[KarstenBraasch#1]

This memorable match happened on October 4th 1985 in the Davis-Cup semifinal Germany vs. Czechoslovakia, played in Frankfurt.

It was the second singles match. Boris Becker had already beaten Miloslac Mecir in straight sets.
It went way past midnight and is famous for Westphal ripping the carpet surface during a point.

This was Westphal's biggest career win. He died in 1991 from AIDS when he was only 26 years old.

 

[sigmagirl91]

Any pics of him? I never got to see what he looked like.

 

[MisterQ]

Thanks for noting that anniversary. Sounds like an amazing match!

sad about Westphal

 

[Eden]

Any pics of him? I never got to see what he looked like.

The message that Michael died was the most sad day as a tennisfan.

It would be great if someone who has the Daviscup match against Smid would upload it

 

[Boris Franz Ecker]

Great match by Westphal, nearly the only one of his career.
His girlfriend named Jessica later married Michael Stich (already divorced).

 

[gusman890]

wow, what a way to win a tie for DC.

a national hero for that time no doubt.

 

[Voo de Mar]

How many match points Westphal saved in that match? Does anybody know? I would like to see such an amazing match

 

[Allure]

This memorable match happened on October 4th 1985 in the Davis-Cup semifinal Germany vs. Czechoslovakia, played in Frankfurt.

It was the second singles match. Boris Becker had already beaten Miloslac Mecir in straight sets.
It went way past midnight and is famous for Westphal ripping the carpet surface during a point.

This was Westphal's biggest career win. He died in 1991 from AIDS when he was only 26 years old.

Not to be rude but how did he contracted AIDS? I tried looking it up on Wikipedia but to no avail.

 

[Voo de Mar]

Matches with the longest fifth set in the Open Era (on account of games):

40 games:
A.Roddick - Y.El Aynaoui 4-6, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, 21-19 (Australian Open 2003)
38 games:
R.Ashby - J.Medrano 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 5-7, 20-18 (Davis Cup 1991)
N.Marques - N.Zimonjic 3-6, 6-0, 2-6, 6-3, 20-18 (Davis Cup 1992)
M.Philippoussis - S.Schalken 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 20-18 (Wimbledon 2000)
36 games:
P.McNamee - T.Nelson 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 1-6, 19-17 (Wimbledon 1987)
34 games:
T.Svensson - J.Andrews 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-7, 18-16 (Wimbledon 1975)
32 games:
P.Gerken - J.Mandarino 3-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 17-15 (Wimbledon 1975)
M.Filippini - A.Jordan 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 3-6, 17-15 (Davis Cup 1987)
M.Westphal - T.Smid 6-8, 1-6, 7-5, 11-9, 17-15 (Davis Cup 1985) *
D.Tursunov - A.Roddick 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 17-15 (Davis Cup 2006) *
30 games:
F.McNair - N.Saviano 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 8-9, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1977)
Y.Noah - R.Smith 6-7, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 16-14 (Australian Open 1988)
D.Rostagno - M.Davis 6-2, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1988)
J.Hlasek - P.Korda 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1992)
F.Santoro - A.Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14 (Roland Garros 2004)

* World Group.

 

[ae wowww]

Matches with the longest fifth set in the Open Era (on account of games):

40 games:
A.Roddick - Y.El Aynaoui 4-6, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, 21-19 (Australian Open 2003)
38 games:
R.Ashby - J.Medrano 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 5-7, 20-18 (Davis Cup 1991)
N.Marques - N.Zimonjic 3-6, 6-0, 2-6, 6-3, 20-18 (Davis Cup 1992)
M.Philippoussis - S.Schalken 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 20-18 (Wimbledon 2000)
36 games:
P.McNamee - T.Nelson 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 1-6, 19-17 (Wimbledon 1987)
34 games:
T.Svensson - J.Andrews 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-7, 18-16 (Wimbledon 1975)
32 games:
P.Gerken - J.Mandarino 3-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 17-15 (Wimbledon 1975)
M.Filippini - A.Jordan 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 3-6, 17-15 (Davis Cup 1987)
M.Westphal - T.Smid 6-8, 1-6, 7-5, 11-9, 17-15 (Davis Cup 1985) *
D.Tursunov - A.Roddick 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 17-15 (Davis Cup 2006) *
30 games:
F.McNair - N.Saviano 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 8-9, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1977)
Y.Noah - R.Smith 6-7, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 16-14 (Australian Open 1988)
D.Rostagno - M.Davis 6-2, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1988)
J.Hlasek - P.Korda 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1992)
F.Santoro - A.Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14 (Roland Garros 2004)

* World Group.

Why is it that Wimbledon quallies (also, is it other GS quallies?) that play best of 3 sets, but still with the long 3rd set? I dug out this result, which beats any of the quoted, although it was only the third set:

44 games:
J.Thomas - S.Prieto 6-4, 4-6, 23-21 (Wimbledon 1999)

 

[Voo de Mar]

44 games:
J.Thomas - S.Prieto 6-4, 4-6, 23-21 (Wimbledon 1999)

Also 44 games in other qualifying match:
C.Guccione - O.Patience 4-6, 7-6(3), 23-21 (Wimbledon 2005)

But the record comes from junior's match:
50 games:
R.Henry - C.Morel 7-5, 6-7(3), 26-24 (Wimbledon 2002)

:devil:

 

[ExcaliburII]

36 games
R3 - L.ARNOLD-KER / D.NALBANDIAN (ARG) def. Y.KAFELNIKOV / M.SAFIN (RUS)
6-4 6-4 5-7 3-6 19-17

 

[NYCtennisfan]

Matches with the longest fifth set in the Open Era (on account of games):

40 games:
A.Roddick - Y.El Aynaoui 4-6, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, 21-19 (Australian Open 2003)
38 games:
R.Ashby - J.Medrano 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 5-7, 20-18 (Davis Cup 1991)
N.Marques - N.Zimonjic 3-6, 6-0, 2-6, 6-3, 20-18 (Davis Cup 1992)
M.Philippoussis - S.Schalken 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 20-18 (Wimbledon 2000)
36 games:
P.McNamee - T.Nelson 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 1-6, 19-17 (Wimbledon 1987)
34 games:
T.Svensson - J.Andrews 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 9-7, 18-16 (Wimbledon 1975)
32 games:
P.Gerken - J.Mandarino 3-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 17-15 (Wimbledon 1975)
M.Filippini - A.Jordan 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 3-6, 17-15 (Davis Cup 1987)
M.Westphal - T.Smid 6-8, 1-6, 7-5, 11-9, 17-15 (Davis Cup 1985) *
D.Tursunov - A.Roddick 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 17-15 (Davis Cup 2006) *
30 games:
F.McNair - N.Saviano 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 8-9, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1977)
Y.Noah - R.Smith 6-7, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 16-14 (Australian Open 1988)
D.Rostagno - M.Davis 6-2, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1988)
J.Hlasek - P.Korda 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1992)
F.Santoro - A.Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14 (Roland Garros 2004)

* World Group.

Flip in that Wimby match against Schalken only faced 4 break points in 41 service games.

Smid had a long and successful DC career.

 

[Voo de Mar]

36 games
R3 - L.ARNOLD-KER / D.NALBANDIAN (ARG) def. Y.KAFELNIKOV / M.SAFIN (RUS)
6-4 6-4 5-7 3-6 19-17

Also 36 games in doubles:
Z.Franulovic / R.Maud - I.El Shafei / B.Fairlie 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-9, 19-17 (Wimbledon 1971)
B.Gottfried / R.Ramirez - A.Amritraj / A.Amritraj 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 19-17 (Wimbledon 1980)
J.McEnroe / M.Stich - J.Grabb / R.Reneberg 5-7, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, 19-17 (Wimbledon 1992)

But there were matches with more games in the 5th and final set (Open Era):

38 games
B.Hewitt / F.McMillan - R.Lutz / S.Smith 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 3-6, 20-18 (Wimbledon 1969)
42 games
D.Visser / L.Warder - J.Grabb / R.Reneberg 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 22-20 (Australian Open 1993)
44 games
P.Aldrich / D.Visser - S.Davis / R.Van't Hof 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 4-6, 23-21 (Australian Open 1990)
M.Knowles / D.Nestor - S.Aspelin /T.Perry 5-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 23-21 (Wimbledon 2006)
46 games
H.Gunthardt / B.Taroczy - P.Annacone / C.Van Rensburg 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-7, 24-22 (Wimbledon 1985)

 

[Boris Franz Ecker]

Matches with the longest fifth set in the Open Era (on account of games):
...
30 games:
F.McNair - N.Saviano 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 8-9, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1977)
Y.Noah - R.Smith 6-7, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 16-14 (Australian Open 1988)
D.Rostagno - M.Davis 6-2, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1988)
J.Hlasek - P.Korda 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, 16-14 (Wimbledon 1992)
F.Santoro - A.Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 16-14 (Roland Garros 2004)

* World Group.

Incomplete. For example this one is missing:
Waske, Alexander (GER) - Galvani, Stefano (ITA) 6-4 6-7(2) 4-6 6-3 14-16

Wimbledon 2006

 

[Voo de Mar]

Thx

 

[Eden]

This memorable match happened on October 4th 1985 in the Davis-Cup semifinal Germany vs. Czechoslovakia, played in Frankfurt.

It was the second singles match. Boris Becker had already beaten Miloslac Mecir in straight sets.
It went way past midnight and is famous for Westphal ripping the carpet surface during a point.

This was Westphal's biggest career win. He died in 1991 from AIDS when he was only 26 years old.

Someone has uploaded a few scenes of the match where you can see the carpet incident:

 

[jonathancrane]

 

[Voo de Mar]

Someone has uploaded a few scenes of the match where you can see the carpet incident:

Thank you for posting Doris It was at 5:5, advantage Westphal in the third set, so this amazing moment turned around the match in some sense. What an extraordinary and epic match, knowing Westphal's case it's like "write the history and die!"

How many match points Westphal saved in that match?

Nachdem er bereits eine Stunde zuvor beim Stande von 7:6 nach einer 5:2-Führung im fünften Satz den ersten Matchball nicht verwerten konnte, gewann er doch noch mit 17:15. Damit führt Deutschland 2:0 und hat die große Chance, in das Daviscup-Endspiel einzuziehen.

Does it mean, Westphal had first match point at 7:6 in the fifth an hour before he finished the match, but earlier was leading 5:2?

He was serving as a first player in third, fourth and fifth set, so Smid was forced to chase all the time. I hope to watch the entire match somewhere in the future. The match lasted 5 hours 29 minutes.

 

[Eden]

Thank you for posting Doris

You are welcome

I really hope that the complete match will be uploaded one day.

Nachdem er bereits eine Stunde zuvor beim Stande von 7:6 nach einer 5:2-Führung im fünften Satz den ersten Matchball nicht verwerten konnte, gewann er doch noch mit 17:15. Damit führt Deutschland 2:0 und hat die große Chance, in das Daviscup-Endspiel einzuziehen.

Does it mean, Westphal had first match point at 7:6 in the fifth an hour before he finished the match, but earlier was leading 5:2?

Yes, you translated it right Voo