Off Topic…but as KitKat mentioned fitness is sport specific. This is simply unbelievable…
John Isner and Nicolas Mahut locked at 59-59 in epic Wimbledon marathon
From correspondents in London, England
June 24, 2010 Play has been suspended in the longest tennis match ever played as France’s Nicolas Mahut and American John Isner came off court at 59-59 in the final set at Wimbledon.
“Nothing like this will ever happen again, ever,” said an exhausted Isner.
“I don’t know what to say.”
Isner had match point at 59-58, but Mahut fired down an ace to take it back to deuce, before going on to win the game.
At 59-59 and 9:10pm (0610 EST) with the light fading fast, match officials tried to suspend play, though Isner wanted to carry on.
The decision was finally made to suspend play exactly 10 hours after the first serve of the day was struck.
Spectators yelled “We want more” on Court 18.
“Ladies and gentlemen, due to darkness, play is suspended,” the umpire announced.
A drained Mahut said: “We played for too long, I don’t know how many hours we played.”
Tennis fans packed out the 782-capacity show court, with people lining the roof of the Wimbledon broadcasting centre several deep and fans outside peering through gaps to catch a glimpse of the epic match.
The previous record of six hours and 33 minutes was set at the 2004 French Open, when Fabrice Santoro beat fellow Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14.
“It is reasonable to say that it is the longest official tennis match in history,” International Tennis Federation spokesman Nick Imison told AFP, adding that it was certainly the longest in the Open Era records.
“There are not any records to suggest otherwise.”
The record number of games in match - previously 112 in singles and 122 set in a doubles match - was also shattered, as was the figure for the most aces served by one player in a match since records began.
Defending men’s singles champion Roger Federer thought he had seen just about everything the sport had to offer in a career which has brought him a record 16 grand slam titles.
But the six-time Wimbledon champion admitted he was stunned by the epic nature of the clash.
“This is beyond anything I’ve ever seen. It’s absolutely amazing,” Federer said.
“I have almost no words anymore watching this.
“I don’t know how their bodies must be feeling. This is incredible tennis. Someone has to lose but in this match both will be winners.
“I love this. I know they’re maybe not loving this, but I guess this is unheard of in our game.
“It’s so impressive to see. When I was watching this I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was too much.”
The encounter certainly put the exploits of Federer comfortably in the shade.
Federer edged into the third round with a 6-3 6-7 (4/7) 6-4 7-6 (7/5) win over Serbian qualifier Ilija Bozoljac.
Federer needed to reassert his authority at the All England Club after he was forced to come back from two sets down and break to save the match in his first round clash win over Colombian Alejandro Falla.
But the Swiss did just enough to see off the unheralded Bozoljac, ranked No.152 in the world, and the air of invincibility that usually surrounds the world No.2 was absent.
Last year’s beaten finalist Andy Roddick also made it through to the third round.
No.5 seed Roddick came back from a set down to beat France’s Michael Llodra in four sets.
The three-time Wimbledon finalist was making his first appearance on Centre Court since his epic 16-14 last set defeat to Federer in last year’s final.
The American No.1 beat Llodra 4-6 6-4 6-1 7-6 (7/2).
“That was as tough of a second round as there is in this tournament right now,” Roddick said.
“He was playing flawless tennis. He played an almost perfect first set.
“It took some of my best stuff to get through that. I thought I played really well. I think I had to.”
Meanwhile, Serbian No.3 seed Novak Djokovic beat Taylor Dent of the United States 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 6-4.
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, seeds Tomas Berdych, Jurgen Melzer, Gael Monfils, Feliciano Lopez, Albert Montanes, Philipp Kohlschreiber and Victor Hanescu went through.
Agence France-Presse