Unlike most sports, tennis is not timely. Rather the match is won by winning a certain number of sets. With this idea in motion, the sport has exposed itself to a few oddities. Most matches revolve around the two-hour mark. Some may even extend up to three. However, whether it is a single match or a double match, sometimes the score cannot be settled promptly. It doesn’t matter if it’s a men’s match or a women’s match. Athletes listed below must have plenty of patience. Simply put, no ordinary person could compete in these matches. These matches are extraordinary.
10. Novak Djokovic DF Rafael Nadal 2012 (5 hours 53 m)
The king of the clay court is a burning left-hander, and the other is a man who has fought himself just like his opponents in court. In 2012, the two warriors clashed in an epic battle that will always be remembered. The 2012 Australian Open final saw Djokovic face a tough opponent from Rafael Nadal. Once the duo reached the tiebreaking in the fourth set (Nadal 2-1), many wondered if Novak could return. Oh, he’s back. He won the fourth set tiebreaker and must win the fifth set, 7-5. The match lasted 5 hours 53 minutes, when Djokovic fell on the court and watched with joy
9. Radek Stepanek DF. Evo Karlovic 2009 (5 h 59 m)
Most of the spots on this list match the features of the match that took place in the Davis Cup. This is the first of many since Fisty Check Stepanek spread the word that Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic had been in a sliver for more than two hours. Radek and Evo have been battling for a place in the 2009 Davis Cup final, and neither will be left behind. What makes this match unique is the number of tiebreakers the players took part in (the first four sets that guided the tiebreaker). The fifth and final set saw players play the game in double digits. In the end, Stepanek overcame Karlovic’s strong serve and won the fifth set, 16-14.
8. Horst Scoff DF. Mats Wilder 1989 (6 h 4 m)
To surpass the hour in the first match of the list, Scoff and Willander faced off in the 1989 Davis Cup quarterfinals. With the first two sets reaching the tiebreaker (each player winning one), the third set suffered a slight setback. Scoff lost the set by a lost-1 goal. It looked like there was a Horst on Wilder’s Hill. However, Skoff will bounce back and deliver a 6-4 fourth set. As the match drew to a close, the players continued to fight until the Wilder improved twice, without sealing his —- victory in the fifth. Although the Mats long and tough match cast a shadow over six hours, his team (Sweden) will go to the Davis Cup final. They lost 3-2 to West Germany.
7. Lucas Arnold Kerr, David Nalbandian DF. Yezheni Kafelnikov, Marat Safin 2002 (6 h 20 m)
In the first doubles match on the list, Argentina’s partners Kerr and Nolbandian Russia’s Kafelnikov and Safin got the best match, which was longer than anyone expected. In the 2002 Davis Cup semifinals, the two teams battled for the final. Kerr and Nalbandian took the first two sets, and it looked as if the Russians could not win any of the sets. However, they could throw the third set (7-5) and win the fourth set a little more firmly (6-4). With a length of 6 hours and 20 minutes of the match, you would think that the fifth set would have a terrific amount of games. It did. It took a total of 3 games in the fifth set for the Argentines to defeat it.
6. Boris Baker DF. John McEnroe 1987 (6 h 21 m)
The matchup of the previous doubles, Baker and McEnroe’s match in the 1987 Davis Cup, will never be forgotten after it lasted only one minute. When these two met on the court, fans always knew that the sparks would fly, and they could see that the best tennis players would see some of them. On this special occasion, with their country’s reputation on the line, Boris and John are involved in a slag fest. With McEnroe winning the first set 4-4, no one expected an extended second set. Boris made John better in this second set, winning 15 of 13 games. The two will trade the set once more before entering the final set, with Baker winning in a smooth, 6-2 fashion.
5. John McEnroe DF. Mats Wilder 1982 (6 h 22 m)
With both men in the previous spots appearing on this list, this will be the first match between them to last for hours. Just one minute into the previous match, John McEnroe lost to Willander in five growling sets at the other end of this special match. Set again in the Davis Cup (this time in 1982), the third set will be the one that sets a precedent for an unreasonably long tennis match. Wilder John took the third set 17-15. However, the ever-stable McEnroe will fight again and eventually win the fifth set of 8–6.
4. Vicky Nelson DF. Jean Hepner 1984 (6 h 31 m)
The only match on this list involving women is an impressive feat to see any woman on this list. Why? If you know the rules of tennis, you know that men’s matches are played in the “best five sets” scenario (during Grand Slams and special tournaments), and women’s matches are only played in the “best three” format. This match lasted only three sets which show how stingy and determined both players were during each point. Both American players battled it out to see who would advance to the second round of the 1984 Central Fidelity Banks International. Nelson got Hepner better in the third set and won it 11-9.
3. Fabrice Santoro DF Arnaud Clement 2004 (6 h 33 m)
Not one of the few matches on this list is taking place in the Davis Cup; in this match-up, two French men were going to two-two. The prize was the 2004 French Cup, but only one of them will advance to the first round. Santoro took the first two sets, and the tournament looked deadly to Clement, but he escaped defeat by winning the third set in a tiebreaker. After taking the fourth set in commanding fashion (-3-3), the match came down to just one set. In fact, the match lasted so long, and the last set will not end until the next day. Santoro was able to fight back and won the fifth set 1-14-1 by a score.
2. Thomas Bardich, Lucas Rosol DF. Stanislas Wawrinka, Marco Chudinelli 2013 (7 h 2 m)
The second double match on this list also surpassed the seven-hour playing time. The first-round match was played in the 2013 Davis Cup, consisting of two players who broke up the top ten (Bardich, Wawrinka). Both teams did a wonderful job during the fight to win the championship for their country. All sets were nearby (most set aside 6-4), and fans were there to treat. After a seven-hour tick, the match point was made for Berdych and Rosel.
1. John Isner DF. Nicholas Mahut 2010 (11 h 5 m)
It will never be at the top. The 2010 first-round Wimbledon match immortalized itself at Wimbledon as a memento of the three-day fight. It was the perfect combination. Isner’s huge, heavy, heavy serve and Mahut’s quick comeback game made them antagonize each other. Each other’s weaknesses were each other’s strengths. After the last two days in a row, tennis fans were not only in tune, and everyone stopped when and where the match would end. Isner fell to the ground after a three-day Grand Slam tennis match. The energy was drained from his body. In the fifth set, he won the longest tennis match of all time, 70-68. It will never be forgotten. Where were you when Isner killed the mahout?