Wimbledon Tennis : John Isner longest match in tennis winner loses the next game within 74 minutes
American John Isner, who previously changed the history books with a record-breaking longest tennis match to date, could not overcome his fatigue carried from his last match to lose in the second round. Tall John Isner dreamlike run at Wimbledon ended surprisingly in an abrupt manner as he lost his second round match.
John Isner was defeated by Thiemo de Bakker of Netherlands. Bakker won the match with the score of 6-0, 6-3 and 6-2. Isner was coming into the match after 19 hours from a Herculean battle in which he ousted Nicolas Mahut. Isner won that match with 980th point in a mammoth match that took 11 hours and 5 minutes. As expected Isner was no machine, he was simply human and like any human he ran out of gas when he had to come within 20 hours of gruelling duel.
Ironically, the man who won the longest match in tennis history was ousted in just 74 minutes by Dutch Bakker. His second round defeat is the shortest men’s match so far in this year’s tournament. Isner, who fired 112 aces against Mahut in his first round match, could only find one ace from his racquet against Bakker. Despite support from a crowd who bucked him throughout his encounter with Bakker, it was obvious that American Isner was lacking energy to compete at his best level. Isner came into the match after spending the morning on a stretched table, getting treatment for stiff neck, legs and blistered feet. Even medical treatment could not rejuvenate the 25 year old American, who looked jaded throughout the match. Isner lost the first set in 16 minutes and the other match in 74 minutes.
Isner may have made the headlines in the Wimbledon earlier but after his exit the focus was on regular stars. Former Wimbledon Champion Lleyton Hewitt continued his grass court form as he overcame Gael Monfils in third round match. Australian Hewitt won the match against French Monfils in straight sets on a sweltering Centre Court. Former World Number 1 Hewitt defeated Monfils with the score of 6-3, 7-6 (11-9), 6-4. This was Hewitt’s 101st victory on grass surface. He was given tough time by Monfils as he was forced to save three set points in second set tiebreak. He will now be facing 3rd seed Novak Djokovic in 4th round encounter. Djokovic defeated Albert Montanes to set his match with the Australian in last 16. Serbian Djokovic defeated the Spaniard with the score of 6-4, 6-4 and 6-4. It will be clash of titans as Hewitt will face Djokovic in last 16. Hewitt has been in-form in grass and will be hoping to show same form against former Australian Open champion.
On the other hand, in women’s action comeback girls Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters will be facing each other in fourth round after both crushed their opponents in the third round encounters. Clijsters, who was playing her first Wimbledon after four years, won comfortably against Maria Kirilenko. Belgian Clijsters crushed the Russian Kirilenko with the score of 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, Clijsters’ compatriot Justine Henin defeated 12th seed and Russian Nadia Petrova. Henin, who last played in Wimbledon in 2007, won against the Russian with the score of 6-1 and 6-4. Former World Number 1 was in devastating form as she booked her fourth round match with another Former World Number 1 Clijsters.
Similarly, Venus Williams showed no sign of jading down as she progressed to the last 16 with a brilliant victory. She defeated Alisa Kleybanova in third round encounter. American Williams won the match against Russian Kleybanova with the score of 6-4, 6-2. Meanwhile, 4th seed Jelena Jankovic played one of the best tennis of the tournament when she demolished 28th seed Alona Bondarenko. Serbian Jankovic won the match with the score of 6-0, 6-3 to eliminate Ukrainian Bondarenko from the Grand Slam. Jankovic will now face Vera Zvonareva for a place in last eight. 21st seed Russian Zvonareva defeated 15th seed and compatriot Yanina Wickmayer to book her match with Jankovic. Zvonareva won the match with the score of 6-4, 6-2.
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