Monday Milestone: And They Played On
This Week in History:
2010, June 24
American John Isner, and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut complete the longest match at a grand slam in professional tennis
‘He’s serving fantastic, I’m serving fantastic, that’s all there is to it’
– A humble John Isner, after light stopped play for the second straight day at 59-59
We associate many things with Wimbledon: the all-white attire; the lightning-fast grass surface; the strawberries and cream; the tradition.
After 130 years of Gentlemen’s Singles at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, patrons were entitled to believe that they had seen it all. But then, of course, like many quirks of sporting history, in 2010 Wimbledon threw up something altogether different…
The Milestone heads to Court 18 that year, for an otherwise innocuous first round match. Other than die-hard enthusiasts, (and probably his family), few had heard of American John Isner despite his status as the twenty-third seed. Surely even fewer knew anything of French qualifier Nicolas Mahut, so when they took to the court on the first Tuesday evening during the Wimbledon Championships, it was just a regular match on a backwater court, one that nobody really cared about, even when they were locked in an entertaining match at two sets all, and bad light prevailed. These two were told they would resume the following day, and play on.
When they returned on the Wednesday, they entered the record books. As they played on, the legend grew. Like most of the Grand Slams, with no tie-break at 6-6 in the deciding set they played on. And on. They traded games, with neither able to secure a break of serve.
By 5:45pm that afternoon, they were officially embroiled in the longest ever match, eclipsing the 6 hour 33 minute record. Yet still they played on. At 47-47 the scoreboard malfunctioned. Yet still they played on. At 59-59, with the crowd chanting ‘We want more’ this extraordinary match was forced, once again to succumb to bad light. They would enter an incredible third day, and play on.
Returning that Thursday, it was evident the match had long transcended heroism, but still they required a winner, and so they played on. Despite the courage, the fortitude, the resolution, they were unable to secure a break and still they played on.
News of this remarkable match had reached Buckingham Palace, and what ought to have been an ordinary first round match, actually prompted the Queen to make her first visit to the Championships in some 33 years.
No one will ever know if it was fatigue, or sheer inevitability that finally produced a break of serve before John Isner took the ball, and served out the match. He was victorious 70-68 in the final set. Anyone who has ever cared about tennis (or sport in general) knew that Nicolas Mahut, whilst ultimately defeated, had not lost.
The match had lasted eleven hours, and five minutes. Between them, they had played 183 games, served 216 aces between them, and come to the net some 299 times. Combined they had played 980 points (of which Mahut actually won more), made 91 unforced errors, and blasted a remarkable 490 winners. Exceptional tennis from two extraordinary men…
There is plenty we have associated with the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club through the years, but now we also have the most epic encounter between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, entrenched in Wimbledon folklore, where arguably it will continue to play on for some time.
Milestone Five: Longest recorded Grand Slam matches in history
- 3rd round, French Open 1998 – 5 hours 31 minutes – Spanish player Alex Corretja defeats Argentinian Hernan Gumy 6-1, 5-7, 6-7, 7-5, 9-7.
- 2nd round French Open 2012 – 5 hours 41 minutes – Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu defeats American John Isner 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 18-16 in another incredible epic Isner match.
- Final Australian Open 2012 – 5 hours, 53 minutes – Serbian Novak Djokovic defeats Spaniard Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 in one of the all-time incredible finals.
- 1st round French Open 2004 – 6 hours, 33 minutes – Frenchman Fabrice Santoro defeats countryman Arnaud Clement, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14.
- 1st round Wimbledon 2010 – 11 hours, 5 minutes – American John Isner defeats Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68 over three days.
With thanks to Hamish Blair/Getty Images Europe for the picture
