Mammoth 38-point tie-break sets Aus Open record

Anna Blinkova and Elena Rybakina made history on Thursday night with a marathon effort in the final set, playing out the longest tie-break in Australian Open history.

Russia's Anna Blinkova celebrates after victory against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina in their women's singles match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 18, 2024. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Anna Blinkova and Elena Rybakina made history on Thursday night when the pair played out the longest tiebreaker in Australian Open history.

When world No.3 Rybakina sent a backhand into the doubles court to hand Blinkova the 6-4 4-6 7-6 (20) victory, it stopped the clock on a 32-minute tiebreaker.

The 42-point set decide broke a 17-year record held by Andy Roddick and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who played to 20-18 in the first round of the 2007 Australian Open.

In a ridiculous final set that lasted 93 minutes Rybakina, last year’s Australian Open runner-up, was broken three times and saved four match points to send it into a tiebreaker.

Nobody could have predicted what would come next.

Trailing 4-1, the unflappable Rybakina roared back into it with a string of incredible winners.

At 12-12, the crowd inside Rod Laver Arena murmured with bewilderment. Little did they know it was just the beginning.

Russia's Anna Blinkova celebrates after victory against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina in their women's singles match on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 18, 2024. Picture: Anthony Wallace / AFP,

Both players had the match on their racquet in the decider, with neither able to produce the two-point buffer to seal the deal.

Down match point against serve late in the tiebreaker, Blinkova produced a stunning defensive display with a trio of end-to-end sprints defying Rybakina the decisive blow.

The Russian at times looked like she was hanging on for dear life as Rybakiba uncorked a combination of incredible winners and incredulous errors.

Ultimately it was the latter that proved the difference; brilliant, brave Blinkova the winner after more than three hours.

“I’ll never forget it,” a relieved Blinkova said on-court.

“It’s the best day of my life so far.

“First of all, thank you so much to the crowd for cheering and encouraging me … it gave me so much energy to fight until the end.

“It was, I don’t know what to say – it was super tough. I had so many match points and I tried to be aggressive, but my hand was shaking and my legs too.

“I tried to be as calm as I could and I’m super happy to win in the end.”

Rybakina was one of the favourites to win this year’s tournament after her earlier Brisbane International title triumph over reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Instead it will be Blinkova into the third round at Melbourne Park, where she will face Italian 26th seed Jasmine Paolini.