This article details longest tennis match records. Records concerning the length of tennis matches can refer to either the length of time that a match takes up or the number of games which a tennis match lasts for. Many of the records have been affected by the introduction of the tiebreak in 1973 which has resulted in many earlier records not being broken.
All time
Time
Longest match ever: The Wimbledon 2010first round match in which John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 70-68 over 22–24 June 2010.[1][2][3] The duration and the number of games of the fifth set is the longest set in history by both time and games (8 hours 11 minutes and 138 games); and the fifth set itself was longer than any previous longest match. The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days.
Longest women's match: In 1984, Vicki Nelson took 6 hours, 31 minutes to defeat Jean Hepner 6–4, 7–6(11). The match featured a 29-minute, 643-shot rally, the longest in professional tennis history.[4]
Longest match completed in a single day: The Nelson–Hepner match above remains the longest to be completed within a single day. The 2010 Mahut-Isner match was twice suspended by darkness and lasted 3 days.
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 h 6 min—more than the entire Nelson-Hepner or any other match in tennis history.
Most games in match ever: 183 games over three days between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner in the first round of the 2010 Wimbledon Championships. As of 2010[update], the Wimbledon Championships do not employ a tiebreaker in the fifth set.
Most games in a single day: The first 118 games of the fifth set of Mahut-Isner match, played on 23 June 2010.
Most games in a singles match before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1969 at Wimbledon, Pancho Gonzales took 112 games to defeat Charlie Pasarell in the first round 22–24, 1–6, 16–14, 6–3, 11–9.[7]
Longest singles match by time played: In 2009, Rafael Nadal took 5 hours, 14 minutes to defeat Fernando Verdasco in the semifinals 6–7(4), 6–4, 7–6(2), 6–7(1), 6–4.[8]
Longest singles final by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1927, Gerald Patterson took 71 games to defeat John Hawkes 3–6, 6–4, 3–6, 18–16, 6–3.[citation needed]
Longest singles match by number of games after the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 2003, Andy Roddick took 83 games to defeat Younes El Aynaoui in the quarterfinals 4–6, 7–6, 4–6, 6–4, 21–19. The fifth set is also the record for the longest set ever played at the Australian Open.[9]
Longest singles match by time played: In a 2010 first-round match, Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová defeated Regina Kulikova 7–6(5), 6–7(10), 6–3 in a match that lasted 4 hours, 19 minutes. This is also a record for all women's Grand Slam events in the open era, and is believed to be the second-longest women's match of all time.[10]
French Open
Men
Longest match by time played: In 2004, Fabrice Santoro took 6 hours, 33 minutes to defeat Arnaud Clément 6–4, 6–3, 6–7(5), 3–6, 16–14.
Longest match by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In a 1951 semifinal, Eric Sturgess took 76 games to defeat Ken McGregor 10–8, 7–9, 8–6, 5–7, 9–7.
Longest match by number of games since the introduction of the tiebreaker:
In 1994, Ronald Agénor took 71 games to defeat David Prinosil in the second round 6–7(4), 6–7(2), 6–3, 6–4, 14–12.
In 2004, Santoro took 71 games to defeat Clément.
In 2010, Lukáš Lacko took 71 games to defeat Michael Yani in the first round with the score of: 4–6, 7–6(5), 7–6(4), 6–7(5), 12–10.
Longest singles final by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1927, René Lacoste took 61 games to defeat Bill Tilden 6–4, 4–6, 5–7, 6–3, 11–9.
Longest doubles finals by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker
Longest match by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1972, Kerry Melville Reid took 56 games to defeat Pam Teeguarden in a third round match 9–7, 4–6, 16–14.
Longest singles final by number of games before AND after the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 2001, Jennifer Capriati took 39 games to defeat Kim Clijsters 1–6, 6–4, 12–10.
Longest singles final by time played: In 2008, Rafael Nadal took 4 hours, 48 minutes to defeat Roger Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5), 6–7(8), 9–7.
Longest singles final by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1954, Jaroslav Drobný took 58 games to defeat Ken Rosewall 13–11, 4–6, 6–2, 9–7.
Longest singles final by number of games since the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 2009, Roger Federer took 77 games to defeat Andy Roddick 5–7, 7–6(6), 7–6(5), 3–6, 16–14.
Longest singles match by time played and number of games: In 2010, John Isner took 183 games to defeat Nicolas Mahut 4–6, 6–3, 7–6(7), 6–7(3), 68-70 in 11 hours and 5 minutes of play time in the first round.
Longest doubles match by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1966, Nikki Pilic and Gene Scott took 98 games to defeat Cliff Richey and Torben Ulrich in the first round 19–21, 12–10, 6–4, 4–6, 9–7.
Longest doubles final by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1968, John Newcombe and Tony Roche took 70 games to defeat Ken Rosewall and Fred Stolle 3–6, 8–6, 5–7, 14–12, 6–3.
Longest singles final by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1970, Margaret Court took 46 games to defeat Billie Jean King 14–12, 11–9.[12]
Longest singles match by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1948, A. Weiwers took 54 games to defeat Rita Anderson in the second round 8–10, 14–12, 6–4.
Longest singles match by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1969, F.D. Robbins took 100 games to defeat Donald Dell in the first round 22–20, 9–7, 6–8, 8–10, 6–4.
Longest singles final by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1949, Pancho Gonzales took 67 games to defeat Ted Schroeder 16–18, 2–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–4.
Longest doubles final by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1946, Gardnar Mulloy and William Talbert took 74 games to defeat F. Guernsey and Don McNeill 3–6, 6–4, 2–6, 6–3, 20–18.
Women
Longest best-of-five-sets match by number of games before the introduction of the tiebreaker: In 1898 in the challenge round, Juliette Atkinson took 51 games to defeat Marion Jones 6–3, 5–7, 6–4, 2–6, 7–5.
Longest set by number of games: The second set of this rubber was the longest by games in Davis Cup history, requiring 76 games. The Chileans won this set 39–37.
^However, in 1902, Muriel Robb defeated Charlotte Cooper Sterry 7–5, 6–1 after abandomnent of an overnight score of 4–6, 13–11, thus needing a total of 53 games to win the title.
