slimjim
Super Vip
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2008
- Messages
- 91,819
- Reaction score
- 176,609
- Points
- 208
John Isner and Nicolas Mahut tore up the record books as their epic first-round contest at Wimbledon became the longest in tennis history. The match was locked at 59-59 in the final set after 10 hours of play when it was suspended because of bad light.
The decision meant that, incredibly, the contest would go into a third day, having been called off at two sets all on Tuesday for the same reason.
It will resume on Court 18 on Thursday after two other singles matches.
There was no indication of the drama that was about to unfold when Isner and Mahut resumed on Tuesday afternoon locked at two sets all.
But fans quickly crammed into court 18 - capacity 782 - as word spread about the historic contest and every possible vantage point outside was taken.
Meanwhile, over on Centre Court, Venus Williams took just 25 minutes to wrap up the first set against Ekaterina Makarova.
Mahut from France had his first break points of the entire set at 50-50, but Isner, 25, dug deep into his reserves to save both.
The 6ft 9in American had two match points himself at 33-32 and another at 59-58, all of which Mahut managed to fend off.
Prior to that the set's only break chance came with Isner, the number 23 seed, leading 10-9 and a point from victory.
Towards the end, the umpire's voice was going, rallies were collectors' items and the scoreboard was broken because it couldn't cope with the alien numbers.
Just after 2110 BST, Mahut complained that he was having difficulty seeing the ball and the decision was taken to suspend play.
Initially the crowd, desperate to see the match through to its conclusion, booed and chanted "We want more!" but as the players left they were given a huge standing ovation - a fitting tribute to two gladiators.
Isner was out on his feet, although he would have been buoyed with the news from the referee's office that his doubles match with Sam Querrey, scheduled to take place on Court 10 had been cancelled.
While Isner was almost delirious, Mahut, 28, looked remarkably fresh, perhaps boosted by the knowledge he had won a match with Britain's Alex Bogdanovic in qualifying 24-22 in the final set.
Before they headed off for a well-earned rest, the players were grabbed by the BBC's Phil Jones for a final word on an astonishing day.
Mahut said: "We're fighting like we have never done before. We'll come back tomorrow and see who is going to win this match. Everyone wants to see the end."
Isner added: "He's serving fantastic, I'm serving fantsatic. Nothing like this will ever happen again."
Six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, whose earlier second round win over Ilija Bozoljac was eclipsed by events on court 18, added: "I love this! I don't know if I was crying or laughing. It was too much."
(from BBC)
And in contrast we get overpaid primma-donna footballers complaining if they have to play twice in a week !!
Last edited:
