Marathon efforts: The longest matches of the Open Era
The nine longest matches on record measured by time on court.
01
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Chanda Rubin’s 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 17-15 win over Patricia Hy-Boulais at Wimbledon in 1995 lasted three hours 45 minutes, with the decider taking over two hours alone.
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02
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In 1990, Monica Seles beat Gabriela Sabatini, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 over three hours 47 minutes to win the Virginia Slims Championships in New York - the precursor to today's WTA Finals, which was decided by a best-of-five final between 1984 and 1998.
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03
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The most recent match on this list is Karolina Pliskova’s 6-3, 6-4, 16-14 classic against Kristina Mladenovic in the 2016 Fed Cup final, which was won by the Czech Republic. It lasted three hours 48 minutes.
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04
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Francesca Schiavone spent three hours 50 minutes on court at the 2015 French Open as she overcame Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-7(11), 7-5, 10-8 in the second round - a matchup between two champions responsible for two of the six longest matches in history.
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05
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Kerry Melville Reid’s three-hour 55-minute win over Pam Teeguarden in 1972 spent over 10 years as the longest match in Tour history. A 7-6(7), 4-6, 16-14 winner, she was later inducted to the Tennis Australia Hall of Fame.
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06
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Noelle van Lottum (above) was beaten by Virginie Buisson in the first round of Roland Garros in 1995. The 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-2 loss lasted four hours seven minutes, with each set lasting over an hour alone.
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07
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Barbora Strycova displayed all of her trademark staying power to overcome Regina Kulikova, 7-6(5), 6-7(10), 6-3 in the first round of the 2010 Australian Open. It lasted four hours and 19 minutes.
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08
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The longest match of the current century is Francesca Schiavone’s 6-4, 1-6, 16-14 win over Kuznetsova at the 2011 Australian Open. It was the prequal to their tussle in Paris four years later, lasting four hours 44 minutes.
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09
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At six hours and 31 minutes, Vicki Nelson-Dunbar's 6-4, 7-6(11) win over Jean Hepner in round one of Richmond in 1984 is the longest match on record. One rally in the tiebreak contained 643 shots and lasted 29 minutes.
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