June 24, 2010: Isner and Mahut serve up the longest tennis match ever at a weary Wimbledon - BT June 24, 2010: Isner and Mahut serve up the longest tennis match ever at a weary Wimbledon After 11 hours, five minutes, 183 games, 216 aces, 980 points and a fifth set spread over three days, Wimbledon’s longest ever tennis match finally had a winner… Print this story American John Isner and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, who had already comfortably broken the record for the longest professional tennis match in history, finally ended their mammoth contest after a total of 11 hours and five minutes on this day in 2010. The 6’9” Isner, who hit a total of 112 aces during the course of the match – itself a world record – finally prevailed to take the first round tie 6-4 3-6 6-7 7-6 70-68, sending a passing shot by Mahut’s forehand to win the gruelling encounter. The match had started two days earlier.

Play had been suspended before the start of the fifth and final set – which, as in three of the four grand slam tournaments, is played without going to a tie-break - due to fading light. Play resumed at 2.05pm the following day; by 5.45pm the record for longest match had been broken. The light faded again, and so play was suspended at 9.09pm – despite the crowd’s chants of “We want more! We want more!” - with the final set tied at 59 games all. Neither man had slept more than a few hours the night before their third day of play began at 3.40pm. Court 18 had rarely been so packed, or so full of anticipation, as the match continued with both holding their service until the set’s 138th game. At 15-15 Mahut netted a straightforward drop shot with Isner behind the baseline, seemingly at his mercy. The American took full advantage with two forehand passes to seal an epic triumph on his fifth match point, at 4.47pm.

In recognition of their record-breaking efforts the weary players were honoured with crystal bowl and champagne flutes by the All England Club. Though defeated, Mahut remained gracious, saying: "It was really an honour to play the greatest match ever at the greatest place for tennis.” Do you remember the Isner-Mahut marathon match? Do you think a fifth set tie-break should be introduced at Wimbledon? Let us know in the Comments section below. The Longest Match – Did you know? Mahut was a qualifier for Wimbledon 2010 – he had already played and won three matches before the epic first round tie with Isner, including a victory over Alex Bogdanovic that had included a set of 46 games. The court 18 scoreboard was tested to the limit by the length of the match; it stuck while registering the score as 47-47 in the final set, then later went dark. Both players were having to cope with cramping by the end of the second day’s play, and both would have ice baths after leaving court. Isner reported that he was so hungry, he could have “eaten 12 Big Macs”.

The match was four hours and 32 minutes longer than the previous longest-ever match, the first round tie between Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clément at the 2004 French Open. That had lasted six hours and 33 minutes. The tie also broke records for the longest set, most games in a set (138), most games in a match (183), total aces served (216 including 103 by the defeated Mahut), most points won in a match by one player (Mahut's 491 edging Isner's 489), and most points played overall (980). When Serena Williams had won the Wimbledon singles title in 2009, she spent less time on court in the whole tournament that Isner and Mahut did in this single match. Poor Mahut had to go back on court to commence his doubles match partnering Arnaud Clément later that day. The following day, Isner lost to Thiemo De Bakker 0–6, 3–6, 2–6 in 74 minutes - the shortest men's match in the tournament to that point – and failed to serve a single ace.

On the next two occasions Isner and Mahut met, both in 2011 (including once again in the first round of that year’s Wimbledon), the American won in straight sets. A plaque entitled ‘The Longest Match’ now hangs outside Court 18 and bears the score and duration of the encounter. World’s longest professional tennis match – Wimbledon 2010 | Tennis Noise World’s longest professional tennis match – Wimbledon 2010 Posted on June 24, 2010 | Leave a comment The 2010 Wimbledon marathon finally ended when John Isner hit a backhand that flew past an exhausted Nicolas Mahut, ending the 11-hour, 5-minute match in the American’s favor at — deep breath — 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), 70-68. The epic clash between Isner and Mahut was just a first round match! We now have the world’s longest official tennis match. This occured over a three day period of 22–24 June 2010.

The fifth set was the longest set in history as determined by both duration and number of games (8 hours 11 minutes, 138 games); the set itself would have broken the duration (previous record: 6 hours 33 minutes)[4] and number of games (previous record: 112 games (singles), 122 games (doubles))[4] records of whole matches. Other records they broke – Most games in match ever: 183 games over three days Most games in a single day: The first 118 games of the fifth set of Mahut-Isner match, played on 23 June 2010 Longest play in a single day: The first 118 games of the fifth set of the 2010 Mahut-Isner match were played on its second day—23 June and lasted 7 hours and 6 minutes.

