Five longest tiebreakers in men’s singles tennis in grand slam history

Bjorn Borg (Wikimedia Commons)

On Friday the third round of the 2020 French Open got underway with some fascinating matches at Roland Garros. Among the matches, we also had the longest men’s singles tiebreaker ever at the French Open when American Taylor Fritz faced Lorenzo Sonego of Italy. Let’s find out where the Fritz/Sonego match ranks among the longest men’s singles tiebreakers in grand slam tennis history.

4) John Isner vs. Jarkko Nieminen–In the second round of Wimbledon in 2014, Isner, the ninth-ranked American beat the unseeded Finn 19-17 in the first set tiebreak in a 7-6, 7-6, 7-5 win. The fact that Isner went so long in the tiebreak is not a surprise because his serve is so powerful, but he does not do well in returning the serve. Isner would lose his third round match at Wimbledon six years ago, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 7-5 to Feliciano Lopez of Spain.

4) Lorenzo Sonego vs. Taylor Fritz–In the third round of the French Open in 2020, Sonego, the unseeded Italian, upset the 27th-ranked American Taylor Fritz 7-6, 6-3, 7-6. In the third set to close out the match, Sonego beat Fritz 19-17 in the tiebreaker. He will now face Italian Open finalist Diego Schwartzman of Argentina in the fourth round of the French Open on Sunday.

1) Bjorn Borg vs. Premjit Lall–Before tennis legend Bjorn Borg of Sweden won his 11 grand slam championships, he defeated Premjit Lall of India 20-18 in the third set tiebreak of a 6-3, 6-4, 9-8 first round win at Wimbledon in 1973. This was the longest tiebreaker ever in men’s singles tennis at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Borg, who was seeded sixth, would reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 1973, before losing to Roger Taylor of Great Britain 6-1, 6-8, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Borg would go on to win Wimbledon five straight years from 1976 to 1980.

1) Goran Ivanisevic vs. Daniel Nestor–In the third set tiebreak of the first round of the 1993 United States Open, Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia, the 2001 Wimbledon champion, defeated Canadian Daniel Nestor 20-18 in a 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 win. Ivanisevic, the 11th seed, would lose in the second round, 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 to Carles Costa of Spain. Nestor, would go on to be one of the very best men’s doubles players of all-time. This was the longest tiebreaker in men’s singles at the U.S. Open.

1) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Andy Roddick–In the first set tiebreak of the first round of the 2007 Australian Open, the 2008 Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France beat 2003 United States Open champion Andy Roddick of the United States 20-18 in the longest tiebreaker in men’s singles tennis in Australian Open history. However unlike Ivanisevic, Borg, Sonego and Isner, Tsonga would lose the match to Roddick, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-3.

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