Wimbledon 2018: Kevin Anderson, John Isner call for fifth-set tiebreakers at Wimbledon after seven-hour epic

IT was the longest semifinal in Wimbledon history, the final set going three hours alone. But both Kevin Anderson and John Isner said it should have ended much earlier with a tiebreaker as not to endanger their health. Do you agree!

Kevin Anderson said player’s health could be put in danger by such long matches.

KEVIN Anderson and John Isner have called for the introduction of fifth-set tiebreaks after the pair’s record-breaking Wimbledon marathon.

And they aren’t alone.

Anderson and Isner took six hours, 35 minutes to complete the longest semi-final in All England Club history 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 26-24.

The deciding set lasted almost three hours.

Kevin Anderson wants to see a fifth-set tiebreaker introduced in all slams. Picture: AFP.

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With the exception of the US Open, the other grand slams use advantage format in deciding sets where players have to win by at least two games.

Anderson, who progressed to a maiden Wimbledon final, said long matches are dangerous.

“Being out there for this length can be pretty damaging from a health standpoint,” he said.

“There’s no secret. I think if you ask the players, when you get stuck in these positions, playing such long matches, it’s very tiring. It’s very tough, playing six-and-a-half hours, whatever we were out there for.

“I personally don’t see the added value or benefit compared to, say, at the US Open where we’re playing tiebreaks in the fifth set.”

Best of five set tennis is beautiful nod to heritage. But the sport needs to embrace modernity.

Isner and Anderson’s epic battle not only threw the tournament into disarray, but also frustrated fans, commentators and players.

No other sport is prone to programming doubt as tennis.

Both players were exhausted. Picture: AFP.

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - who were next up - would have expected a drawn-out

match with Isner involved.

He features in three of the 15 longest matches ever contested.

From the third set onwards of Isner and Anderson’s match, Djokovic and Nadal started the last phases of uncertain preparations.

And then they waited and waited. And waited.

They didn’t get on court until 8.10pm and walked off almost three hours later, unfinished.

Anderson suggests a deciding-set tiebreak could start at 12-all. Tiebreaks in earlier sets start at 6-all.

More than six hours on court took its toll on Kevin Anderson. Picture: AFP.

“If a match is 12-all in the fifth set, I don’t think it needs to continue. The amount of times it gets to that point is pretty rare,” he said.

“I think it protects the players’ health as well.”

Isner, who is also on the ATP World Tour player council with Anderson, will push for change.

“I agree with Kevin. I personally think a sensible option would be 12-all,” he said.

“Can’t finish them off, if one person can’t finish the other off before 12-all, then do a tiebreaker there.”

Paul McNamee was among those who lobbied for a change a few years ago.

Rafael Nadal and Noval Djokovic had to wait and wait and wait for their turn.

He called it a mercy tiebreak - for the sake of both players and in the interests of trying to ensure a competitive final.

Only the US Open uses a fifth-set tiebreak, introducing it in 1970. The Australian Open briefly followed suit before reverting advantage set format, where a player must win by at least two games.

As he commentated from a courtside booth, John McEnroe made two salient points.

“Long matches like this do a disservice to the players following,” he said.

“And every other sport, players know when they are going to play and they can prepare.”

Time for change - and tiebreaks in deciding sets.