Mens – Longest singles match by time played and number of games: In 2010, John Isner took 183 games to defeat Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 70-68 in 11 hours and 5 minutes of play time in the first round. John Isner Nicolas Mahut pose after the longest tennis match - Wimbledon 2010 No matter what John Isner and Nicolas Mahut accomplish moving forward, no matter tournaments won, wives married, divorced, or lives saved, they will be remembered more for one monumental match — the longest one recorded in professional tennis. One that started Tuesday, continued Wednesday, and ended Thursday after 182 games that lasted 11 hours 5 minutes. “I got a little bit tired,” Isner said afterward, his sense of humor firmly intact. After deconstructing Jarkko Nieminen in front of Queen Elizabeth II on Centre Court, Andy Murray saw Isner and Mahut in the locker room. Isner looked normal, Murray said.

But it was Mahut who warmed up by running on a treadmill, as if the 118 games on Wednesday had not sapped his strength. (Seriously, warming up?) “The guy is an absolute warrior,” Isner said of Mahut. “This is something we’ll share forever.” When Isner left Wednesday night, he said he felt as if the match had become a dream, and he expected to wake Thursday to reality. Instead, he resumed the longest match in tennis history, a dream in its own right, and won it. I doubt this will ever br broken in the next 20 years. Like this: John Isner Outlasts Nicolas Mahut in Record-Breaking Marathon Tennis Match John Isner Outlasts Nicolas Mahut in Record-Breaking Marathon Tennis Match by Staff | June 24th, 2010, 1:28 pm Tweet 11 Comments American John Isner’s 64 36 67(7) 76(3) 70-68 first round defeat of Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon set the record for the longest ever tennis match in history in terms of number of games and duration.

“The guy’s an absolute warrior,” Isner said afterward during an on-court ceremony which featured Tim Henman and Anne Jones. “It stinks someone had to lose. To share this with him was an absolute honor. Maybe we’ll meet again somewhere down the road and it won’t be 70-68.” According to ITF and Wimbledon records, the match stretched over three days: it began at 18:08 local time on Tuesday, and was suspended overnight at 21:03 at two-sets all; resumed at 14:07 at the start of the fifth set on Wednesday, and was suspended again at 21:10 on Wednesday evening with the score at 64 36 67 76 59-59; resumed at 15:42 on Thursday and was completed at 16:48. The match lasted 11 hours 5 minutes and totalled 183 games. The final set alone lasted 8 hours 11 minutes.

In comparison, the fewest games played through seven rounds to win a Grand Slam Open Era men’s singles title is 147, by Guillermo Vilas at the 1977 US Open. On Wednesday, Isner missed four match points in the fifth set, one at 10-9, two at 33-32, and one at 59-58. There were 168 consecutive service holds; until the final game, the last break of serve had been in the second game of the second set when Isner was broken at 0-1. The two also combined for a record 215 aces. Isner finished with 112 and Mahut 105, both easily besting Ivo Karlovic’s previous best mark of 78. “John deserved to win,” Mahut said. “He served unbelievable, he’s a champion. It was really an honour to play the greatest match ever at the greatest place for tennis. It was very long but I think we both enjoyed it.” Isner is still schedule to play doubles with good friend Sam Querrey later Thursday.

Isner will be back in singles for his delayed second round match on Friday against Thiemo De Bakker who himself with 16-14 in the fifth to win yesterday. The winner of that match will have to play their third round on Saturday. You Might Like: WIMBLEDON 2010: Marathon match ends at the eleventh hour as John Isner finally gets the better of Nicolas Mahut | Daily Mail Online WIMBLEDON 2010: Marathon match ends at the eleventh hour as John Isner finally gets the better of Nicolas Mahut comments Finally, after 11 hours and five minutes, 183 games and 980 points, we had a winner. John Isner fell flat on his back after beating Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68 in the longest professional tennis match in history. As the 6ft 9in American said, their record will never be beaten.

