South African Kevin Anderson outlasted American John Isner 7-6 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-4, 26-24 in the second-longest Grand Slam match ever, advancing to the Wimbledon final after 6 hours, 35 minutes.
“It’s really tough on both of us, and at the end I feel like this is a draw between the two of us,” Anderson said after stopping to sign autographs along with Isner after the match. “Somebody has to win. I apologize if I’m not more excited right now, so many mixed emotions.”
Isner was bidding to become the first U.S. man to make a Grand Slam singles final since Andy Roddick at 2009 Wimbledon, to end the nation’s longest drought. He also would have been the oldest first-time Wimbledon finalist ever at age 33.
Instead, the eighth seed Anderson made his second Grand Slam final after the 2017 U.S. Open. On Sunday, he plays Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic, who have a combined 29 major titles. Nadal, who beat Anderson in the U.S. Open final, plays Djokovic in Friday’s later semifinal.
“Neither of those guys need any introduction,” Anderson said. “It will take a long time to process everything that happened today.”
Isner was (and maybe still is) best known for 2010 Wimbledon, when he beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set in the longest match in tennis history (11 hours, 5 minutes over three days). The U.S. Open is the only one of the four Grand Slams that has a fifth-set tiebreak, and Anderson wants the others to follow suit.
“I really home this is a sign for Grand Slams to change,” he said. “It’s happened to John before when he’s played another five hours. … At the end, you don’t even feel that great out there.”
Isner said Wimbledon has been a “house of horrors” ever since. Despite his punishing serve and strong forehand, he never made it past the third round at the All England Club until this year and had never played on Centre Court until Friday (aside from the London Olympics).
The University of Georgia product has been the most consistent of a U.S. men’s contingent that has shown flashes since Roddick’s retirement in 2012. But neither he nor the others of his generation — Sam Querrey (2017 Wimbledon semifinalist), Jack Sock (ranked No. 8 as recently as February) and others — have broken into the sport’s highest tier.
In nine years since Roddick’s last Grand Slam final, U.S. women have reached a combined 21 Grand Slam finals (16 via Serena Williams). In the near 15 years since Roddick’s 2003 U.S. Open title, U.S. women have won a combined 21 Grand Slam titles (17 via Williams).
This has been a career year for Isner. The 6-foot-10 tower bagged his biggest career title at the Miami Open, one of the most prestigious non-major tournaments. He also made the fourth round of the French Open and matched his career-best ranking of No. 9.
Isner had held serve 110 straight times since the start of the tournament before Anderson broke him four times.
“John is a great guy, and I really feel for him,” said Anderson, who has known Isner since they played each other in NCAA competition when Anderson was at the University of Illinois.
Wimbledon continues Saturday with Williams facing former No. 1 Angelique Kerber in the women’s final, seeking to tie Margaret Court‘s record 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
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