20100625

Game, sweat and match




The longest tennis match ever is over.

Twenty more games were played when the match resumed yesterday. John Isner won the historic duel. It is a match for which one hates to see a loser and I certainly feel for Nicolas Mahut. That said, I honestly don't think that whoever has emerged victorious stands a chance for the next round, after being pushed to such physical and mental limits. So, as tennis fans, let's just give full credit to both men for treating us to this high drama they have put up with their unbelieveable fitness and stamina.

The final score was 6-3 3-6 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-3) 70-68. The match, which lasted 11 hours and five minutes and spanning three days, smashed a number of records: the longest match, the longest set, the most games in a set and a match, the most aces in a match and the most aces by a player. In all, 215 aces were served, 112 by Isner and 103 by Mahut.

The number of games played in the final set, at 70-68, is higher than the points in the lowest scoring NBA game! In the match between Bosten and Milwaukee in 1955, the score was 62:57 and merely 119 points were scored.

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