Top 10 Longest Tennis Matches in History

Over the decades, tennis has come to be regarded as a sport of grace, athleticism, and strategic brilliance. Quite contrary to the graceful strokes and tactical rallies lies a savage physical grilling few sports can give. Down the ages, there have been tennis matches so long, tedious, and dramatic they pushed the players beyond the physical limits and forced changes even onto the laws of the game.

As one of the most-followed and highly high-profile sports across the globe, tennis has regularly made the headlines for things such as global stars and championships, but also times when the skills and endurance were defied. One such time came in 2010 at Wimbledon: the longest tennis match in recorded history, a marathon that lasted more than 11 hours over 3 days.

Tennis has become much more of a physically demanding sport than it used to be. Grand Slam records show men-played matches grew longer on average from 2 hours 54 minutes in 1999 to 2023, hence a 25% increase. The change also reflects an evolution in player fitness, racket technology, baseline-oriented styles, and longer rallies.

It, however, emerges that six out of ten longest tennis matches on record have occurred in the 21st century. This is indicative of physical training and mental resilience achieving unprecedented heights in the contemporary era.

Rule changes have also influenced the making of this list. Prior to the introduction of tie breaks in the 1970s, sets could theoretically be played forever until one player led by two. While tie breaks were introduced in stages, the debate of the final-set tie break continued to be inconsistent across Grand Slam tournaments until a harmonized final-set tie-break rule was implemented in 2022. This thus makes many of the below records unlikely ever to be broken.

With this in mind, let us take deep dive into the top 10 longest tennis matches in history determined by time, in singles and doubles formats.

Top 10 Longest Tennis Matches Ever Played

1. John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut - Wimbledon 2010

Duration: 11 Hours, 5 Minutes

The longest tennis match ever is not merely a record; it is a moment that changed tennis forever. Played in the first round of Wimbledon 2010, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut set out to force an outcome in the best-of-five set showdown that lasted for three days.

At that time, the last set alone had gone on for over eight hours, with an incredible score of 70-68. Isner recorded 113 aces, while Mahut matched him stroke-for-stroke until physical exhaustion finally overtook him.

The match made worldwide news, transcending the tennis audiences and catching the attention of billions around the globe. The toll it took on the players saw tennis authorities bring in a rule for a final-set tie-break that would avoid such agonizingly long matches. As of today, this record remains the most inviolable in tennis history.

2. Tomas Berdych and Lukas Rosol vs Stanislas Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli - Davis Cup 2013

Duration: 7 Hours, 1 Minute

The very first round of this men's-doubles clash in the 2013 Davis Cup was both a physical and mental grind. The Czech Republic locked up the critical point with a 24-22 win in the final set over Switzerland.

Even more astonishing was Berdych's winning performance in a singles match soon after, proving extraordinary stamina at this late hour. The Czech Republic went on to win the Davis Cup, and this match was the crucial one.

3. Leonardo Mayer vs Joao Souza - Davis Cup 2015

Duration: 6 Hours, 43 Minutes

Leonardo Mayer entered this Davis Cup match as the favorite, very much higher-ranked than Joao Souza; however, on the day, it mattered little, as the two players went to war for nearly seven hours.

With really long games in every set, Mayer finally captured the closing fifth set 15–13. This was a big victory for Argentina, getting them to level the tie before pushing deeper in the competition.

4. Kevin Anderson vs John Isner - Wimbledon Semi-final 2018

Duration: 6 Hours, 36 Minutes

Match between two of the greatest servers in the history of tennis, one unforgettable Wimbledon semi-final: Anderson and Isner gave 102 aces in a pure serving exhibition on Centre Court.

Anderson became the first South African to reach a Wimbledon final after this victory. Though he lost to Novak Djokovic later, this semi-final has to be one of the most grueling matches in history on grass.

Also Read |Top 10 Tallest Tennis Players Ever in History

5. Fabrice Santoro vs Arnaud Clement - French Open 2004

Duration: 6 Hours, 33 Minutes

This all-French encounter unfolded over two days, becoming the longest match in history at the French Open. Fabrice Santoro withstood Arnaud Clement in the first round after five draining sets.

The match was relatively more tense with extra sprinkle of a prior Davis Cup controversy regarding Clement's exclusion creating a very hard-to-miss frosty handshake at the end. The early round but the historic confrontation became the stuff of tennis folklore.

6. Vicki Nelson vs Jean Hepner - Central Fidelity Banks International 1984

Duration: 6 Hours, 31 Minutes

Set over six and a half hours, the longest women's match in tennis history consisted of only two sets. The match is famed for the longest rally ever recorded: a 643-shot exchange lasting 29 minutes.

Would Hepner have won that rally, the match would have gone to a third set, possibly stretching the record even further. This match was the record for longest match in tennis for over 20 years.

7. Mats Wilander vs John McGregor - Davis Cup 1982

Duration: 6 Hours, 22 Minutes

This Davis Cup quarter-final clash occurred before tie-breaks were common, allowing sets to stretch endlessly. A 17–15 third set was the turning point in a match that pushed both players to their limits.

The United States eventually won the tie, and team captain Arthur Ashe famously remarked that McEnroe "deserved to get drunk" after such an effort.

8. Boris Becker vs John McEnroe - Davis Cup 1987

Duration: 6 Hours, 21 Minutes

Two of tennis' biggest icons played a true marathon although both teams were out by then. The second set alone lasted for 2 hours and 35 minutes.

Subsequently, McEnroe said that he was proud to have been part of a historic match—his third inclusion on this list, despite the loss.

9. Lucas Arnold Ker and David Nalbandian vs Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin - Davis Cup 2002

Duration: 6 Hours, 20 Minutes

The doubles briefly held the record for the longest in that category. The Argentine side rescued their Davis Cup campaign with a dramatic final set win 19-17, after which Russia went on to win the tie and the title.

10. Jose Luis Clerc vs John McEnroe - Davis Cup 1980

Duration: 6 Hours, 15 Minutes

In this marathon-before-the-tie-break-ages-clerical victory for the then number one McEnroe is scribed into the annals of history to the credit of Argentina in the Davis Cup. McEnroe, for hardly leaving anything on the court, is here for the third time.