
Play resumed the next day for the deciding fifth set, which cannot be settled with a tiebreaker in Grand Slam matches (except for the US Open) and is only won when one player leads by two games.
Until Thursday 24th of June, when 67 minutes into the session, this match then became the longest match ever. That time no player able to win two consecutive games, John Isner converted his fifth match point of the match and won the deciding set 70-68.
The match exceeded the existing record by 4 hours and 32 minutes, which had previously been set at the French Open in 2004.
At the End of the Match
Mahut said that, though his loss was “really painful”, the two players took part in the “greatest match ever at the greatest place to play tennis”
“After a long time — not right after the match — I was really proud of myself. I knew I had the ability to fight, but I didn’t prove it before. This was a big difference, between thinking it and being able to do it.”
He published his book as a co-write based on the documents his experience on this match in 2011. The book named as “Le Match De Ma Vie” (The Match of My Life).
Isner said that “Nothing like this will ever happen again-ever” and that it “stinks” that one of them had to lose.
Also said, “Nicolas is such an incredible guy — a class act,” Isner told CNN at Queen’s Club, where he lost in the quarterfinals.”This match will live on forever. In the year 2200, people will still be talking about it.”
“People know me for playing in that match more so than winning the match, so I like to think the same goes for him. I may have come out on top on the scoreboard but there was no loser that day — or for the three days,” added the American.
Comments of Mass Communication Media
After this longest match, that place in tennis history, social media, newspaper and all sorts of communication media expressed their opinion.
- Many news published their historical moment through photo headlined as ‘unlucky loser’ to the winner to Nicolas Mahut.
- Journalist John McEnroe, described it as the “greatest ever advertisement we’ve had for the sport”, whilst Novak Djokovic mentioned how everyone was watching it “in the locker rooms” and how “both of them are winners”