When John Isner & Nicolas Mahut strode into court 18 to continue their battle for a second day(after play was suspended on day 3) on day 4 of Wimbledon, little did they know that they will be part of HISTORY. What followed was simply an EPIC BATTLE. It was not over then too. After lasting for a whopping 10 hours over a span of 2 days the scores read 4-6 6-3 7-6 6-7 59-59. Both men could hardly stand when play was suspended. They fought like gladiators for each point. The whole world for once weren’t talking about the Federer’s & Nadal’s. The mantra that everyone was chanting was Mahut-Isner. Even the locker room was not spared. They had eclipsed the longest grand slam match to be ever played, easily!
What started a normal match slowly turned into a mouth watering clash. Both players were fighting hard for each point. They never gave the other a chance to break. Both of them kept firing ace after ace(Mahut 95-Isner 98). 4 rare match points came in between, all for Isner and all saved by Mahut. The crowd were giving a standing ovation when the scores reached 50-49. And many such ovations followed. Then when the score came to 59-59, both men could hardly stand, bad light suspended play and it was to be continued on a 3rd day. Sports has never witnessed such an event or a match before.
Enter day 5 (of Wimbledon). Nadal was playing, Murray was on show, the queen had arrived to watch but then who cared about all that. The audience just couldn’t get enough of Isner & Mahout. They began the battle again and it lasted just over an hour. By then almost all major duration records were erased from the history books. If there was a day where there could have been two winners it was today. So after a span of 3 days, 11 hours & 5 minutes, 215 combined aces, a record 138 games in SET 5 we had a winner in JOHN ISNER. Isner smashes a staggering 112 aces matched almost equally by Mahut who rocketed 103. Honestly, both men didn’t deserve to lose but then sports can be cruel at times and there can only be one winner. And as John Isner had panted “Nothing like this will ever happen again – ever,”. It truly will never happen and we are just plain lucky to have witnessed such an epic.
ELSEWHERE…
Big Congratulations to Saina Nehwal for breaking into the Top 3 in Badminton World Rankings. She is in 3rd place. No.1 is not too far. Go Girl!!!
In South Africa, the previous FIFA WC finalists have both crashed out placed last in their group. Call that unity or bad performance. This FIFA WC2010 is working out like World War 2 – France have forfeited, the USA turned up late, and England are left to fight the Germans! Go England Go!!!
In Sri Lanka, in a very monotonous final between INDIA & SL, for a change INDIA won. And i read everywhere that they have won the Asia Cup after 15 long years. Sigh!When will these news channels change…and Ravindra Jadeja must be boasting to someone next to him, see i am an all rounder. I made 25 runs, took 2 wickets and a catch. I am an all rounder, all rounder, all rounder. Poor chap!
And finally in England, England have taken a 2-0 lead in the 5 match ODI series. Eion Morgan seems to be the next Bevan. Australia are lacking the fire in their bowling. But then the Englishmen look a different side after their T20 triumph. What say???
Rajster's Ramblings 