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The longest match in tennis history has come to a stop - for now.
American John Isner and Nicolas Mahut of France, who have been battling it out on the lawns at Wimbledon for over two days, will resume their epic match again Thursday.
The match was suspended Wednesday night at 59-all in the deciding fifth set, due to darkness.
"Nothing like this will ever happen again, ever," Isner, the 23-seed from North Carolina, told Agence France-Presse.
This is the second time the match has been suspended – it was first paused on Tuesday night because of darkness after four sets, and resumed Wednesday. Isner and Mahut played more than 80 games in the final set alone.
"We're just fighting like we never did before. Someone has to win so we will come back tomorrow and see who's going to win this match," Mahut told reporters. "It's just amazing, the crowd is just fantastic and everyone wants to see the end, but they have to come back tomorrow."
Fans packed the 782-seat Court 18 at the All England Club, and spectators looking to catch a glimpse of the historic match reportedly gathered on the roof of the Wimbledon broadcasting center to see a few volleys between Isner, the world No. 19, and Mahut, ranked 148 in the world.
This unfinished fifth set has gone on for seven hours and six minutes, so far, and the entire match has lasted exactly 10 hours. The previous record for a single set, set at the 2004 French Open, was for a six hour, 33-minute fifth set between Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clement. Santoro went on to win the match, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14.
Isner and Mahut have played a total of 118 games so far and Wimbledon, unlike the U.S. Open, does not use a fifth-set tiebreaker to decide matches, so play will go on. Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker awaits the winner in the second round.
Thursday's continuation of the match adds en more history to what will already be a historic day at the All England Club; Queen Elizabeth II is expected to make her first appearance there since 1977.
American John Isner and Nicolas Mahut of France, who have been battling it out on the lawns at Wimbledon for over two days, will resume their epic match again Thursday.
The match was suspended Wednesday night at 59-all in the deciding fifth set, due to darkness.
"Nothing like this will ever happen again, ever," Isner, the 23-seed from North Carolina, told Agence France-Presse.
This is the second time the match has been suspended – it was first paused on Tuesday night because of darkness after four sets, and resumed Wednesday. Isner and Mahut played more than 80 games in the final set alone.
"We're just fighting like we never did before. Someone has to win so we will come back tomorrow and see who's going to win this match," Mahut told reporters. "It's just amazing, the crowd is just fantastic and everyone wants to see the end, but they have to come back tomorrow."
Fans packed the 782-seat Court 18 at the All England Club, and spectators looking to catch a glimpse of the historic match reportedly gathered on the roof of the Wimbledon broadcasting center to see a few volleys between Isner, the world No. 19, and Mahut, ranked 148 in the world.
This unfinished fifth set has gone on for seven hours and six minutes, so far, and the entire match has lasted exactly 10 hours. The previous record for a single set, set at the 2004 French Open, was for a six hour, 33-minute fifth set between Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clement. Santoro went on to win the match, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14.
Isner and Mahut have played a total of 118 games so far and Wimbledon, unlike the U.S. Open, does not use a fifth-set tiebreaker to decide matches, so play will go on. Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker awaits the winner in the second round.
Thursday's continuation of the match adds en more history to what will already be a historic day at the All England Club; Queen Elizabeth II is expected to make her first appearance there since 1977.
Longest Tennis Grand Slam Match in history Between John Isner and Nicholas Mahut Video
