The longest professional tennis match took an incredible 183 games to determine a winner. Nicolas Mahut and John Isner squared off in an opening round match in the 2010 Wimbledon Tournament. The first four sets were split. Isner won the first set at 6-4. Mahut took set 2 by a score of 6-3 and set 3 by a score of 7-6. Isner came back to take the 4th set at 7-6.
Because Wimbledon rules call for the final set to be won by two games to be declared the winner, play can extend indefinitely. Isner and Mahut battled back and forth for 8 hours and 11 minutes in the final set and after 138 games, Isner finally emerged victorious 70-68.
Records set for the match that spanned 3 days to complete:
Longest match by time and games – 11 hours, 5 minutes and 183 games
Longest set (5th) by time and games – 8 hours, 11 minutes
Most games in a single day (June 23) – 118