LONDON (AP) – John Isner could hardly believe it, either.
What shaped up as another possible lengthy five-setter at Wimbledon for the winner of the longest match in tennis history – Isner and U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic resumed their suspended third-round match at 10-all in the final set Saturday – instead wrapped up rather quickly.
Isner, a big-serving American seeded 17th, double-faulted on two of the last three points, after having double-faulted once in the entire match, and lost to No. 9 Cilic 7-6 (4), 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-7 (4), 12-10. They only played for two games and 15 minutes on Saturday, after going 4 hours, 16 minutes on Friday, when play was halted because of darkness.
“My serve, no matter how nervous I am, that’s a shot that generally I don’t get nervous on. I just missed them,” Isner said, shaking his head. “You know, this sport is weird. I think I only had one-double fault all yesterday. … I didn’t handle it well. There’s really no sugarcoating it.”
In 2010’s first round at the All England Club, where Isner has never reached the fourth round, he edged Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set of a match that lasted 11 hours, 5 minutes spread over three days at Court 18, where there’s now a plaque marking the historic event.