John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, who were locked in battle for 11 hours in the Wimbledon first-round last year, will face each again this year after Friday`s draw threw up an extraordinary re-match.
|Last Updated: Jun 17, 2011, 06:20 PM IST|Source: Bureau
London: John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, who were locked in battle for 11 hours in the Wimbledon first-round last year, will face each again this year after Friday`s draw threw up an extraordinary re-match.
The pair, who slogged out a freakish match that spanned three days on court 18 at the All England Club with Isner eventually triumphing 70-68 in the final set, will meet at the same stage this year when Wimbledon starts on Monday.
The longest ever tennis match last year captured the imagination of the sporting world and left the players physically shattered with Mahut also bearing the mental scars as he battled depression for three months afterwards.
Before the draw Mahut had begged organisers not to schedule any of his matches on court 18, but little could he have known that there was an even more dramatic twist of fate in store.
The Frenchman had told Reuters this month that he felt "huge sadness to lose a match that I`ll never get a chance to play again".
While fans might be hoping for a repeat of what was dubbed the "endless match", the players will settle for something much simpler when they find themselves once again stealing the spotlight from some of the bigger names in the first round.World number one Rafa Nadal opens the defence of his title against American Michael Russell and the Spaniard has been drawn in the opposite half as six-times Wimbledon champion Roger Federer.
Federer, the third seed, starts his campaign against Kazakhstan`s Mikhail Kukushkin, while second seed Novak Djokovic will take on France`s Jeremy Chardy.Home favourite Andy Murray, the fourth seed who warmed up for the tournament with victory at the Queen`s Club grasscourt event, meets Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.