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The tennis match that finally ended: Isner beats Mahut
By: cnn.comPosted On: 06/24/2010 12:34 P
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The match that kept on going - finally came to an end.
The match that kept on going - finally came to an end.
John Isner put a three-day match to rest with a final shot gave him the 70-68 tiebreaker win in the fifth set.
Nicolas Mahut, Isner's challenger, left the court immediately. He shook his head when stopped.
[Posted at 9:56 a.m.] Will the third time be the charm for John Isner and Nicolas Mahut? Not the third set, or their third time meeting, but their third day of play at Wimbledon. It's been a match that has lasted 10 hours and been stopped twice due to darkness, and the fifth set has lasted 118 games by itself.
On Thursday, the pair is trying again, with the score standing at 59-59 in the fifth. They're hoping to find a conclusion to a grueling, record-breaking length game (163 games total so far.) SI.com live scoreboard
The two players, fairly unknown to many who aren't avid tennis watchers, have attracted a huge amount of attention due to their ongoing match. It seems to be a feat many can't believe is still going on.
"I thought I was tired. I’m tired of watching this," John McEnroe said at the beginning of the game to ESPNU, which is airing the match. "I’m quite proud of this. It's beyond heroic. It’s herculean. What they're doing - they're will is unbelievable. I had to come pay my respects to both of them. Neither one is giving in."
Isner's coach, Craig Boynton, told ESPNU that to win the match Isner needed to use his strength wisely and wait for the right opportunities.
Asked if the fact that Isner was still standing was a testament to his strength, Boynton said: "I don't think anyone trains for this. Its sheer will and determination."
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