Isner–Mahut match at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships

John Isner against Nicolas Mahut was a Erstrundenbegegnung the Tennis Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon in 2010. The match began on 22 June and went on for three days. With a total length of 11 hours and 5 minutes of actual playtime it is the longest by far encounter in tennis history. The final result was 6:4, 3:6, 6:7 ( 7:9 ) 7:6 (7:3) and 70:68 for Isner.

The Players

The then 25 -year-old American John Isner started as to number 23 seeded player in the tournament, his world ranking was No. 19 from three years older Frenchman Nicolas Mahut started as 149th in the world rankings and first had in qualifying, where he against Frank Dancevic ( 6:3, 6:0 ), Alex Bogdanovic ( 3:6, 6:3, 24:22 ) and Stefan Koubek ( 6:7 ( 8:10 ), 3:6, 6:3, 6: 4, 6-4 ) prevailed.

In 2000, Mahut won the boys tournament at Wimbledon. In the final he beat Mario Ančić. Mahuts best Wimbledon result in the pros was reaching the third round in 2006. Isner had failed always in the first round.

Both players, especially the 2.06 meter tall Isner, were already ahead of the game as strong Aufschläger what particularly in the fifth sentence should be a major factor for the duration of the match. The hitherto only meeting of the two had Mahut in 2008 at the grass tournament at London's Queen's Club with 7:5 and 6:4 decide for themselves.

Course

The match began on 22 June 2010 at 18:08 BST clock on one of the smallest courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the Court 18, which provides 782 spectators, and was canceled at 21:07 clock due to darkness. At the time Isner and Mahut had won in a very balanced game ever two sets, of which every one in the tie-break. Until then played, 174 minutes. The match was continued on June 23 at 14:05 clock on the same court. The fifth movement was not with the score at 6-6 in the tie-break; Rather, the usual at this tournament rule was applied, that is played in this crucial set until one of the players has two games ahead. At the score of 10:9 and 33:32 Isner had the first match points, but Mahut managed to ward. At 17:45 clock the previous record of the longest tennis match was set. At the score of 47:47 failed the electronic scoreboard. 21:13 clock the match was interrupted after 10 hours of play time with the score at 59:59 for the second time due to darkness after Mahut had immediately before again parried a match.

Accompanied by a huge media and spectator interest the match was continued on June 24, 15:43 Clock. Since a match according to the ITF Rules of Tennis must be played on the course on which it was started to end, as if there had been no break, the game could not be moved to a bigger place. In the first service game after continuing John Isner hit his 100th ace in the match, with the score at 62:61 succeeded the same also Mahut. In the 20th game after the restart Isner finally succeeded in the first break in the fifth set to 70:68 and thus to victory.

Records (selection)

  • Longest tennis match in history (11 hours 5 minutes). The previous record was 6 hours 33 minutes, set up by Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clement at the French Open in 2004, also a first-round match.
  • The longest sentence (491 minutes thus longer than the previous longest match ). Previous record: Andy Roddick against Younes El Aynaoui 21:19 ( 4:6, 7:6, 4:6, 6:4, 21:19 ) at the Australian Open 2003 (143 minutes).
  • Most games in a match (183). In 1969, Pancho Gonzales at Wimbledon Charlie Pasarell (then without tie-break ) 22:24, 1:6, 16:14, 6:3, 11:9 beaten (112 games).
  • Most aces by a player in a match ( John Isner 112, Mahut Nicolas 103). Previous record carrier was Ivo Karlović with 78 aces in 2009 in the Davis Cup against Radek Stepanek.

Reactions

By the evening of June 23 the match on the grounds of the tournament was also prominent players conversation pieces. Novak Djokovic said: "I am amazed that both were able to keep their serve throughout the day so constant. It's amazing, you have to take your hat off to both " The seven-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer commented Isner's play during the game as follows: ". John [ Isner ] barely moves anymore, but is still capable of good spreads to bring, if he has to. I do not remember if I cried or laughed. It was too much for me, " He continued:". This is something I 've never experienced. One will lose, but in this match both winners will be. "

In an interview right after the match Isner stated that it was annoying that it even had to be a loser. Mahut Isner designated as a deserved winner.

The international press gave the game with numerous superlatives. The French sports newspaper L' Équipe spoke of a " historic moment ". The Spanish Marca saw Isner as the winner of the "game of World Records ". The German magazine Focus saw reference to the concurrent FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa, even the " tennis god" on " King Football " triumph - " at least for a few hours ."

Awards

The organizers of the tournament honoring both players and the chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani after the match with a short, launched award. The awards were presented by Ann Haydon -Jones and Tim Henman.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame took the bat the two rivals into their museum collection.

Another tournament and meeting one year later

In the second round, Isner hit the 21 -year-old Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker, himself an unusually long first round match - 4 hours and 6 minutes - had played against Colombian Santiago Giraldo ( 6:7, 6:4, 6:3, 5: 7 and 16:14). Isner defeated with 0:6, 3:6 and 2:6. The match lasted 74 minutes and was the shortest so far in the tournament. The first set lasted only 16 minutes. Isner hit during this game not a single ace

A year later, Isner and Mahut met each other again in the first round of the Wimbledon tournament, what came across a wide media coverage. Also, this game could Isner - this time in three sets - 7:6 ( 7:4 ), 6:2 and 7:6 decide ( 8:6 ) for themselves.

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