SALT LAKE CITY — If anyone could relate to the two-day (so far) epic match at Wimbledon between American John Isner and France's Nicolas Mahut, it's University of Utah men's tennis coach F.D. Robbins.
Robbins, who played for the Utes and is one of the greatest tennis players ever to have come out of the state, still is part of the record for the longest singles match in U.S. Open history when he played — and defeated — Dick Dell in a six-hour-plus match in 1969.
"Holy smokes, that's unbelievable," Robbins said Wednesday afternoon, a couple of hours after the Isner-Mahut match was suspended because of darkness in England — deadlocked at 59-59 in the fifth set — after more than seven hours of play in that set alone. "I kind of have an idea ofwhat they're going through."
That's because Robbins played his own marathon match, one which will forever remain the longest match in U.S. Open history for games played. The tiebreak rule was instituted the following year at the U.S. Open for sets that went as long as 8-8. In 1979, the rule was changed to the current standard of 6-6 for tiebreakers.
Now, the most games that can be played at the U.S. Open is 65 (five sets of 7-6). Robbins and Dell played 100 games with a final score of 22-20, 9-7, 6-8, 8-10, 6-4.
Robbins was teaching tennis lessons Wednesday when he heard about the extra-long match across the ocean that had been going on all day at the All-England Tennis Club. It was 54-all when he started watching.
"It's unbelievable they could play all day in just one set, because your legs get so tired from serving a lot," he said. "I can't believe a match could go this long. It's amazing they can go on this long mentally and physically."
Robbins has one idea of why the match hasn't ended yet.
"I remember thinking (in the 1969 match), 'If I'm going to be out here this long, I'm not about to lose.' "
Isner and Mahut had played four sets on Tuesday when their match was suspended with the two players tied at two sets apiece. On Wednesday, they resumed the match and played 118 games for more than seven hours — and still couldn't decide the winner. Unlike the U.S. Open, Wimbledon doesn't employ a tiebreak in the fifth set.
"I'm sure because of this match they'll put in some sort of tiebreaker in after this," Robbins said. "It's not good when a match like this puts the whole tournament behind."
Coincidentally, the longest singles match in Wimbledon history before this week involved another former University of Utah player, Greg Holmes, who defeated Todd Witsken in a five-hour, 28-minute match in 1989.
So what is going to happen today?
"They're both going to be really sore," Robbins said "Whoever feels the freshest will probably win."
Unfortunately, Robbins will not be able to watch the conclusion of today's match — assuming, of course, that it finishes today — because he'll be busy coaching and teaching lessons.
"It's pretty exciting," he said. "I'll be interested in who wins."
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