Isner will always have a special bond with Mahut, the Frenchman to whom he had never said more than 'five words' before their battle began shortly after 6pm on Monday night. Three days later, at 4.45pm yesterday, Isner was declared the winner. [caption] VIDEO: Marathon match finally finishes... 'I guess it's something Nic and I will share for ever,' Isner said. 'This one's obviously going to stick with me, probably for the rest of my life. It's better than a dream because you can't even dream of something like this. You can dream of winning a match 22‑20, maybe 34‑32, but not 70‑68. In the back of my mind was, as I'm sure it was with him: "I don't want to be on the losing side of this".' FOR THE RECORD Isner served 112 aces, Mahut 103, both more than double the previous record of 51, set by Ivo Karlovic. Umpire Mohamed Lahyani said ‘new balls, please’ 19 times.

20 sets, or 120 balls, were used during the match. The ball boys and girls changed every 75 minutes, so nine teams were used during the clash. The match lasted 11hr, 5min, 1hr 21mins longer than it took Serena Williams to progress through six rounds last year. Mahut earned £11,250, or £16.92 a minute. Isner picks up £18,750 if he loses his second round match. Isner's coach, Craig Boynton, had joked the 25-year-old was fit enough to 'play for 10 hours' after completing intensive fitness training in the run-up to Wimbledon. He was right. The world No 19 admitted he had felt 'completely delirious' when the match was suspended at 59-59 at 9.10pm on Wednesday night. But an ice bath, an energy drink, pasta, a takeaway - pizza, chicken and mash potatoes provided by three-time finalist Andy Roddick - and four hours' sleep was enough to see him through.

The pair returned to Court 18 at 3.30pm, with Isner sporting the same white T-shirt in which he started the match, and it took 65 more minutes to separate them. The American had spurned four match points the previous day but, when Mahut put a forehand volley into the net to go 15-30 down, Isner smelt blood. A forehand winner set up his fifth match point and, despite serving to stay in the match a heroic 64 times, Mahut was finally broken. [caption] The 28-year-old was as composed in defeat as in his play. The All England Club ignored his desperate pleas to get off court by staging a cringe-worthy presentation in which the players received 10-inch Tipperary crystal bowls, which will be engraved, and six Waterford crystal Wimbledon champagne flutes from Ann Jones and Tim Henman. After such an epic encounter, it was little wonder Mahut covered his head with a towel and tried to find the exit, but he said: 'At this moment I'm just really thankful. It was amazing today. [caption] 'John deserved to win. He served unbelievably; he's a champion.

It really was an honour to play the greatest match ever at the greatest place for tennis.' Remarkably for a man who had played 130 games and three matches before he even reached the first round, the Frenchman went on to play doubles with Arnaud Clement last night. Isner, also entered in the doubles with Sam Querrey, prepared for his second round match against Dutchman Thiemmo de Bakker. Umpire Mohamed Lahyani was also presented with a Wimbledon tie and silver cufflinks. The 44-year-old said: 'It has been amazing. I can't imagine seeing another match like it. When every point feels like a match point you just don't even think about eating or needing the bathroom. I travel economy. Seven hours sitting still on court is nothing.' This match captured the imagination. 'Not often do I steal the show from a guy like Roger Federer,' said Isner.

'But I think I did yesterday.' john isner | Tennis Noise Tennis Noise Posted on June 24, 2010 | Leave a comment The 2010 Wimbledon marathon finally ended when John Isner hit a backhand that flew past an exhausted Nicolas Mahut, ending the 11-hour, 5-minute match in the American’s favor at — deep breath — 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), 70-68. The epic clash between Isner and Mahut was just a first round match! We now have the world’s longest official tennis match. This occured over a three day period of 22–24 June 2010. The fifth set was the longest set in history as determined by both duration and number of games (8 hours 11 minutes, 138 games); the set itself would have broken the duration (previous record: 6 hours 33 minutes)[4] and number of games (previous record: 112 games (singles), 122 games (doubles))[4] records of whole matches.

Other records they broke – Most games in match ever: 183 games over three days Most games in a single day: The first 118 games of the fifth set of Mahut-Isner match, played on 23 June 2010 Longest play in a single day: The first 118 games of the fifth set of the 2010 Mahut-Isner match were played on its second day—23 June and lasted 7 hours and 6 minutes. Mens – Longest singles match by time played and number of games: In 2010, John Isner took 183 games to defeat Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 70-68 in 11 hours and 5 minutes of play time in the first round.

