(8) Kevin Anderson def. (9) John Isner 7-6(6), 6-7(5), 6-7(9), 6-4, 26-24
South Africa’s Kevin Anderson earned a spot in Sunday’s Wimbledon final with a grueling win over American John Isner. The five-set scorcher last just over six hours and 30 minutes, with Anderson finally getting the only break of the set with Isner serving at 24-24.
The American is no stranger to marathon Wimbledon matches. He holds the record (by a considerable margin) for the longest match ever played, which came in the 2010 Wimbledon first round. Isner and France’s Nicolas Mahut played over three days for 11 hours and five minutes, with Isner eventually prevailing 70-68 in the fifth.
This match would not go the American’s way. The first three sets boasted a predictable scoreline: tiebreakers for the big servers. The two men traded breaks of serve in the third before Isner eventually pocketed a two-sets-to-one lead.
Anderson converted on both of his break-point chances in the fourth set to level the match at two sets apiece and force a fifth, with Isner holding the advantage of serving first.
The No. 8 seed held serve through the game at 24-24, but he played with fire, often finding himself in a 0-30 hole before serving his way out of trouble. In the 49th game of the set, Anderson finally did what he was threatening to do all set and he broke serve before serving it out to earn his spot in the final.
I watched until about 13-13 before going to bed. What came before was quite good tennis, including some nice rallies and net play. I have no idea whether Anderson can recover physically, but the winner of the other SF will also be tired playing 3 consecutive days.
I’ll say this: if Anderson plays at the level he has the last two matches, there is absolutely no reason he can’t lift the trophy, and in fact if he can somehow bring that level I might even make him the favourite. He looks like a different player mentally to me. Making the USO final and beating Fed at wimby may be enough to have pushed him over the hump. There was definitely no let-down in the SF.
Still, two marathon 5-setters in a row is probably too much to overcome, unless Novak and Rafa play far into a 5th set themselves. It would make things more even, but it’s hardly what one wants for the Wimbledon final.
agreed. underrated match because of what happened the last 2 hours. What happened before was good.
I think people might have been thinking “Oh no. Not Mahut again.” Or I was, anyway. I wish the other slams had a fifth set breaker. I didn’t enjoy the fifty-game fifth set much.