29/06/2010

Longest Tennis Match in History

JOHN ISNER Wins Longest Match in History!!

Team Tourna-Grip Player John Isner makes history, wins 11 hour Wimbledon match!

The clock stopped at 11 hours, 5 minutes over three days for John Isner to win the longest match in tennis history. He collapsed on the Wimbledon grass and then summoned one last burst of energy, springing to his feet to applaud along with the crowd.

The American hit a backhand winner down the line to win the last of the match's 980 points, and he took the fifth set Thursday against Nicolas Mahut, 70-68.

Within moments after winning the longest match in tennis history, John Isner was reminded by a member of the All-England Club that he was scheduled to play a doubles match 30 minutes later.  "That's kind of a mean joke right now. I don't want to think about that right now, "Isner said in the wake of a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 6-7, 70-68 win over Nicolas Mahut of France on Court 2 at Wimbledon Thursday.

Isner finished with 112 aces, and Mahut had 103, with both totals eclipsing the previous high of 78. There were only 3 service breaks the entire match and the last coming on match point.

The finish attracted an overflow crowd on cozy Court 18. Absent was Queen Elizabeth II, who had already departed the All England Club following her first visit to Wimbledon since 1977. She watched Briton Andy Murray win his match on Centre Court.

Isner won a match that was by far the longest in the sport's history in terms of games or time. The previous longest match took 6 hours, 33 minutes at the 2004 French Open.  "We played the greatest match ever in the greatest place to play tennis," Mahut said shortly after the match.

The 25-year-old Isner is building up quite the endurance resume. Besides being part of the longest match in tennis history, Isner saved 10 set points in a tiebreak in a first-round win over Victor Hanescu at last year's U.S. Open, which turned out to be the longest tiebreak of 2009. His name became mainstream when he defeated top American Andy Roddick two rounds later.

To purchase the Tourna-Grip products please go to http://www.kingswoodleisuredirect.co.uk/

Go back to headlines