Paul-Henri Mathieu edges past John Isner into the third round – French Open 2012
World number 261, Paul-Henri Mathieu of France, pulled off a big upset, as he beat USA’s John Isner, seeded 10th in the draw, in five sets 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 18-16 in the round of 64 at the French Open in Paris on
Thursday. The marathon contest lasted for five hours and 41 minutes.
Two years ago at Wimbledon Championships, Mathieu’s compatriot, Nicolas Mahut, lost the longest match in the history of tennis against Isner. The American won that encounter 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(9), 7-6(3), 70-68, which lasted for 11
hours and five minutes.
Coming back to the latest match, Isner drew the first blood of the contest, as he struck in the seventh game and consolidated on it to grab a 5-3 lead. However, Mathieu bounced back to level the score at 6-6 and force a tie-breaker.
The Frenchman’s effort got wasted, as Isner allowed him to claim just two points and sealed it 7-6(2).
In the second set, both players made a steady start, as they did not lose their serve in the first eight games to take the score to 4-4. Mathieu managed to snatch a break in the ninth and served it out at 5-4.
The Frenchman carried the winning momentum into the third set, making a strike in the third game and holding his subsequent serve to claim a 4-2 advantage. Mathieu made the most of it to triumph 6-4.
Isner fought back in the fourth set, claiming a breakthrough in the third game and capitalising on it to win 6-3.
Mathieu and Isner served almost flawless in the decider, as they did not allow each other to make a break in the first 33 games, taking the score to 17-16 in the former’s favour. The Frenchman finally broke the ice, hitting a blow
to Isner and capturing it 18-16.
Talking to reporters after the match, as extremely Mathieu said, "I remember Mahut's match, so I just couldn't believe it was over. I had match point. It was tough. Every time I needed to concentrate and focus again on my serve,
so when the match was over, I had trouble realising it was really over."
He added, "Before I used to become very tense at the end of a match like this. I have more experience now. But in the fifth set I was always ahead. I was up in the scores and I was serving first so that it was an advantage."
The French contender will play either Marcel Granollers or Malek Jaziri in the third round.
Tags: