The Tennis Match That Lasted 11 Hours
AtWimbledon2010,JohnIsnerandNicolasMahutplayedamatchsolongitbrokethescoreboard,lasted3days,andleftbothmenbarelyabletowalk.
On June 22, 2010, at Wimbledon's Court 18, American John Isner and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut began a first-round match. It would become the longest tennis match in history — by a staggering margin.
The first four sets were unremarkable. The players split them 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6. Then the fifth set began.
In Grand Slam tennis (at the time), the final set had no tiebreak. You had to win by two games. Neither player could break the other's serve.
The fifth set lasted 138 games.
The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes of actual playing time, spread across three days. The fifth set alone took 8 hours and 11 minutes — longer than any previous complete match in tennis history.
The scoreboard broke. It could only display two digits per set, and the score had long passed 99. It froze at 47-47 before going blank entirely.
The match was suspended twice due to darkness (Court 18 had no floodlights). Each time, the players returned the next day to continue. By the end, both men were exhausted beyond comprehension. Isner won 70-68 in the fifth set.
Isner could barely walk afterward. He lost his next match in 74 minutes. Mahut, who had served 103 aces, became a hero in France despite the defeat. The court now has a plaque commemorating the match.
The longest match ever played
Highlights and key moments from the 11-hour marathon that broke every record in tennis history.
What you now know
- The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes across three days — the fifth set alone was longer than any previous complete match
- The scoreboard broke because it couldn't display three-digit game scores — it froze and went blank
- Isner won 70-68 in the fifth set but was so exhausted he lost his next match in barely over an hour