Longest match record smashed at Wimbledon

London: France`s Nicolas Mahut and John Isner of the United States made tennis history at Wimbledon on Wednesday as they set a new record for the longest-ever match. They surpassed the previous time of six hours and 33 minutes set at the 2004 French Open, when Fabrice Santoro beat fellow Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14. "It is reasonable to say that it is the longest official tennis match in history," International Tennis Federation spokesman Nick Imison told AFP, adding that it was certainly the longest in the Open Era records. "There are not any records to suggest otherwise." Other records also tumbled in the epic match on Court 18, where the pair were still tussling at 39-39 in the final set of a match carried over from Tuesday. Grass-court specialist Mahut and 23rd seed Isner beat the record for the most games in a match, which stood at 112 in singles and 122 in doubles. The record number of aces served in a match also fell.Croatian Ivo Karlovic held the previous mark, having hit 78 aces in a Davis Cup match in 2009. The previous record for the longest match at Wimbledon was six hours and nine minutes, set in the 2006 men`s doubles quarter-finals. In the men`s singles here, it was five hours and 28 minutes, set in 1989 in a match between G. Holmes and T. Witsken of the United States.The previous record longest set at Wimbledon was 62 games, set in a men`s doubles match in 1968. Isner was scheduled to play later in the doubles too. Bureau Report