John Isner Nicolas Mahut pose after the longest tennis match - Wimbledon 2010 No matter what John Isner and Nicolas Mahut accomplish moving forward, no matter tournaments won, wives married, divorced, or lives saved, they will be remembered Continue reading → Posted on September 6, 2009 | 1 comment What an insane match. This helped show that American still has some great tennis talent and can gring out an enexpected historical matchup between these 2 Americans that can serve easily over 125 mpy consistently. You see John Isner defeated Andy Roddick, 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 7-6. So far, It’s the biggest upset so far in the men’s draw with the #5 mens seed now out. Isner beat Roddick at his own game, tallying 38 aces and winning two tiebreaks to advance, marking the farthest he has ever lasted in a Grand Slam. “This is hands down the biggest win of my career,” Isner said after the match. “The hair was kinda standing up on the back of my neck at some points. But I never panicked.

I knew I had a shot.” Indeed. Here’s the final tiebraker in the 5th set of this insane match. In the biggest match of Isner’s young career, the lanky 24-year-old didn’t shrink on the biggest of stages. “We were waiting around in the locker room forever. But I actually kind of enjoyed that. I figured if I had a decently long match with Andy, it would kind of end at nighttime. I wanted that atmosphere,” said Isner. Continue reading → Never Ending: The Five Longest Games in Sports History | Bleacher Report Never Ending: The Five Longest Games in Sports History Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow 45.6K 2 Comments On June 24, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut finally finished the longest match in tennis history. Their match lasted three days and over 11 hours. The first four sets looked like any typical tennis match, but the fifth set put this game in the record books. Isner finally beat Mahut 70-68. This match made me think about the longest games in sports history and where Isner vs. Mahut stands in the record books.

On the next slides are five of the longest games in sports history. Some of these are obvious to the average sports fan, and others will be very surprising. Let's begin! Next » Baseball: Pawtucket Red Sox vs. Rochester Red Wings On April 18, 1981, the Pawtucket Red Sox played the Rochester Red Wings at the Red Sox stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The game began at 7:00 pm and lasted 32 innings until 4:07 am. After 32 innings, the game was stopped and resumed two months later. When the game was resumed, it only took the Pawtucket Red Sox one more inning to win the game. In the bottom of the 33rd inning, Dave Koza drove in Marty Barrett to score the winning run. Pawtucket won 3-2. This game broke many records in professional baseball. Besides being the longest game ever played (33 innings, eight hours and 23 minutes), this game set the record for total strikeouts (60), total at-bats (219), and at-bats by one player in a game (14).

In addition, this game featured Cal Ripken and Wade Boggs, two future Hall of Fame players. There will never be another game like this in the history of professional baseball. Next » Hockey: Montreal Maroons vs. Detroit Red Wings On March 24, 1936, the Detroit Red Wings played the Montreal Maroons in the semifinal round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the first game of the series, the score was tied at zero leading into overtime. In the playoffs, hockey games cannot end in a tie, so the teams have to play until there is a winner. In the case of the Maroons and Red Wings, they had to play for a whopping six overtimes. Their game lasted over 176 minutes, almost three times a regulation hockey game. It finally ended when Detroit's Mud Bruneteau scored the game's only goal in the 177th minute. Next » Football: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins On Christmas Day, 1971, the Kansas City Chiefs played the Miami Dolphins in the longest game in NFL History. The game was also the first round of the AFC divisional playoff. At the end of regulation, the score was tied at 24.

The Chiefs had the chance to score a game-winning field goal with 35 seconds remaining, but the team's kicker, Jan Stenerud, missed the posts. The first overtime ended scoreless. In the second overtime, the Dolphin kicker, Garo Yepremian, scored a field goal with 7:20 remaining on the clock. It had finally ended with a 27-24 victory for the Dolphins. Overall, the game lasted for 82 minutes and 40 seconds, seven minutes longer than any other NFL game played. Tennis: Nicolas Mahut vs. John Isner Tennis fans witnessed perhaps the greatest match in tennis history at the 2010 Wimbledon. In the first round of the tournament, John Isner played Nicolas Mahut. The first four sets of the match were like any other—6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), and 7-6 (3)—but the fifth set is where history was made. After the fifth set was suspended twice, Isner finally beat Mahut 70-68 on the 980th point of the match. The fifth set alone lasted well over eight hours.

