Many many years ago, the epic movie “The Longest Day” hit the screens all over the world which was about the Allied landing of the Normandy during the WW-II. The landing and the ensuing war took so long that those fighting on the beaches lost the track of time. For them, victory was all they needed as there was no turning back.
And today, another longest day in the history of tennis just terminated, that brought an end to all most eleven hours of intense struggle of over powering the other. Yes, I am talking of a match between 23 seed John Isner and Nicolas Mahut that made a Wimbledon history of an 11 hour five minute match – the longest ever. The fifth set alone went on for more than eight hours.
Having won two sets each, the final set was spread over 138 games, when finally John Isner won 70-68. The match started on 22 June and finished today, that is three days of playing. The match on 24 June started on a jam packed Court number 18 at a score of 59-59 in the fifth set. With no break points, it was Isner who hit a backhand passing shot to finish the nerve breaking and stamina testing match between the two. Although one had to win, but both the players demonstrated a superb state of fitness and at no time neither showed any weakness of giving in.
Never before in the history of Wimbledon has any match lasted more than 112 games, a mark set in 1969.
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