cheryl,

I share your sentiments! This as yet unfinished match deserves a blog of its own! I came quite late to this unbelievable marathon. When I first checked for results online, I thought that there must be a mistake when I saw the score for this match! No way could this be happening! I went on espn360 and started watching, riveted to the drama.

I also felt the same appreciation for the great sportsmanship and lack of histrionics from both players. If ever a match might have justified some kind of dramatics, this is it, but both players truly conducted themselves like gentlemen, appropriate for tennis, the sport of gentlemen.

I became quite worried for Isner as the match went on endlessly. He seemed to be almost out on his feet at times. Just when I thought he was done, somehow he dug deep and found the strength to keep serving and hitting winners. I was afraid that he might literally collapse or have a heart attack.

To see these two great competitors giving it their all, is a wonderful moment for this great sport. They truly will both be winners, no matter what the score says when/if this match ends tomorrow!

I say a heartfelt Bravo to both of these young men and join you in giving them a well-deserved standing ovation!

Yes Bravo to these two men, what a heart, what a will! I hope they both are fine physically and mentally for today's continuation. Whoever wins or loses, they have to be proud of themselves. Amazing players these two!

ricky should give them his golden racket ;)

I think both deserves some gift from tournament organiser as this is simply outstanding performance from two players.

Because player hold the nerves.

It would be difficult for the winner to make it deep in the tournament , but still they deserve something special..

honestly both should be given some sort of award!

"... there is something enthralling about watching those two guys step up to the service line again and again and again with the glint of determination in their eyes."
Amazing stuff ... and after they win, yet another, game they still throw their opponent the 'take that' look. Ha ha ha. Let's see if they can actually walk and toss a ball today.

Mahut up and around and practicing and giving interviews; no sign of Isner yet.

"It hasn't been great tennis." ??? Seriously? If hitting winner after winner, ace after ace at exactly the right moment, saving four match points, holding serve 118 CONSECUTIVE GAMES, blasting shots when these guys should be on stretchers, and all the while keeping unforced errors to an other-worldly minimum isn't great tennis, then I'm sorry, I HAVEN'T SEEN GREAT TENNIS!

Sorry, Topspin. I am quite serious. This is a match with few rallies and the "winners after winners" are almost all service winners.

It is surely impressive in its own way, but as for excellent tennis? I don't think so.

excellent EFFORT yes.

@cherylmurray,

Considering the underperformance of France at the WCup, i guess at least France has something to cheer about, esp. if Mahut wins!!!!

the match will commence soon.....Lets see where the match ends..

homos - exactly so.

Monalysa - The French national team is an embarrassment. Mahut could teach them a thing or two. Even if Mahut loses, he has been a total class act. Well done to him.

Well the players representing France are doing well today ... Simon, Chardy, Benneteau and Tsonga all through.

A Hundred aces crossed!!! Woohoo!!

By both!! mahut also crosses the 100 ace barrier :)

Whoops I thought Tsonga had won ... but he's playing his own marathon (which he probably should have won in three).

this is madness. I wonder if this continues in this vein if the tournament officials are going to intervene. I would never have imagined such an eventuality nor I bet has anyone else. Crazy.

i was wondering the same thing cheryl. but if officials intervene, what fair option can they offer? a TB? i wonder if they might add something to the 5th set rule after this like maximum games before it has to go to TB or something..

If I were the officials I would make a one-time intervention: stop the game, give both players the atp points for winning, have each of them play DeBakker tomorrow. Then if DeBakker wins both matches he wins. If one of them defeats DeBakker they win. If both defeat DeBakker then the one to do so with fewest sets, being broken etc wins. If would be fair for DeBakker to have to play them both and win both matches since he is very advantaged. A coin toss would decide which one of them would play first against DeBakker. I know this is kind of silly, but what else could you do?

Did anyone think that the Isner vs Mahut match would last this long. If you did, please give me your email address immediately because we have some very serious matters to discuss . (i.e., the future of the stock market, the winner of Wimbledon and of course who the World Cup winner will be.)

good suggestion, homos... but at what point do they enforce this? In hindsight perhaps the rule could have been: if you reach 30 - 30 (or some other high number) you go to a tiebreak.

Isner wins and it ends ! :(

The historic match has ended and they are giving them special awards.

isner doesn't look like he feels the victor. maybe just relieved it's over.

Finally the match is over 70- 68 in fifth set ..

Mahut has done extremely well to hold 64 times in fifth set to stay in the match but finally We have the winner Isner..

Well done to Wimbledon for honoring these guys. Well deserved and just like the All England Club to show its class.

feel so bad for mahut. wish they both could have won.

I just wish this match will never ends. I really feel sorry for Mahut. Too bad somebody has to lose. For me both players are the winner but Isner was the lucky one today. It looks like Mahut was going to cry the moment he lost the match. This is just insane. I don't think anybody will ever come closer to 70-68 in the near future. Kudos to both of them..

112 aces for Isner in ONE MATCH. Most guys don't get that in entire year. Good on ya, Johnny!

oh, can you imagine!

All else pales in comparison with the exploits of these two men on Court 18 that deserve a special edition of the Guiness Book of Records devoted to this match alone.

But this Wimbledon is also remarkable for the number of 5-set matches played in the first two rounds - 21 if I'm not mistaken. Is this the pattern of the future I wonder?

I cried for Mahut when he lost. He is 29 and will never have another chance like that again. I know it was only a lst round match but you know what I mean. I thought it was amazing he managed to hold himself together (just) when it ended but what he couldnt see at that moment was that his name will forever be engraved in the annals of tennis for his part in that historical match. In the final analysis it was not who won that mattered.

Here is something really unbelievable! :)

'As if he hadn't played enough tennis already Mahut finished Thursday with a set of doubles - you've guessed it, back on Court 18 - but revealed that, physically at least, he didn't feel too bad. "To be honest, I'm feeling great. Just want to come back on Court 18 and win this time."'

Mahut gets the Iron Man award. He's simply amazing.

Great blog, Cheryl, you expressed my feelings about this match perfectly.

It was of course a great serving display, but watching the play was like watching tennis in slow motion. The match had something of the fascination of a disaster movie. I'm just grateful that both guys survived so well. Isner credited his preWimbly training in FLA heat/humidity and said his trainer there jokingly said he could now go 10 hours! That guy must have second sight.

Nice gift for DeBakker today.

it was isner's birthday by the way - the day they finished the mega marathon.

An amusing aside:
'BBC commentator Ronald McIntosh was taking charge of his first ever tennis match after bosses thought they'd ease him in with a 'minor' game on court 18. It happened to be the epic struggle between American John Isner and Nicolas Mahut. Final score 70-68 after 11 hours on court: the longest game ever at Wimbledon. That's the way the ball bounces, Ron.'

McIntosh, who was in the BBC box with Rudeski, normally covers boxing, basketball and occasionally athletics. It must have been a rude awakening to the world of tennis!

btw: Rudiski reached an all time low for inane comments when he pointed out at 35-36 'both players will be tiring' (sic)

see link to an article on the state of tennis commentating :

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7852380/Wimbledon-2 010-on-TV-British-pundits-take-a-beating-review.html

I found it hilarious but maybe that's because I'm English.

ed: me too! No, the worst commentary ever was day 3, I tuned in to find if epic bore had ended and Peter Fleming and another were awful! No comments on shot making in match, and de Bakker's is just gorgeous, just on and on and on about how tired Isner must be. Loved your comment about queenie trapped in Royal Box watching it BTW. I visualised her leaping over the seats and slapping punters out of the way in order to escape!

There is a whole blog to be written on this subject Deuce.