Isner closes out an epic, 70-68

TENNIS: JOHNNY WATTERSONwatched two prizefighters delivered back to the ring to complete an extraordinary heavyweight encounter

LIKE TWO prizefighters being ushered back into the ring, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, escorted by eight security guards, were delivered just after 3.30pm to the court that had distracted Wimbledon for the third day.

Forget Rafa Nadal, Andy Murray and the Queen on Centre Court. Her majesty may well stay away for another 33 years but no one will ever see an 11-hour and five minutes tennis match again, one Isner finally closed out 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(7), 6-7(3), 68-70.

“It won’t happen again, not even going to go close,” he said afterwards.

Even the big screen on Henman Hill had the two tennis pugilists playing their big punching game, both of them on something of a voyage of discovery in a first round meeting that dramatically evolved into a contest of unbreakable wills, the longest match in history and the biggest Wimbledon spectacle in years.

The 6ft 9in Isner appeared like a heavyweight who had taken on one fight too many, his movement more laboured than the sprightly summer breeze on the other side of the net.

But as it inched forward on Wednesday in fading light so too did the pair continue with a similar beat yesterday. If ever there was one, this was Groundhog Day.

Isner thundered down his 100th ace to win the first game and led 60-59 in the fifth set.

The crowd, intuitively knowing this was going much further, dug in and watched as the scoreboard ticked over, some hoping it would reach 100 games and cause the electronics to melt down as it had done already.

It had moved beyond a match and into the absurd Guinness Book of Records zone.

The world’s fattest man. The biggest ship on the planet. The world’s oldest llama. The longest tennis match in a major ever.

“Twenty four hours,” shouted a fan in encouragement, which drew a wry smile from umpire Mohamed Lahyani.

Over 10 hours had passed and with the match resuming at 59-59 in the final set, it was a case of who would blink first.

Isner had the advantage there as he was first to serve, ensuring Mahut always had to hold his service game to stay in the match.

In that final 138-game set he held serve 65 times to stay in contention.

But it was the Frenchman who momentarily dipped and at 69-68 found himself 30-40 down on serve and facing a match point.

It was the “look” Isner had been waiting for. He returned what would be Mahut’s final delivery. But Mahut put Isner to the back of the court and raced to the net only to watch as the American passed him, the ball falling well into the back court for 70-68 and the match.

Relieved, 25-year-old Isner fell to the ground as though he had won the final. Mahut stood eviscerated and ran his fingers through his hair. Isner now moves to the second round today to face Thiemo de Bakker, the Dutchman ranked 49th in the world.

“It stinks someone had to lose,” he said afterwards. “I’ll see him somewhere down the road and it won’t be 70-68.”

Isner totalled 112 aces, a record. The 491-minute fifth set provided 84 of those, which broke the previous match record of 51 aces in a match. Mahut delivered 103 aces, 77 in the fifth set and also smashed previous records.

“I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be anything like yesterday,” said Isner. “We both served very well. But even in that case you can’t imagine it going past 20 all. Maybe it was meant to be.” And that is the only rational explanation.

Here is the longest ever tennis match in numbers:

16,000 — estimated calories burned by the two players combined

138 — games in deciding set

112 — Isner aces

103 — Mahut aces

11 — hours of play on Court 18:

3 — days to complete the match

2 — toilet breaks by the players