I've got an aspiration to gather below all sets of the Grand Slam history (singles matches) which ended with at least 20 games won by one player. Moreover, all sets of this kind which were played in the Open Era in both, singles and doubles (also with qualifying matches!) in order from "70-68" to "20-18"... Looking at all Grand Slam singles scorelines through different decades, I'd say my general impression is that from the very beginning (the end of XIX Century) to 1950s, the scorelines were very similar, long sets were 10-8 or 11-9. That changed in the 50s when players began to play more often sets 15-13 or 16-14. In the early 60s cracked the limit of "+20 sets", in the late 60s we had those extraordinary "+40" sets in doubles, and it was the main reason of introducing tie-breaks in the early 70s
Reminder: tie-breaks were introduced to:
- Aussie Open in 1971
- Roland Garros in 1973
- Wimbledon in 1971
- US Open in 1970
- Davis Cup in 1989
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SINGLES
Code:
[URL="http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?t=164593"]
2010 Wimbledon, 1R - J.Isner d. N.Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68 [/URL]
[B]- record of all records[/B] :D
1989 Wimbledon, q - S.Warner d. M.Anger 7-5, 1-6, 7-6, 3-6, 28-26
1970 London, QF: M.Riessen def. M.Cox 25-27, 8-6, 7-5
1969 US Open, 4R: J.Newcombe d. M.Riessen 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 25-23
2012 London-Olympics, 2R: JW.Tsonga d. M.Raonic 6-3, 3-6, 25-23
[B]- the longest singles deciding 3rd set in the Open Era[/B]
[I]
1962 Wimbledon, 2R - N.Pietrangeli d. N.Pilic 24-22, 6-2, 6-4[/I]
1969 Wimbledon, 1R - P.Gonzales d. C.Passarell 22-24, 1-6, 16-14, 6-3, 11-9
1976 Davis Cup - D.Power d. A.Betancur 6-4, 22-24, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
1987 Davis Cup - A.Chesnokov d. M.Schapers 24-22, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
[URL="http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?t=163801&highlight=mahut"]
2010 Wimbledon, q - N.Mahut d. A.Bogdanovic 3-6, 6-3, 24-22[/URL] *
1970 Stockholm, 1R - C.Richey d. A.Gimeno 23-21, 6-1
1979 Wimbledon, q - A.Marshal d. R.Stock 4-6, 6-3, 23-21
1999 Wimbledon, q - J.Thomas d. S.Prieto 6-4, 4-6, 23-21
2005 Wimbledon, q - C.Guccione d. O.Patience 4-6, 7-6, 23-21
[I]
1966 Wimbledon, 1R - J.Arilla d. P.Rodriguez 20-22, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
1967 Australian Open, SF - A.Ashe d. J.Newcombe 12-10, 20-22, 6-3, 6-2[/I]
1969 Queens Club, F - F.Stolle d. J.Newcombe 6-3, 22-20
1969 Australian Open, SF - R.Laver d. T.Roche 7-5, 22-20, 9-11, 1-6, 6-3
1969 Wimbledon, 1R - S.Smith d. A.Stone 20-22, 6-4, 9-7, 4-6, 6-3
1969 Wimbledon, 2R - J.Leschly d. J.L. Rouyer 6-4, 22-20, 6-4
1969 US Open, 1R - F.Robbins d. D.Dell 22-20, 9-7, 6-8, 8-10, 6-4
1987 Queens Club, 2R - N.Odizor d. G.Forget 7-6, 4-6, 22-20
1996 Roland, Garros, q - D.Nestor d. T.Guardiola 4-6, 6-3, 22-20
[I]
1950 US Open, 2R - S.Schwartz d. C. De Voe 6-4, 21-19, 6-3
"20 set" for the first time after 73 years of GS events :)
1961 US Open, 4R - M.Sangster d. A.Palafox 21-19, 8-10, 6-3, 6-4
1966 US Open, 1R - J.Osborne d. C.Buchholz 6-8, 6-3, 6-3, 21-19[/I]
1968 Wimbledon, q - L.Lumsden d. F.Tutvin 6-4, 10-12, 21-19, 6-1
1968 US Open, 1R - J.Loyo-Mayo d. J.Robbins 8-6, 16-14, 21-19
1981 Davis Cup - C.Kirmayr d. U.Pinner 6-2, 11-13, 21-19, 6-3
2003 Australian Open, QF - A.Roddick d. Y.El Aynaoui 4-6, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, 21-19
