Mahut, Isner get Wimbledon rematch
Source: Agencies |
June 18, 2011, Saturday
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JOHN Isner and Nicolas Mahut, who were locked in battle for 11 hours in the Wimbledon first round last year, will face each other again this year after yesterday's draw threw up an extraordinary re-match.
The pair, who slogged out a freakish match that spanned three days on court 18 at the All England Club in London with American Isner eventually triumphing 70-68 in the final set, will meet at the same stage this year when Wimbledon starts on Monday.
The longest-ever tennis match last year captured the imagination of the sporting world and left the players physically shattered with Mahut also bearing the mental scars as he battled depression for three months afterwards. Before the draw the Frenchman had begged organizers not to schedule any of his matches on court 18, but little could he have known that there was an even more dramatic twist of fate in store.
While fans might be hoping for a repeat of what was dubbed the "endless match", the players will settle for something much simpler when they find themselves once again stealing the spotlight from some of the bigger names in the first round.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal opens the defense of his title against American Michael Russell and the Spaniard has been drawn in the opposite half as six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer.
Swiss Federer, the third seed, starts his campaign against Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin, while second seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia will take on France's Jeremy Chardy.
Grasscourt event
Home favorite Andy Murray, the fourth seed who warmed up for the tournament with victory at the Queen's Club grasscourt event, meets Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain.
In the women's singles, champion Serena Williams of the United States was drawn in the opposite side of the draw to her sister and five-time champion Venus but in the same half as world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and another pre-tournament favorite, Maria Sharapova.
Serena, seeded seventh after being sidelined for almost a year because of life-threatening blood clots on a lung as well as a foot injury, takes on France's Aravane Rezai in the first round of what could be a tricky draw for her.
Wozniacki, seeking a maiden grand slam title, has a straightforward-looking opening match against world No. 107 Arantxa Parra Santonja but danger lurks in the shape of Russian Sharapova.
The Russian 2004 champion, who reached the French Open semifinals this month after returning to some of her best form after two years of struggling with a shoulder injury, is seeded fifth and could meet Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.
French Open champion Li Na of China, who became the first Asian player to win a grand slam title this month, is also in Serena's half of the draw and faces Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva in round one.
Venus, back from an injury layoff, could pose an early threat to last year's runner-up Vera Zvonareva.
The pair, who slogged out a freakish match that spanned three days on court 18 at the All England Club in London with American Isner eventually triumphing 70-68 in the final set, will meet at the same stage this year when Wimbledon starts on Monday.
The longest-ever tennis match last year captured the imagination of the sporting world and left the players physically shattered with Mahut also bearing the mental scars as he battled depression for three months afterwards. Before the draw the Frenchman had begged organizers not to schedule any of his matches on court 18, but little could he have known that there was an even more dramatic twist of fate in store.
While fans might be hoping for a repeat of what was dubbed the "endless match", the players will settle for something much simpler when they find themselves once again stealing the spotlight from some of the bigger names in the first round.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal opens the defense of his title against American Michael Russell and the Spaniard has been drawn in the opposite half as six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer.
Swiss Federer, the third seed, starts his campaign against Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin, while second seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia will take on France's Jeremy Chardy.
Grasscourt event
Home favorite Andy Murray, the fourth seed who warmed up for the tournament with victory at the Queen's Club grasscourt event, meets Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain.
In the women's singles, champion Serena Williams of the United States was drawn in the opposite side of the draw to her sister and five-time champion Venus but in the same half as world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and another pre-tournament favorite, Maria Sharapova.
Serena, seeded seventh after being sidelined for almost a year because of life-threatening blood clots on a lung as well as a foot injury, takes on France's Aravane Rezai in the first round of what could be a tricky draw for her.
Wozniacki, seeking a maiden grand slam title, has a straightforward-looking opening match against world No. 107 Arantxa Parra Santonja but danger lurks in the shape of Russian Sharapova.
The Russian 2004 champion, who reached the French Open semifinals this month after returning to some of her best form after two years of struggling with a shoulder injury, is seeded fifth and could meet Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.
French Open champion Li Na of China, who became the first Asian player to win a grand slam title this month, is also in Serena's half of the draw and faces Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva in round one.
Venus, back from an injury layoff, could pose an early threat to last year's runner-up Vera Zvonareva.
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