The previous longest tennis match was six-and-a-half hours, four-and-a-half hours shorter than Isner vs. Mahut. Over the course of the match, Isner finished with 112 aces, and Mahut had 103 of his own. Both men broke the previous record for aces in a match, which was 73. Although Isner will be moving on and Mahut won't, both of these players will go down in history not only for the length of their match, but also for the grit and determination they showed throughout. Longest Pro Tennis Match Ever | Scholastic News Online | Scholastic.com Scholastic News Online Scholastic News Online is a free resource with breaking news and highlights from the print magazine. Available for grades 1-6, Scholastic News magazine brings high-interest current events and nonfiction to millions of classrooms each week. Additionally, our subscribers have FREE access to Scholastic News Interactive, an exclusive online learning tool featuring digital editions, videos, interactive features, differentiated articles, and much more.

John Isner celebrates his victory over Nicolas Mahut in their record-breaking match during the 2010 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Club in Wimbledon, England, Thursday June 24, 2010. (Photo: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters/AP Images) Longest Pro Tennis Match Ever American John Isner finally defeats Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in a three-day tennis marathon at Wimbledon EMAIL John Isner and Nicolas Mahut greet each other after competing in the the longest tennis match in history at the All England Club in Wimbledon, England, Thursday, June 24, 2010. (Photo: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters/AP Images) The longest professional tennis match in history finally came to an end on Thursday. It took three days for American John Isner to beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in the first round of play at the Wimbledon tennis tournament just outside London, England. The two players volleyed back and forth for more than 11 hours. When Isner won the epic match, he fell to the ground and threw his hands and feet in the air. Then the fierce opponents hugged at the net, and Mahut went to his seat and covered his head with a towel.

"I am a little bit tired," Isner told reporters right after he won. "When you play a match like this with an atmosphere like this, you don't feel tired. This crowd was fantastic.” Isner praised his rival too. "The guy [Mahut] is an absolute warrior," he said. "I want to share this day with him, it was an absolute honor." The Match That Would Never End—Day One The match began on Tuesday afternoon. The players were quite evenly matched, each winning enough games to take two sets apiece. A game is completed when one side wins four points with a two-point lead. The first to win six or seven games with a two-game lead wins a set. Men at major tournaments like Wimbledon and the U.S. Open must win three sets to win a match. Wimbledon does not have a tiebreaker for the fifth set—that set must be won by at least two games. Play had to be suspended for darkness before the fifth set began on Tuesday evening. The All England Club, where Wimbledon is played, does not have nighttime lighting. Day Two On Wednesday, Isner and Mahut started the fifth set. Both served with great consistency and force. Many longstanding tennis records were broken during the fifth set.

Both Isner and Mahut broke the record for number of aces scored in one match. (An ace is a serve that lands in the serving box and that the receiver is unable to touch.) The match broke the records for longest set, longest match, most games in a set, and most games in a match. Before Isner-Mahut's meeting, the longest match on record lasted six hours and 33 minutes, and took place at the French Open in 2004. As the match continued into Wednesday evening, many were worried for the players' health. When play was once again suspended for darkness, the two had battled for a total of 10 hours over two days. But the score was still locked at 59-59, so Isner and Mahut departed the court to rest up for day three of "the match that would never end." Day Three On Thursday afternoon, the dedicated crowd cheered the duo on as they stepped onto Wimbledon's Court 18 to continue the fifth set. Both Isner and Mahut's serves were still surprisingly strong. But after an hour of play, Mahut hit the ball into the net twice, giving Isner the opportunity to score the final match point.

Isner got a backhand shot past Mahut to win the fifth set, 70-68. "We played the greatest match ever, in the greatest place to play tennis," Mahut told The Washington Post. "I thought he would make a mistake. I waited for that moment, and it never came." All for One Match Isner apparently gave all that he had to give in his historic match against Mahut, however. During his second round match against Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands on Friday, Isner was exhausted and suffering from a sore neck. He lost in just 74 minutes. Get the latest on national and international events, movies, television, music, sports, and more from Scholastic News Online . Rematch: Isner needs 2 hours, 3 sets to beat Mahut Rematch: Isner needs 2 hours, 3 sets to beat Mahut HOWARD FENDRICH - AP Tennis Writer Share View photos John Isner of the US returns a shot to France's Nicolas Mahut during their first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Tuesday, June 21, 2011.

(AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus) More WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — The rematch of the longest match in tennis history certainly was a lot shorter. A year after needing 11 hours, 5 minutes spread over three days to finish a match that ended 70-68 in the fifth set, John Isner required only about two hours and a mere three sets to beat Nicolas Mahut in the first round at Wimbledon this time. Isner won 7-6 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (6) Tuesday. "It wasn't easy," he said, "but obviously it was considerably quicker than the last time we played." Isner, of Tampa, Fla., also won their first-round marathon at the All England Club in 2010, when play twice was suspended by darkness and the match shattered all sorts of records, including for most time on court, most total games, longest set and most aces. "Nothing's going to live up to that match," Isner said. Last year, they played 183 games. This year, 34. Last year, the fifth set alone lasted more than eight hours.

This year, the total match time was 2:03. Last year, Isner hit 113 aces, and Mahut 103. This year, each man finished with eight. Last year, the match featured twists and turns and required all manner of physical and emotional stamina. Not so Tuesday. Asked about the original, Isner said: "I don't know if those are good memories. Long, long memories." Understandably, that match sapped Isner of all his energy and left him barely able to move. He lost his 2010 second-round match in straight sets. "It's a huge relief. I'm happy to put this one behind me," Isner said Tuesday. "Obviously I'm a lot fresher for my next match." Isner-Mahut II was played on Court 3, instead of last year's site, Court 18, which now has a plaque commemorating the occasion. "I'm actually glad they put us out here on this court. I don't know if they want to tarnish the legacy of Court 18 by playing a second time," said Isner, who is ranked 47th.

"Chances are our match today wasn't going to live up to last year's match." Indeed, there were dozens of empty green seats in the stands at the start, despite all the buzz in the tennis world about the rematch. Almost from the moment Isner and Mahut randomly were paired off in Friday's draw at the All England Club, everyone has been talking about the odd coincidence. Said Isner: "Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, I heard a lot about this match (and) what we did last year. It was tough. I'm assuming I won't get asked a lot of questions about last year's match from now on." Perhaps. Earlier Tuesday, 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer was asked whether he was looking forward to the second version of Isner-Mahut. "In some ways, it's a crazy idea that they're playing again. But it's wonderful. I think it's great for the fans who missed it last year to just at least go show respect to those guys who hung in there," Federer said. "I'll try to watch them.

I hope it finishes today." Isner and Mahut were scheduled as the fourth match on Court 3, so they didn't walk out until 6:15 p.m. After the coin toss, they paused to pose for photographers while standing at the net, and Isner tapped Mahut on the shoulder before heading to the baseline to begin warming up. After the match, they hugged. They've become friends since last year's shared ordeal, speaking to each other or exchanging text messages two or three times a week — although never discussing a certain match. After last year's loss, France's Mahut said Tuesday, "At first, I was really disappointed. ... I'm still disappointed. But what we did last year, it's much more than a tennis match. ... I'm very proud of it." Part of the reason their record-breaking match went as long as it did was because neither could manage to break the other's serve, and Tuesday's first set followed that pattern. But in the tiebreaker, Isner raced to a 6-1 lead and eventually took the set when Mahut sailed a backhand passing shot long.

The first break of serve came when Mahut pushed a forehand long to give Isner a 3-1 lead in the second set. And Isner broke again to end that set. During the rest period before the third, the 6-foot-9 Isner put a towel down on the sideline and got on his back, turning to both sides to stretch his back. He was broken for the only time all day to fall behind 2-1 in the third set, and by then it was past 8 p.m. There are no artificial lights anywhere other than Centre Court at Wimbledon, and even on a clear evening, it's rare for play to stretch much beyond 9 p.m. That amounted to the closest thing to drama. "I was down a break, and I was telling myself that if I lose the third set, chances are we're not going to finish this match," Isner said. "Everybody's going to start talking about how it's going into a second day, maybe into another third day." No such problems. Isner broke back to 4-all, and again came through in a tiebreaker. He finished with 41 winners and only 10 unforced errors.

