Yesterday we had the incredible last minute World Cup goal for the US, and today we had history made at Wimbleton. John Isner of the USA defeated Nicolas Mahut of France in the longest tennis match ever. The match play lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes, and started Tuesday evening with a pause over Tuesday night and then again Wednesday night due to darkness. Many records were broken, including the longest tennis match ever (previous record was (6hr 30min) and most aces ever.
Mahut: 4 6 7 6 68
Isner: 6 3 6 7 70
In tennis, the men play up to 5 sets. At Wimbledon, there is no tiebreaker in the 5th set, meaning that players keep playing until one wins by two games. The 6' 9" Isner appeared to be struggling this morning, but finally managed to break Mahut's serve to win the final set 70 games to 68. Congrats to both players for being part of something that will never again be seen in the history of tennis.
ESPN sports has a clever article about the match.. "Fortunately, there have been some positive changes in sports since the Isner-Mahut match started. Way back then, U.S. soccer was in turmoil. A tie against England thanks only to a gift goal. A tie against tiny Slovenia. (Or was it Slovakia? It was so long ago, I can't recall.) Refs were conspiring against us, our World Cup hopes were in serious doubt and coach Bob Bradley's job was in jeopardy. When, soccer fans wondered, will America finally have a soccer team on par with great World Cup champions such as France? All that seems laughable now. In the Post-Isner/Mahut World Cup Order, the U.S. program finds itself among the remaining powers, and the sound of vuvuzelas rings in the ears of proud, chest-pounding Americans." Go tennis, soccer, and eventing!