Five longest matches in French Open history

There was a marathon tennis match on Thursday as Danny Altmaier of Germany defeated Jannik Sinner of Italy, the eighth seed, in the third round of the 2023 French Open. The match lasted five hours and 26 minutes, and was the fifth longest match in French Open history.

There were 21 aces and nine double faults by both players before Altmaier won 6-7, 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 7-5. The statistics were skewed a little bit in Sinner’s favour because of a dominant third set by the Italian, but Altmaier won the most important points in the second, fourth and fifth sets. This was the second time Altmaier has beaten a top-10 player at a major. Altmaier beat 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 in the third round of the 2020 French Open.

Here are the four longer men’s singles matches in French Open history.

4) Alex Corretja–Spain vs. Hernan Gumy–Argentina

In this third round match of the 1998 French Open, Corretja beat Gumy 6-1, 5-7, 6-7, 7-5, 9-7 in five hours and 31 minutes. Corretja, the 14th seed, eventually reached the final, before losing to the 12th seed, Carlos Moya, in an all-Spanish final, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3. It was Corretja’s first of two grand slam singles finals. He also reached the 2001 French Open, where he lost to Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-0.

3) John Isner–United States vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu–France

Everyone remembers the Isner classic against Nicolas Mahut of France at Wimbledon in 2010. Not everyone might remember Isner’s classic match against another Frenchman, in Paul-Henri Mathieu, in the second round of the 2012 French Open. Here the native of Dallas, Texas, and 10th seed, lost to Mathieu, who was a wildcard, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 18-16 in five hours and 41 minutes.

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2) Lorenzo Giustino–Italy vs. Corentin Moutet–France

In the first round of the 2020 French Open, Italian qualifier Lorenzo Giustino beat France’s own Corentin Moutet 0-6, 7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 18-16 in six hours and five minutes. The 2020 French Open was played in the fall because of coronavirus.

1) Fabrice Santoro–France vs. Arnaud Clement–France

In the first round of the 2004 French Open, Santoro beat the 32nd ranked Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14 in six hours and 33 minutes. The match that spanned over two days, is the fifth longest match in tennis history.

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