Nadal, Verdasco Play Longest Aussie Open Singles Match, But Not Longest Ever Match At The Event

Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco added another chapter in the history of tennis with their men’s semifinal epic at the Australian Open. The two Spaniards battled for 5 hours, 14 minutes – the longest singles match in the history of the Australian Open – before Nadal edged his Davis Cup teammate 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (1), 6-4. Boris Becker and Omar Camporese held the previous record for the longest match in the history of the Australian Open when Becker edged the Italian standout 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 0-6, 4-6, 14-12 in 5 hours, 11 minutes in the third round in 1991. Many media outlets are mis-reporting that the Nadal-Verdasco is the longest match of any kind at the Australian Open. However, the Nadal-Verdasco match is not the longest match ever at the Australian Open according to THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS ($35.95 New Chapter Press, www.tennistomes.com) as Pieter Aldrich and Danie Visser won a 5 hour, 29 minute marathon men’s doubles match in the 1990 quarterfinals, defeating Scott Davis and Robert Van’t Hof 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 23-21. The last set of this match alone took 2 hours, 53 minutes.

Bud Collins, the Hall of Fame journalist and historian, documents the longest matches in the history of the Australian Open in his authoritative book. The updated list of longest matches at the Australian Open are as follows;

Longest Matches, Playing Time

Men’s singles

5 hours, 14 minutes Rafael Nadal d. Fernando Verdasco 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (1), 6-4

5 hours, 11 minutes Boris Becker d. Omar Camporese, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), 0-6, 4-6, 14-12, 3rd rd., 1991

4 hours, 59 minutes Andy Roddick d. Younes El Aynaoui, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4, 21-19, QF, 2003. The fifth set took 2:23, Roddick saved MP in 10th game of the fifth with inside-out forehand.

4 hours, 59 minutes Pete Sampras d. Tim Mayotte 7-6, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5, 12-10, 1^st round, 1990

4 hours, 51 minutes, Yannick Noah d. Roger Smith, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 16-14, 1^st round, 1988.

Men’s doubles

5 hours, 29 minutes Pieter Aldrich – Danie Visser, d. Scott Davis – Bob Van’t Hof, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 23-21 (last set took 2 hours, 53 minutes), quarters, 1990

Women’s singles

3 hours, 33 minutes Chanda Rubin d. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, 6-4, 2-6, 16-14, quarters, 1996

One of the great things about THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS is that many of these statistics and lists can only be found in this book (sometimes the records that Bud has compiled are better and more detailed than the record books of the actual tournaments.)

The longest singles matches at each of the four majors is as follows:

FRENCH OPEN

6 hours, 33 minutes – Fabrice Santoro d. Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 3-6, 16-14, first round, 2004 French Open – played over two days) This match is also the longest recorded match of all-time.

WIMBLEDON

5 hours, 28 minutes – Greg Holmes d. Todd Witsken 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 14-12, second round, 1989 – played over three days

US OPEN

5 hours, 26 minutes – Stefan Edberg d. Michael Chang 6-7 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-4, semifinals, 1992