Longest games

11 deuce game, Evert-Jaeger '82 Amelia Island

Jaeger won that game to break the Evert serve, and won only two games thereafter (6-3,6-1), including a loss of twenty consecutive points in the second set. Evert said in the post match that the loss of that extra long game was actually of benefit to her mentally. she broke back immediately and rolled on through to win the title.
 
22 point game to end the second set, Maleeva v Evert 1987 Hilton Head semifinal. On 6th set point after 25 minutes, Evert won the set. The game ends at 2:21:21 of the video.

At one point there were 182 points and they had played 2 hours and 15 minutes to get to 5 all in the third. The actual match playtime went 2:38 minutes according to the Sentinal, before concluding 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) . I did not have the patience to produce a complete point count, but rest assured the fans saw plenty of tennis. Bud Collins called it the finest example of a semifinal day in a tournament because he felt both semis were exceptional and both went into a tiebreak in the third set, a very rare event according to him. The other was a nail-biter between Graf and Sabatini.

maleeva is one of three players who have beaten Evert more than once on clay. The others were Navratilova and Jaeger. I thought that Richey might be a third but no, she only beat Evert once on clay in 1970.
 
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22 point game to end the second set, Maleeva v Evert 1987 Hilton Head semifinal. On 6th set point after 25 minutes, Evert won the set. The game ends at 2:21:21 of the video.

At one point there were 182 points and they had played 2 hours and 15 minutes to get to 5 all in the third. The actual match playtime went 2:38 minutes according to the Sentinal, before concluding 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) . I did not have the patience to produce a complete point count, but rest assured the fans saw plenty of tennis. Bud Collins called it the finest example of a semifinal day in a tournament because he felt both semis were exceptional and both went into a tiebreak in the third set, a very rare event according to him. The other was a nail-biter between Graf and Sabatini.

maleeva is one of three players who have beaten Evert more than once on clay. The others were Navratilova and Jaeger. I thought that Richey might be a third but no, she only beat Evert once on clay in 1970.
Thanks for that one, I'm still noting these when I come across them.

Found a 13-deuce game in which Robin White was broken at 3-love in the third set of a 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 loss to Capriati, 1990 Wimbledon, R32. Exactly as long as the game by Graf and Sanchez Vicario in 1995 (would be interesting to see stats for that match if anyone is interested in taking it on).
 
What are the longest games you know of?

These are some to start off with, just some I've made a note of. I'm sure there are longer games.

I'm listing the server's name first and whether or not they held serve, followed by some details of what the server did, and the opponent's name.

13 deuces, 1995 Wimbledon final, Sanchez Vicario is broken at 5-all in third, saves 5 break points vs. Graf

Of all the matches noted in this thread, I feel this one is the most significant.
#1 Long game occurred in a major final
#2 Match between #1 and #2
#3 Long game occurred when players were tied at 5-5 in the final set.
#4 The level of play was high throughout the game, with few errors deciding points

The dramatic tension of the match circumstances meant this was destined to be one of those 'match for the ages.' Unfortunately for her, the loss of serve by Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was certain doom. Steffi Graf would still have had opportunities to win the match even if Sanchez held, as her serve and gras experience was higher than Arantxa's.

A thoroughly entertaining game I've watched several times
 
Of all the matches noted in this thread, I feel this one is the most significant.
#1 Long game occurred in a major final
#2 Match between #1 and #2
#3 Long game occurred when players were tied at 5-5 in the final set.
#4 The level of play was high throughout the game, with few errors deciding points

The dramatic tension of the match circumstances meant this was destined to be one of those 'match for the ages.' Unfortunately for her, the loss of serve by Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was certain doom. Steffi Graf would still have had opportunities to win the match even if Sanchez held, as her serve and gras experience was higher than Arantxa's.

A thoroughly entertaining game I've watched several times
Agreed on all counts, and I've done the same myself.

I thought once about doing the stats just for that one game but I guess I never did because I can't find them.

Anyway, two boxscores.

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Now this is a peculiar circumstance. At 104.0 at the very end of this tape, 6-5 in the first set, with Evonne serving ( we do know that she won this set 7-5, but lost the match in 3) we hear about a fifth deuce and then a sixth deuce and right then the tape runs out before we know how many more there might be.
 
This Evert-Goolagong match was one of their best ever matches. What I thought was extraordinary about it was that it was played in early April 1982, Chris was the #1 player in the world, and Evonne had only recently returned to the tour after giving birth to her second child. The Citizen Cup was played in Florida on Har-Tru. Chris' home and favorite surface. Chris had beaten Evonne on grass 6-2,6-0 about 4 months earlier.

Yet Evonne outplayed Chris in the first set, and was up a break in the third. It took a furious and determined effort by Evert to win the match 5-7,6-1,6-4, the second to last match in their rivalry. The match contained countless long rallies, incredible gets, gorgeous shot making, brilliant angles, winners from every corner of the court. From a strategical standpoint, an outstanding match between two veterans, long time rivals who brought out the best in each other that night. In what was actually an exhibition event (maybe a 'pseudo-exo' as it was a 4 player event and may have counted in rankings.)

No matter how many deuce games, this is a gem of a match, especially for those who enjoy something other than mindless, netless playing, ball bashing!
 
Now this is a peculiar circumstance. At 104.0 at the very end of this tape, 6-5 in the first set, with Evonne serving ( we do know that she won this set 7-5, but lost the match in 3) we hear about a fifth deuce and then a sixth deuce and right then the tape runs out before we know how many more there might be.
Odd to reply to my own post but this match is on YouTube through 2-1 in the third . But there is another long game at 1-0 in the third set that went to 7 deuces which Evonne won to take it to 2-0 in the third. Have we had any matches with two entries thus far?
 
