We’re familiar with 8-6, 9-7, even an 11-9 or two. But no one, not even a couple of kids pretending they’re playing the final of Wimbledon, would let their imaginations run all the way to 70-68. There isn’t enough time in the day. In fact, as John Isner and Nicolas Mahut found out, there isn’t enough time in two days. The second-round match between the American and the Frenchman lasted 11 hours, 5 minutes, and 183 games, both all-time records. Isner hit 113 aces, Mahut 105, also records. The match lasted long enough to make headlines around the world, and give the winner, Isner, an extra few minutes of fame. He threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium and appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America. Reading the Top 10 list on the Late Show with David Letterman, Isner spoke of his thoughts during the epic match, jokingly pondering, “Why couldn’t I have played Federer? It would’ve been over in 15 minutes.”
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Originally published in the November/December 2010 issue of* TENNIS.
2010 Aces & Faults
—Sock Hopping: Sock goes from high school to pros
—After the Hype, Miller Doesn't Bode Well: Skier tries tennis, again
—Booted: The story of Serena's injured foot
—Match of the Year: The Isner-Mahut Wimbledon epic
—Unwelcome Milestones: American mens' struggles
—Gone...And Back Again: Querrey's quick turnaround
—Swimming the Channel: Rafa does the clay-grass double
—Biggest Disappointment: Dinara Safina
—All in a Day's Work: Blake's beef with Shriver
—Coach of the Year: Hernan Gumy
—Seizing the Clay: Schiavone's unlikely title run
—Struck Out: Soderling ends Federer's semifinal streak
—Comeback, Interrupted: Henin's return cut short
—Wayne's Shame: Odesnik caught with HGH
—Dee Worst, Judge Says: The world's worst player
—Most Improved: Sam Stosur
—Player of the Year: Rafael Nadal
—Newcomer of the Year: Larry Ellison