At some point in the final set of his 2018 semifinal with Kevin Anderson, you wouldn’t be able to blame John Isner for wondering “Why always me?” Eight years prior, the American had been involved in the longest match of all time, an eleven hours and five minutes-long first round epic against Frenchman Nicolas Mahut. Now, he was here again, this time in a semifinal against South African Kevin Anderson.
While Isner’s previous history with long matches was well known, Anderson also showed a penchant for going the distance during that tournament. He had earned his place in the semifinal courtesy of a heroic quarterfinal performance that saw him beat Roger Federer 13-11 in the fifth set, and his road to the semifinal had seen him be involved in five tiebreaks until that point.
There was little to separate the pair right from the outset, with the first three sets all being settled by tiebreak. South African Anderson edged the first set, taking the first tiebreak to claim the advantage 7-6(6). Isner, however, would hit back, taking the next two 7-6(5) and 7-6(9) to claim the slenderest of advantages. Anderson hit back in the fourth set with relative rapidity, winning 6-4, to square the game up at two sets apiece.
And so it went to a fifth and final set. Lasting over two hours, the question was which player would break first, and for most of it, neither seemed to be willing to give in. Both competitors were unwilling to give in an inch. For 48 games the pair traded blows, inseparable until Isner dropped serve in the 49th game of the set, sending a backhand into the net to secure Anderson a break lead. When Isner sent a forehand out in the following game to seal Anderson’s victory, the South African hardly celebrated, seeming almost apologetic that one of them had to win.
All in all, the match lasted for six hours and 36 minutes. It was the third longest professional match of all time, behind Isner-Mahut and Leonardo Mayer and Joao Souza’s clash in the Davis Cup. It also became the second longest match in Wimbledon history, again behind Isner-Mahut. Anderson would meet Novak Djokovic in the final, going down in straight sets but marking a very creditable run in the tournament.
The match was also the longest semifinal in Wimbledon history, and likely will be in perpetuity. Months after the tie, Wimbledon announced that it would move to a ten point tiebreak for final sets, making the likelihood of anyone topping the two-hour decided the duo played out a remote contingency. However, if that is where the record is to stay, Isner and Anderson’s epic was a worthy tie of holding that record.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com