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Now this is a peculiar circumstance. At 104.0 at the very end of this tape, 6-5 in the first set, with Evonne serving ( we do know that she won this set 7-5, but lost the match in 3) we hear about a fifth deuce and then a sixth deuce and right then the tape runs out before we know how many more there might be.

So disappointed, the video is gone!

On topic, a game of ***** serving to Rafa, with 4000 ball bounces and service being refused multiple times could easily be longer than all the above games, even if ***** held to love.
 
I remember Agassi vs Albert Costa in some hardcourt match, early 2000s, I swear it was like 10 or 15 deuces. That one game must have gone 30 min. It was horrible.

I'm sure I'm in the minority but I'd love to see pro tennis go no-ad. Just get to the pressure point, more fun to watch and play both.
 
Was just watching the Wimbledon upload of Wade Evert 77 on YouTube today. Wade held in the 3rd game of the match after 9 deuces(saved 6 break points)
 
Was just watching the Wimbledon upload of Wade Evert 77 on YouTube today. Wade held in the 3rd game of the match after 9 deuces(saved 6 break points)
Thanks for noting this Moose. I got the stats for the game and then decided to do the whole match, to see how many points Wade served overall compared to Evert.

In the long game, Wade made 13 of 24 first serves (missing six in a row at one stretch), and made 4 of 6 on break points. She had 6 unreturned serves in the game.

For the match, Wade served 110 points, Evert 75.

Wade won 100 points overall, Evert 85.

Wade won 60 of 110 service points (54.6%): 45/74 on 1st (60.8%) and 15/36 on 2nd (41.7%).

Evert won 35 of 75 service points (46.7%): 27/54 on 1st (50.0%) and 8/21 on 2nd (38.1%).

Wade served at 67.3%, making 74 of 110 first serves.
Evert served at 72.0%, making 54 of 75 first serves.

Wade made 14 straight first serves during the third set (winning 8), Evert 10 straight during the first set (winning only 2).

Wade made her first serve on 10 of 15 break points (66.7%), Evert on 9 of 11 (81.8%).

Evert didn't hold her serve until her fifth service game of the match (somewhat similar to the 1980 final, in which she held in her sixth game).

Wade converted 7 of 11 break points, Evert 4 of 15.

Wade held in 9 of 13 service games, Evert in 5 of 12.

Wade served on 110 points, and 20 serves did not come back: 18.2%
Evert served on 75 points, and 5 serves did not come back: 6.7%

Wade had 1 ace and 3 DFs.
Evert had 0 aces and 6 DFs.

Commentators said Wade looked unusually patient. She mixed it up well and won a lot of long rallies; and Chris made a surprising number of forehand errors.

The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Massachusetts):

One game does not make a match. But it served notice to Miss Evert, who had beaten Miss Wade in 22 of 27 previous matches, that today might be tough….​
​
Miss Wade played thoughtfully and patiently, waiting for the opening instead of blindly rushing to the net on every serve. Her most effective shot was a sliced backhand that carried deep and low on the turf to Miss Evert’s two-handed backhand, allowing herself sufficient time to reach a comfortable volleying position.​
​
She matched Miss Evert stroke-for-stroke in baseline rallies, particularly off the forehand, and served consistently well throughout, faulting only seven of 32 first serves in the third set, a remarkably high percentage [72.0%].​

I have the same % in the third set.


Wade d. Evert 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
 
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In terms of time elapsed, I'm guessing the 1984 match in Richmond, Virginia with Vicki Nelson and Jean Hepner that featured a 29-minute, 643-shot rally was the longest game.
 
Game starts at 32.54 6 deuces in a 17 point game at 5-3 in the first set in Toronto SF of 1985. Hana won the that set but lost the match which chris took 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Its actually a very old pattern. Rather remarkably, the very young immature Hana took Evert to three sets in their first 4 meetings at the Italian SF, the French SF, Toronto QF, and US Open Finals of 1980. Can't think of anyone who managed to do anything like that to prime Evert on red clay and hard courts! But Evert was always a winner. That was of course until three weeks after this match when finally Hana was able to hang with Evert to the bitter end and win the US Open SF of 1985. The rivalry ends in 1989 with Evert winning the head to head 21-7 and a 7-2 winning head to head in their 3 setters. Chris lost their final meeting on a 3 set bagel set in 1989 Indian Wells, CA 2R L 3-6, 7-6, 6-0 ! Definitely another sign it was time to change diapers!
 
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Of all the matches noted in this thread, I feel this one is the most significant.
#1 Long game occurred in a major final
#2 Match between #1 and #2
#3 Long game occurred when players were tied at 5-5 in the final set.
#4 The level of play was high throughout the game, with few errors deciding points

The dramatic tension of the match circumstances meant this was destined to be one of those 'match for the ages.' Unfortunately for her, the loss of serve by Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was certain doom. Steffi Graf would still have had opportunities to win the match even if Sanchez held, as her serve and gras experience was higher than Arantxa's.

A thoroughly entertaining game I've watched several times

28 years later we have another 13 deuce game in a Wimbledon final. This one had a lot more errors though.
 
1977 Wimbledon semi, Borg -gerulaitis,3rd set,4th game(if i remember correctly),8 deuces,vitas saved 6 break points
 
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