"He just played better than me, and that's it," Mahut said. Isner was asked to compare how it felt to win his two very different matches against Mahut. "I would say I was more relieved last year to finally get it over with, because what we did was remarkable, and you can't ever think something like that could happen. But I also knew, to be honest, after last year's match that I had no shot in the second round. That was kind of tough to swallow," Isner said. "This year, I'm happy to get through this one. The goal is the second week," he added. "If you can get to that, anything's possible." Reblog Wimbledon Marathon Ranks Among Sports’ Finest | WIRED Time of Publication: 3:33 pm. 3:33 pm Wimbledon Marathon Ranks Among Sports’ Finest Finally, after 11 hours and five minutes, American John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut in the longest match in professional tennis history.

The second-round match at Wimbledon was spread out over three days (suspended twice due to darkness) and set numerous tennis records, including most aces by one player (Isner, 112), longest set (8 hours, 11 minutes), and most games played (183). The fifth set concluded with Isner pulling out a 70-68 advantage, as players must win by two games in the final set. To put it in perspective, that fifth set alone was longer than the previous longest match in tennis history (6 hours, 33 minutes). Perhaps more amazingly, a player’s serve was only broken three times throughout the entire ordeal, which encompassed 980 points. Attention surrounding the historic event reached a fever pitch yesterday as the two players slugged it out on Court 18 at the All England Club, so much so that the match also gave us one of the most epic live-blogs to ever chronicle a sporting event, thanks to the crazy-talented Xan Brooks of the Guardian. But how does the match stack up compared to some of the other great marathon events in sporting history?

Consider the candidates: Longest NFL Game: This one is tough, since NFL games can be so free-scoring and just the fact that NFL playoff games rarely go to overtime. (Regular-season matchups that are tied after overtime just end.) Although, in 1971, the Miami Dolphins defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-24, midway through the second overtime. Historical placement is easy on this one, since there have only been four NFL playoff games that have gone to a second OT, although with 12 future Hall of Famers partaking, it’s hard to top this one for sheer talent. Longest NHL Game: There’s nothing like the excitement of playoff hockey, and since so many games head to extra time, there’s ample opportunity for record-setting. Although, the mark for longest NHL game has stood for 74 years. Back in March of 1936, Mud Bruneteau of the Detroit Red Wings scored in the sixth overtime period for a – wait for it – 1-0 victory over the now-defunct Montreal Maroons .

If the game had stayed scoreless for just three and a half more minutes, the two squads would have officially played the equivalent of three scoreless hockey games in a row. The win (which finally came at 2:25 in the morning ) proved pivotal, as Detroit would go on to win its first Stanley Cup , knocking out the Toronto Maple Leafs in four (presumably less dramatic) contests. Longest NBA Game: Much like hockey, basketball games can also go on infintiely. Though hockey games can only experience such drama in the playoffs, while any basketball game, theoretically speaking, can be played without end, so long as the score is tied after an overtime. Such a game happened in January of 1951, as the Indianapolis Olympians outlasted the Rochester Royals after six overtimes, though only by a score of 75-73 . Mind you, this was before the advent of the 24-second shot clock , which did wonders to nullify the stalling tactics of certain teams. Side note: the Olympians lost the following night, despite scoring more points (79) and having all five starters play the entire game.

Longest MLB Game: In terms of innings played, nothing beats what happened on May Day of 1920, when the Brooklyn Robins (still 12 years away from becoming the “Dodgers”) played the Boston Braves to a 1-1 tie in 26 innings . For college, the record was established just over a year ago, with Texas knocking off Boston College in 25 innings. The longest minor league game, however, eclipses both of those feats. In 1981, the Rochester Red Wings and Pawtucket Red Sox played 33 innings in a game that had to suspended (much our competitors across the Atlantic) and then resumed seven weeks later, when both teams were available. The game set more than a dozen records and featured two future Hall of Famers in Cal Ripken Jr and Wade Boggs, whose Paw Sox won in the bottom of the 33rd inning, not 20 minutes after play had been resumed. Photo: Hamish Blair/Getty Images

Question: Where was the record for the longest professional match broken in 2010 when John Isner & Nicolas Mahut took 11 hours and 5 minutes over a three day period?
Answer: Wimbledon