Isner and Mahut to resume Wimbledon battle

That's how John Isner reacted when told his round one opponent at Wimbledon is Nicolas Mahut with whom he played the longest tennis match in history last year

Isner and Mahut to resume Wimbledon battle

That's how John Isner reacted when told his round one opponent at Wimbledon is Nicolas Mahut with whom he played the longest tennis match in history last year

Piece of history: The scoreboard after the Nicolas Mahut vs John Isner
Wimbledon match last year. Pic/AFP

John Isner and Nicolas Mahut will meet again in the first round of Wimbledon, 12 months after playing out the longest match in tennis history.

John Isner (left) and Nicolas Mahut

Last year, American Isner won a marathon encounter 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7/3), 70-68 that lasted for 11 hours and five minutes, stretched over three days on Court 18.

There were immediately calls for the marathon men, who are in the bottom half of the draw along with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, to be put on Centre Court on Tuesday. But surely a return to Court 18, where there is now a plaque dedicated to 'The Longest Match', would be more fitting. Isner is ranked 46 in the world, 53 places above Mahut. The pair have become friends since their remarkable feat last year. Even Murray's immediate reaction was not about his own prospects, or the fact Nadal and Andy Roddick are in his half of the draw, but about the rematch. "Isner v Mahut drawing each other in the first round after last year is the most amazing thing I've seen in tennis," he tweeted.

It's going to be pretty nuts," Isner said yesterday after the draw. "I couldn't believe it. I joked with (Mahut) earlier in the week, last week, and said, 'Watch us play each other,' and he said, 'No, there's no way, that's not even funny'."

Isner and Mahut, who forged a friendship after their marathon match a year ago, had thought they'd practice against each other Sunday, but those plans are changed now. "Maybe we'll go to dinner afterwards," Isner said.

"We're really good friends now, but obviously we both want to win. But we're going to enjoy it and laugh at it at the same time." ufffd

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