Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beats John Isner 19-17 in fifth set

04.07.2016 15:32

French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat American John Isner 19-17 in the fifth set of a gripping match on middle Sunday at Wimbledon.

Tsonga won 6-7 (3-7) 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 19-17 after four hours and 24 minutes on court two, as spectators enjoyed an unexpected extra day's play.

Isner played the longest-ever match when he beat Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set at Wimbledon six years ago.

Tsonga will play compatriot Richard Gasquet in the fourth round on Monday.

Asked if he thought of compatriot Mahut as the final set unfolded, Tsonga said: "A little bit. I was focused on the game but to be honest, once I said, 'Wow! It's going to be long like Nicolas.'"

Australia's 15th seed Nick Kyrgios completed a 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 6-4 win over Spanish 22nd seed Feliciano Lopez, and will next face Britain's Andy Murray.

Isner prevailed over 11 hours split across three days when he beat Mahut in 2010 - this time the end came more quickly, if less successfully for the American.

Asked whether he would like to see a tie-break in the fifth set, as is the case at the US Open, Isner said: "I would, but I have said that a bunch. I can't do anything about it. It's fine."

He led by two sets to one when play was suspended on Saturday evening and could not finish the job when play resumed on middle Sunday.

Tsonga dominated the fourth set before the fifth took on a familiar pattern, with neither man able to make any impression with their returns over the opening 30 games.

Isner's chance came at 16-15 but Tsonga saw off a match point in confident style, and made the decisive breakthrough himself two games later.

"It's good to be alive," said the Frenchman afterwards. "I will have a good recovery from this one and tomorrow be fit to play again for sure."

Kyrgios played superbly after resuming against Lopez at one set all on court one, the 21-year-old Australian wrapping up the win to set up a tantalising fourth-round clash with Murray.

The pair are good friends, but Kyrgios is yet to beat the Scot in a competitive match.

"I feel like I know what to do, but it's hard to actually go out there and execute against such a player like him obviously," said Kyrgios.

In the same quarter of the draw, last year's semi-finalist Gasquet beat Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 6-3.

Tomas Berdych, the Czech 10th seed, saw off German 19-year-old Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-4 4-6 6-1 on Centre Court and goes on to face compatriot Jiri Vesely, who beat Portugal's Joao Sousa 6-2 6-2 7-5.

Juan Martin del Potro could not back up his win over fourth seed Stan Wawrinka, the Argentine going down 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 6-1 to French 32nd seed Lucas Pouille.

(BBC)

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