‘From Djokovic vs Nadal to Isner vs Mahut’ The 5 longest Wimbledon matches of all time
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Djokovic vs Nadal to Isner vs Mahut
Wimbledon Open is probably the most iconic event in tennis. The only Grand Slam to be played on grass, it is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. Played on outdoor grass courts in the All England Club in Wimbledon, London. It is a particularly happy hunting ground for Swiss great Roger Federer has won 8 titles, including 5 in a row between 2003 and 2007.
Some absolute classics have been played in this tournament’s rich history and here we take a look at 5 of the longest matches played over the years.
No.5: Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(9), 3-6, 10-8 in 5 hours and 15 minutes, Semi-finals 2018
Every time these 2 exceptional players play, they put on a show and this was a show for the ages. Coming into the semi-finals, both players dropped only 2 sets, and it was all set for a tight match. And tight it was. It had to be contested over 2 days as the 11 pm curfew kicked in. And at the start of the second day, Djokovic was leading 2 sets to 1. Both players had break points in the deciding set with Nadal saving one at 3-4 and Djokovic escaping after being 15-40 in the next game. However, it was Djokovic who had his match point at 8-7 but Nadal saved it with a courageous drop shot. 3 more match points presented themselves and won the match when Nadal pulled a forehand wide at 9-8. Indeed a match for the ages.
No.4: Greg Holmes vs Todd Witsken 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5), 4-6, 14-12 in 5 hours and 28 minutes, Second round 1989
The way this match was contested, one would be forgiven for thinking it was a final, not the second round. The All-American match was contested over the course of 3 days due to bad light and rain. The drama-filled affair came to an end after Greg Holmes won out in a 26 game final set. However, he had to face 16th seed Amos Mansdorf less than 2 hours later in the third round, which an exhausted Holmes lost an hour and 41 minutes.
No.3: Marin Cilic vs Sam Querrey 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-7(2), 17-15 in 5 hours and 31 minutes, Third round 2012
Marin Cilic pulled off a spectacular win against Sam Querrey to advance into the fourth round of the tournament. The Croatian served for the match at 6-5 in the final set but the American dug deep, breaking back to keep his hopes of a quarterfinals appearance alive. At 15-15, both players were locked in a splendid rally and Cilic finally broke the American’s serve, setting up a match point which he would convert and win after 5 and a half hours.
No.2: Kevin Anderson vs John Isner 7-6(6), 6-7(5), 6-7(7), 6-4, 26-24 in 6 hours and 36 minutes, Semi-final 2018
With one semi-final between Nadal and Djokovic, Kevin Anderson and John Isner felt the need to beat that time. And they succeeded, beating that time by about an hour. Both men standing over 6’7 tall, it was a massive match, literally. Both incredible servers and neither being able to break another serves, it was a long match indeed. The final set alone was 2 hours and 51 minutes. In the end, the South African, Kevin Anderson prevailed with the final score being 26-24 to reach the finals to face Novak Djokovic.
No.1: John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3,6, 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 70-68 in 11 hours and 5 minutes, First round 2010
The longest match in Wimbledon or ever for that matter was contested between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut in the opening round of the 2010 Wimbledon Open. Played over a course of 3 days, the first 4 sets took place on the first day with play being suspended due to bad light. The play resumed on the second day and ended with the score being tied at 59 games each. The play resumed on the third
day and finally ended 70-68. The final set was 8 hours and 11 minutes, which on its own beat the previous record. The winner of this match turned out to be John Isner with a score of 70.
With new rules that are going to be implemented from Wimbledon 2022 having a 10 point tiebreak, it is unlikely that the record will ever be eclipsed.
Also Read: Novak Djokovic achieves incredible feat after completing 7 years at the top
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Harini Mahesh
(159 Articles Published)