Wimbledon 2018: Kevin Anderson outlasts John Isner in almost seven hours to reach final
TWO days after beating Roger Federer in almost five hours, Kevin Anderson underlined his reputation as grand slam’s indestructible force by outlasting John Isner in a record-breaking Wimbledon shootout to reach the final.
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KEVIN Anderson has underlined his reputation as grand slam’s indestructible force by outlasting John Isner in a record-breaking Wimbledon shootout to reach the final.
The first South African to move within sight of the sport’s highest summit, Anderson took six hours, 36 minutes to survive — a semi-final record — in a match peppered with 102 aces.
His 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 26-24 victory followed his five-set elimination — 13-11 in the fifth — over defending champion Roger Federer.
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Thank you John for being an incredible sportsman and friend. Itâs an honour to share this piece of history with you. #wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ptdLEAUp78
â Kevin Anderson (@KAndersonATP) July 13, 2018
In total, the Johannesburg-born baseliner has spent 10hrs, 40mins on court in his past two matches.
Serena Williams’ six-match march to the Wimbledon finals has taken 8hrs, 18mins.
Exhausted, Anderson called on tennis authorities to consider changing tournament format to fifth-set tiebreaks rather than advantage, where players have to win by two games.
Longest matches in #Wimbledon historyâ¦
â Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 13, 2018
â±11hrs 5mins - J Isner d. N Mahut (2010)
â±6hrs 36mins - K Anderson d. J Isner (2018)
â±6hrs 9mins - M Knowles/ D Nestor d. S Aspelin/ T Perry (2006)#TakeOnHistory pic.twitter.com/fkVljLkcmS
The semi-final, which ended in near darkness, was longest-match in centre court history and the second-longest in tournament history behind Isner’s 11-hour clash with Nicolas Mahut in 2010.
The fifth set alone lasted almost three hours.
Anderson clubbed 49 aces and 118 winners with just four double faults.
On we go at #Wimbledon!
â US Open Tennis (@usopen) July 13, 2018
23-23 in the fifth set for Isner-Anderson#USOpen pic.twitter.com/wooioKdLe3
Isner thumped 53 aces and 129 winners with only six doubles.
The 2017 US Open runner-up, Anderson will play either Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic in the decider.
“I don’t really know what to say right now,” he said.
“Just playing like that in those conditions. At the end you feel like it’s a draw between the two of us.
“But somebody has to lose. John is such a great guy and I’m sorry he had to come out on the wrong side of that.
“It’s probably why I feel a little subdued but I’m into the final of Wimbledon and it’s a dream come true.”
Anderson, 32, is the first South African man to reach the All England Club final since Brian Norton in 1921.
At 207cm and 202cm respectively, Isner and Anderson shared the tallest Wimbledon semi-final in history.
Watched by Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver from the Royal Box, the pair split the opening two sets — without a single service break — with both employing first-strike tactics.
Unbroken in 110 successive service games, Isner eventually cracked in the eighth game of the third set to lose serve for the first time in the tournament.
Trailing 3-5, he miraculously rebounded to break back and snatch the tiebreak.
The rollercoaster continued into the fourth set before Anderson edged back on terms after breaking Isner twice.
In a contest shaped and dominated by pile-driving serves, the former US college rivals shared just 30 rallies of nine shots or more.
In an epic fifth set, Isner saved break points at 7-all, 10-all and 17-all, having previously moved to within two points of the match.
He succumbed in the 49th game — the same game Anderson slipped and regained his footing to hit a left-handed forehand before winning the point.
Originally published as Wimbledon 2018: Kevin Anderson outlasts John Isner in almost seven hours to reach final