59-59! Wimbledon epic smashes records

59-59! Wimbledon epic smashes records

AMERICAN John Isner and Frenchman Nicholas Mahut are deadlocked at Wimbledon in the most incredible, historic and record-breaking match in tennis history.

The first-round match on Court 18 resumed today at two sets all as the second match behind Alicia Molik and Greta Arn.

When play was suspended for the day, the match was tied at 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (3-7) 59-59 after a battle which had ebbed and flowed for exactly 10 hours.

Isner had match point at 59-58 but Mahut fired down an ace to take it back to deuce, before going on to win the game.

At this point - at 9.07pm local time and with the light fading fast - match officials decided to suspend play, although Isner wanted to carry on and spectators yelled "We want more''.

The unfinished final set alone has lasted 7hr 6min.

Isner has served 98 aces and Mahut 95 - easily eclipsing Croat Ivo Karlovic's world record of 78.

It will continue tonight, not before 12.30am (Melbourne time).

"Nothing like this will hever happen again, ever," Isner said as he trudged from the court.

"He's serving fantastic. I'm serving fantastic."

Mahut, who won a match at qualifying last week 24-22 in the third set, said: "He's (Isner) just a champ.

"We're just fighting like we never did before.

"Someone's got to win but we won't know who until tomorrow."

Virtually every record in the book fell.

Mahut saved three match points; Isner looked like he was comatose.

Serving at 32-33, Mahut staved off two match points.

The Frenchman had to wait 101 games into the fifth set alone to create a break point against Isner's massive serve.

The serve has been so dominant, each player has broken serve only once in the match. Mahut had delivered only 21 double faults for the match, Isner an astonishingly low nine.

Roger Federer, watching from the locker-room, lauded both men.

"This is what tennis is all about," he said. "These guys are going to be tired the next day, next week, next month.

"I have almost no words any more watching this.

"It's beyond anything I've ever seen and could imagine.

"I don't know how their bodies must feel. This is incredible tennis. For them to serve the aces they served and stay there mentally is a heroic effort.

"As we know, we have no draws in tennis, so there will be a loser. But I guess in this match, both will be winners because this is just absolutely amazing."

John McEnroe said doctors should have been on standby courtside.

Apart from minor taping to Mahut's racquet hand, neither man required treatment.

When play was called off for the day, 2000 Wimbledon junior Mahut had won 452 points to Isner's 429.

Source: Herald Sun
_________________

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 10:16 am Post subject:

i ended up watching this at 27-27 for a bit and it was enthralling.

they are 2 mentally strong men.

as 118 games could win one player nearly 20 sets of tennis which is a whole championship.

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:51 pm Post subject:

I was reading this earlier, thats fucking crazy
_________________
What are you gonna do, hit him? No, that's a terrible idea, I'll tell you why: it doesn't unbang your mom.