Named after Australian tennis icon Rod Laver, the Melbourne Major’s main court has seen many epic clashes over the years. It’s hard enough to play a match in 5 sets at the Grand Slam, but playing it in the middle of the Australian summer season when temperatures can soar above 40 degrees Celsius is now a whole new level.
Following the Australian Open 2023, the five longest men’s singles matches in the history of the competition have been updated:
#1 Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal – Australian Open 2012 Final
The 2012 Australian Open final is arguably one of the greatest tennis matches in history and remains the longest Grand Slam final in the Open era. Before reaching the final, Djokovic had already spent 4 hours and 50 minutes on the pitch in the semi-finals with Andy Murray, and in the final he was opposed by Rafael Nadal.
The Clash of Legends was a joy to watch, and even in the 5th set, the two Iron Mans pulled off a 32-shot rally, much to the amazement of the crowd. The final match lasted a breathtaking 5 hours and 53 minutes, and it was Djokovic who prevailed with a final score of 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7, 7-5, winning his fourth Grand Tournament. Slam and the third major title in a row.
#2 Andy Murray vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis – 2nd Round 2023
Two days after a nearly five-hour battle with Matteo Berrettini in the first round of the 2023 Australian Open, Andy Murray had to start all over again, and this time he spent 5 hours and 45 minutes on the court. Murray lost the first two sets first, and few expected Andy to turn things around.
However, he returned to the game to win it 4-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 7-5, sealing a memorable comeback for the ages. The three-time Grand Slam champion also picked up his 11th Tour victory, dropping the first two sets, a record for any man in the Open era.
#3 Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev – Final, 2022
Rafael Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev 2–6, 6–7, 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 in 5 hours and 24 minutes to claim his second Australian Open title. Also for Nadal, it became a record 21st major at that time. Rafael had lost four Australian Open finals since 2009 and was desperate for his second title in Melbourne, which made this victory all the more memorable.
It was the second longest major final in history after the 2012 Australian Open, which also featured a Spaniard. Nadal and Medvedev have met four times, including in the 2019 US Open final where Nadal won in five sets.
The final proved to be one of the best comeback matches in Australian Open history, with the Spaniard becoming the first man to close a two-sets gap in a final at Melbourne Park in the era of the Open.
#4 Ivo Karlovic vs. Horacio Ceballos – first round, 2017
Croatian Ivo Karlovic and Argentinian Horacio Ceballos had an absolutely epic match that lasted 5 hours and 15 minutes at the 2017 Australian Open, which Karlovic eventually won in five sets to advance to the second round. He threw 75 aces – a new tournament record and just three shy of his personal best – en route to a victory over the Argentine which also included the longest fifth set in tournament history.
In terms of matches played (84), it was the longest match at the Australian Open since tiebreakers were introduced in 1971.
#5 Rafael Nadal vs. Fernando Verdasco – semi-finals, 2009
The 2009 Australian Open is considered one of the best men’s singles Grand Slam tournaments of the Open Championship era. It is known for hosting many of the best games of the 2009 season, with then No.1 Rafael Nadal also winning his first Grand Slam title on hard courts.
Having reached the semi-finals without dropping a single set, Nadal met his compatriot Fernando Verdasco, 14th in the ATP rankings, in the semi-finals. Verdasco was in the best form of his career heading into the match before which he beat Andy Murray in the fourth round to defeat 2008 runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals.
This game was like a swing, Nadal won 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 in 5 hours and 14 minutes. The Spaniard then beat Roger Federer in the final and again in five sets.
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Source: Sport
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
