Tag: history

Isner vs Mahut – Final Stats

After 11 hours & 5 minutes of exceptional tennis, Isner and Mahut finally concluded their epic battle that began two days earlier. The match was the longest a Grand Slam has ever seen, both in time and number of games total. The match finally ended when Isner broke Mahut to make it 70-68 in the final set.

Here are some more stats for you:
Match length – 11 hours, 5 minutes
5th set length – 8 hours, 11 minutes
# of games total – 183
# of games in the 5th set – 138
Total # of points – 980
# of aces – Isner 112, Mahut 103

Other stats and highlights can be found on the Wimbledon website, which I have linked to above. There were other things that amazed me about this match besides the impressive stats, however. The records broken are all wonderful things, but what amazes me even more is the sportsmanship these two athletes showed, as well as the support they received from the crowd. Based on the sheer number of people in attendance you would have guessed this drama was taking place on Centre Court, not Court 18. Every single one of those people in attendance can consider themselves lucky, for they are now able to say they were a part of tennis history.

The other thing I liked about this match was it’s conclusion. Both players hugged each other instead of giving the usual handshake. Also, Wimbledon officials commemorated each player for their historical performance. Included in the ceremony was British #1 Tim Henman, who was one of my all-time favorite players to watch before his retirement. I cheered especially loud every time he came close to making the finals at Wimbledon, since the last time a British player made the finals of their Championship was Bunny Austin in 1938 and the last win was Fred Perry in 1936. I don’t know, I guess I thought they were due a win. That and Henman had more class than I thought was possible for one person to have. It is good to see him continue to take part in tennis, even if it is not as a player.

Again, congrats to both players for a spectacular performance. Special congrats go to Isner for giving America another win. You made the country (as well as your mother, if the interview she did was any indication) very proud. Go Team USA!

Mahut vs Isner – Tennis History in the Making

Any tennis fans in the house probably know that Wimbledon started this week. Today saw the most epic tennis match in the history of the sport. Nicolas Mahut and John Isner played an epic match today that broke all sorts of records (and is still going on, mind you). First of all, it was the longest match in history – currently at around 9 hours in length. It also has the record for most aces in one match. Isner has 98 and Mahut has 94. They are tied in the 5th set (with Wimbledon there is no tiebreak in the 5th) and each have 59 games. You heard that right. The final set is tied 59-all. And they’re STILL NOT DONE. This match actually started yesterday and got called for darkness. The same thing happened today. Hopefully tomorrow this epic battle finally ends in a satisfactory manner. After how much work both parties have put into this match, they deserve a good finish. There was a poll done to see how many people think maybe they should introduce a tiebreak in the 5th set and most people seem to say no to that idea. Personally I love epic matches like this. They get you invested in a story and its characters to the point where you don’t care who wins – you just want to enjoy the excellent level of tennis you are getting and pray it doesn’t end too soon. The way this match is going I would say the only people who would be disappointed are those who had to leave before it finished. The story should end tomorrow (for one of them permanently), but it will be one for the record books, folks. Whatever happens, no regrets. Just good tennis.