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7/3/08 8:56 PM | Jonathan Morgan
Schuettler survives a 2 day, 5 hour 12 minute rollercoaster to set up a semi with Nadal.
Coming into this match, neither player had done anything noteworthy all year. Clement was ranked well out of the top 100 and Schuettler had been putting up average results for years. But this section of the draw featured many players that could make a run, and these two are the ones that did it.
The match started on Wednesday after the Safin-Lopez showdown was finished. Both players came out and employed their workman-like games at the baseline. Play was suspended for darkness at one set all and they had to return Thursday.
In the 3rd set, Clement got up 4-1 before Schuettler decided to employ a more aggresive game and come to the net more. In doing this, he was able to put pressure on the Clement service games and force it to a tiebreak. In that 3rd set tiebreak, Schuettler got up 6-0. Clement then came back to make it 6 all before double faulting to give Schuettler a set point, which he converted. An insane up and down match.
In the 4th, it looked like Schuettler was going to take it. Clement was serving at 1-4 and had to save break points to prevent Schuettler from serving for the match at 5-1. He did, by using the same tactics as Schuettler did to recover to win the 3rd set. Clement became the aggresor, moving in and closing the net whenever he could. Clement came back and took the 4th.
A rain delay at a pivotal moment in the 5th at 6 all. Clement was serving at 6 all and had to save two break points from 15-40. It then got back to deuce before they called off play. Schuettler came back and took the last 2 games to win the match, however, and moves into the Wimbledon semifinal vs. Nadal.
The 5 hours and 12 minutes these guys spent on court tied a Wimbledon record for longest match time.
Great match with plenty of drama.
N/A.
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Did you know that... Legendary Björn Borg won 23 of 27 five set matches.
homos, Dec 3, 2008 9:09 AM
RickyDimon, Dec 3, 2008 5:21 AM
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tennisgirl, Dec 1, 2008 11:48 PM
lendl, Dec 1, 2008 6:17 PM
Navratilovastillplay, Dec 3, 2008 1:32 AM
Casper, Dec 2, 2008 8:23 PM
Casper, Dec 2, 2008 8:02 PM
Rainer Schuettler
Arnaud Clement
Wimbledon
