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Wimbledon 2018: Kevin Anderson v/s John Isner was tennis at its best, and its worst

Anderson and Isner played for 6 hours and 36 minutes in the Wimbledon 2018 semifinal.

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South Africa's Kevin Anderson reacts after winning his semi final match against John Isner
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There are matches where you don't want anyone to end up on the losing side. The epic semifinal clash between Kevin Anderson and John Isner on Friday was one such game. 

The 'longest and tallest' semifinal clash in Wimbledon history lasted 6 hours and 36 minutes. It was a great clash between two of the biggest servers of the game who fought foe and fatigue to claim their day in the sun. However, it was also a match plagued by its own 'epicness' and some senseless rules. 

When John Isner hit it wide in the 50th game of the fifth set and Kevin Anderson removed his cap to accept the applause in the most graceful way possible- the first thought in everyone's mind was relief. 

Awe and admiration followed a moment later as the both the players got standing ovations. They surely deserved that after playing the longest ever Wimbledon semifinal. 

At 207cm and 202cm respectively, Isner and Anderson shared the tallest Wimbledon semifinal in history too.

 

Isner and Anderson, two of the best servers in the game, put everything on the line to reach the final. The match was great display of powerful Tennis with great big serves and some good-looking backhands. 

The first four sets were entertaining with both players not allowing an inch to their rivals on their serves. The first three sets were settled by tie-breaks. 

Anderson then broke Isner twice to claim the fourth set and force the decider. 

Both players held on their serve in the fifth set as it went on and on. Isner fought off Anderson thrice on break points to survive, while Anderson kept keeping his serve under pressure in every game as he served second in the set. 

It a brilliant display of two players doing what they are best at.   

However, as the match wore on fans started getting restless. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were scheduled to duel next and the match was delaying that match.

It didn't help that the games started getting repetitive and the novelty wore off. 

Isner, deep into the fifth set once pleadingly looked up at umpire with a request: "Can we play a tiebreak please?"

At one point someone shouted, 'we don't want another 70-68' referring to Isner's 11 hours five minutes clash against Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in 2010. Isner returned a smile. 

Someone else yelled, 'Get a shift on, we want to see Rafa.'  

Even the commentators were running out of things to say and at one point resorted to a 'Winnie the Pooh' reference. 

The crowd was supporting anyone who looked like ending the game first. 

While it was understandable, it was disrespectful and cruel to the two players giving it their all out on the court. 

John McEnroe, who was in the box for BBC said, "It just seems cruel and unusual punishment for these guys."

 

While the match was an epic, everyone was glad it was over.   

"It's May of 2039, Djokovic has just announced he's become a grandparent. Federer has opened a chain of Pineapple Pizza bistros, Andy Murray is running for MP. And Isner has finally broken Anderson to lead 5,588-5,587," one fan tweeted during the match.

Unsurprisingly, calls to introduce a final set tiebreak again grew louder.

"I hope this magnificent effort by these two experienced and very fit professionals allows the powers that be to make a change," said McEnroe. 

It was a sentiment echoed by an exhausted Anderson as soon as he came off court.

"I hope this is a sign for Grand Slams to change. For us to be out there for that length of time. I really hope we can look at this, because at the end you don't feel great," said the eighth seed. 

Of the four Grand Slam tournaments, deciding set tiebreaks are only contested at the U.S. Open when the score is at 6-all. The other three majors all play out the fifth set until the winner is ahead by two games.

It is very hard to understand that prolonging the match achieves any things better than a tie-break. There is no doubt that a fifth set is more special. So why not use a 10-10 or 12-12 tie-break. 

"Maybe there's a middle ground that we can include a tiebreak at say 12-all. If a match is 12-all... I don't think it needs to continue," Anderson said.

The knock on effect also meant Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were kept waiting till past 8pm local time to start their semi-final and will have to return on Saturday to finish the match because they ran out of time before the 11pm curfew. 

 

Anderson will now have less than 48 overs to recover from this match and get ready for the final. On the other hand Nadal or Djokovic will have less than 24 hours to prepare as they will have to take court on Saturday too. There is every chance that their match could go into a long fifth set as well.

It means both the finalists won't be 100 per cent on Sunday. A one-sided final or a final between two exhausted players in not in the interest of Wimbledon in particular and tennis in general. 

While Anderson and Isner deserve all the applause for their brilliant effort, it is time tennis changes itself for the better. 

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