:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/X4CGURDKOVE5RGGHTVCERPP4W4?w=1240&resize=1240,&ssl=1)
John Isner and Reilly Opelka played a marathon 46-point tiebreak, the longest in ATP Tour history. Opelka took the victory in the semifinals of the tournament that takes place in Dallas with a 7-6 (7) and 7-6 (22) to reach the defining encounter.
“In the longest tie-break in a tour-level match since the start of statistics on the ATP Tour in 1990, Opelka won 24-22. to overcome his compatriot in the semifinals of the Dallas Open. On his eighth match point, Opelka’s mini-break came after he had saved 10 set points,” reported the ATP website to give credit to this historic fact.
Isner had already been the protagonist of another brand when he was part of the longest match of all time against Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in the first round of Wimbledon in 2010. Both fought for 11 hours and five minutes in three days before Isner took the fifth set 70-68.
This incredible statistical data was not the only one that attracted attention since between the two they distributed a total of 60 aces. Isner measures 2.08 meters, is 36 years old and is located in 26th place in the ATP ranking: added 21 points thanks to his service. Opelka, meanwhile, is another giant on the circuit with its 2.11 meters that allowed him to sign 39 aces.
“I lost count. At one point we were 21 the same. That’s something she’s never seen before, but if it was going to happen, it would have been in this match for sure.”recognized the winner who is 24 years old and is located in the 23rd ranking of the world count.
The match lasted two hours and three minutes, but it had one detail: neither was subjected to a break point throughout the 26 games they played until reaching the first and second set tiebreaks.
Another detail that stood out is that this was the fifth meeting between the two in a record that Opelka dominates with four wins against one for Isner. Except for the first meeting in 2016 (6-7, 6-4 and 6-2 for Isner), the remaining four matches had to host tiebreaks in all .
Opelka’s triumphal markers? 7-6(4), 7-6(6), 6-7(4) and 7-6(5) in the Australian Open del 2019; 6-7 (8), 7-6 (14) and 7-6 (4) in the New York ATP of 2019; and 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5) and 7-6 (5) in the 2019 Atlanta ATP.
“They have played 12 straight tie-break sets in their heads-up series. There have been no breaks of serve in his last 98 games.detailed the ATP.
The North American contest will have a local winner since the final will face Reilly vs. fellow countryman Jenson Brooksby (21 years old and 54 in the ranking). It will be the second final for Brooksby, who does not register titles. However, Opelka has already celebrated two crowns between 2019 and 2020, although his last final – Canadian Masteres 1000 – was defeated.
This semifinal match in Dallas went down in history at the ATP level, although it should be noted that on the ITF circuit a Longest tiebreak with the 2013 duel between Guillaume Couillard and Benjamin Balleret ending 36-34 at a Future in Plantation, Florida (United States).
KEEP READING:
