The long run is over: Isner wins marathon
Elizabeth Windsor decided to take in some tennis at Wimbledon yesterday. Although tickets are scarcer than elephants cavorting at Piccadilly Circus, she managed to cop a couple, and in the front row of Centre Court, no less.* Tweet
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When she walked in, people began to cheer and clap and point cameras at her. She looked a sprightly, likable 84, and she is used to this kind of attention because in her day job, she is Queen Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty last had an urge to see tennis at Wimbledon in 1977, 33 years ago. Her father, King George VI-to-be, actually played Wimbledon. It was doubles in 1926, an embarrassing hackerly performance prompting his wife to veto any repeats.
As far as tennis goes these days, Her Majesty’s domain is down to one body. It belongs to a prickly Scotsman, Andy Murray. Last year, the queen sent Murray a good-luck note, and yesterday wished him well in person in a chat that followed his batting-practice victory over Jarkko Nieminen, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Three sets were enough for the queen, who departed beneath a robin’s-egg blue bonnet that looked more comfortable than a crown. Alas, her handlers blew it. They should have escorted her to the back court, where the Impossible Match was still outrageously in progress, in its third day, with an overflow crowd delighted to be in on a tennis classic.
Linked forever as partners in tennis crime or tennis glory — take your pick — are Long John Isner, once an All-American at the University of Georgia, and quick Nic Mahut, with a French background. Foes for three days, and now lifetime friends, they collaborated in an expanding dream that amazed the sporting world and looked endless.
“I honestly thought it was a dream,’’ said the towering Isner, whose zipping two-fisted backhand punctured the revelry of 11 hours 5 minutes that began Tuesday. “I was expecting to wake up, in all seriousness. I didn’t think that type of match was possible.’’
It wasn’t — a match of 183 games beyond any imagination — but was. Game after game after game, it finally came out like this for Isner: 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-3), 70-68.
Yes, 70-68 — an unheard-of score in tennis. Never happened; never will. But it did on Court 18. Two serving heavies got caught up in it, blasting each other like prizefighters, and couldn’t get out. It was too absorbing for them and the witnesses, a once-in-forever trip through 183 games, 20 of them on the last day after darkness had stalled the fateful fifth at 59-59 Wednesday.
Absurd. Who could have conjured it?
“You can’t imagine going to 20-all,’’ Isner said.
You couldn’t have broken serve with a sledgehammer. Each guy lost serve only once until the conclusion, ending a stretch of 168 holds.
“I lost track of the score,’’ said Isner. “Just tried to hold serve. One break would mean the match.’’
It was abrupt: a Mahut error, good low returns, and the backhand passer. Suddenly it was over, and they had their niche in sporting history.
Aces flew like hailstones: 112 for Isner, 103 for Mahut. Every time they struck one, it added to the all-time record.
They said they were delirious as the score ascended — and so were the observers.
Ever aware of history, the Wimbledon folks immediately presented the protagonists and the umpire with gifts and took photos of them with the scoreboard, honoring their unbelievable feat.
While it was pleasant to see the queen, it’s too bad she missed Isner and Mahut tearing apart all the records while creating a match for the ages.
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