[I]
1954 Australian Open, q - R.Sherriff d. E.Johnson 18-20, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
1958 US Open, 1R - W.Bond d. D.Junta 20-18, 7-5, 6-4
1966 Australian Open, 3R - A.Roche d. T.Okker 20-18, 6-2, 3-6, 8-6[/I]
1969 Bristol, 2R - D.Ralston d. R.Taylor 18-20, 6-2, 6-2
1970 Australian Open, QF - D.Ralston d. J.Newcombe 19-17, 20-18, 4-6, 6-3
1991 Davis Cup - R.Ashby d. J.Medrano 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 5-7, 20-18
1993 Wimbledon, q - Ga.Muller d. P.Lundgren 4-6, 7-6, 20-18
1998 Davis Cup - N.Marques d. N.Zimonjic 3-6, 6-0, 2-6, 6-3, 20-18
2000 Wimbledon, 3R - M.Philippoussis d. S.Schalken 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 20-18
DOUBLES
1973 Davis Cup - S.Smith / E.Van Dillen d. J.Fillol / P.Cornejo 7-9, 37-39, 8-6, 6-1, 6-3
- the longest doubles set in the Open Era
1968 Wimbledon, 2R - A.Olmedo / P.Segura d. G.Forbes / A.Segal 32-30, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
1997 Australian Open, 1R - W.Arthurs / J.Irleand d. C.Brandi / F.Messori 6-3, 3-6, 29-27
- the longest doubles deciding 3rd set (along with MD **) in the Open Era
2007 Wimbledon, 2R - M.Melo / A.Sa d. P.Hanley / K.Ullyett 5-7, 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(7), 28-26
- the longest doubles deciding 5th set in the Open Era
1969 Wimbledon, 2R - D.Contet / F.Jauffret d. J.Alexander / P.Dent 9-7, 25-23, 7-5
1985 Wimbledon, QF - H.Gunthardt / B.Taroczy d. P.Annacone / C.Van Rensburg 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-7(4), 24-22
2012 Olympics, 2R - M.Melo / B.Soares d. T.Berdych / R.Stepanek 2-6, 6-4, 24-22
2013 Davis Cup - T.Berdych / L.Rosol d. M.Chiudinelli / S.Wawrinka 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-7(3), 24-22
1968 Wimbledon, 1R - C.Graebner / J.Osborne d. V.Korotkov / A.Volkov 23-21, 7-5, 6-2
1990 Australian Open, QF - P.Aldrich / D.Visser d. S.Davis / R.Van't Hof 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4), 4-6, 23-21
1995 Wimbledon, q - R.Matuszewski / T.Nelson d. T.J.Middleton / A.Thoms 6-4, 4-6, 23-21
2006 Wimbledon, QF - M.Knowles / D.Nestor d. S.Aspelin / T.Perry 5-7, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, 23-21
1993 Australian Open, QF - D.Visser / L.Warder d. J.Grabb / R.Reneberg 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 22-20
1969 US Open, 2R - C.Drysdale / R.Taylor d. Buding / O.Parun 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 21-19
1972 Roland Garros, 2R - A.Gimeno / Munoz d. R.Cano / G.Vilas 21-19, 6-2
1972 Davis Cup - S.Smith / E.Van Dillen d. J.Loyo-Mayo / V.Zarazula 21-19, 6-3, 6-4
1985 Davis Cup - S.Edberg / A.Jarryd d. A.Amritraj / V.Amritraj 21-19, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
2011 Wimbledon, 1R - J.Cabal / R.Farah d. R.Bopanna / A.Qureshi 2-6, 6-2, 21-19
1968 US Open, SF - A.Ashe / A.Gimeno d. C.Greabner / C.Passarell 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 20-18, 15-13
1969 Wimbledon, 1R - J.Kodes / J.Kukal d. P.Darmon / JL.Rouyer 4-6, 5-7, 20-18, 6-4, 9-7
1969 Wimbledon, 3R - B.Lutz / S.Smith d. B.Fairlie / O.Parun 8-6, 11-9, 3-6, 20-18
1969 Wimbledon, QF - B.Hewitt / F.McMillan d. B.Lutz / S.Smith 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 3-6, 20-18
1984 Australian Open, 2R - D.Gitlin / H.Pfister d. S.Davis / B.Testermann 2-6, 7-6( ), 20-18
1993 Wimbledon, q - B.Curry / K.Ullyett d. S.Lareau / D.Nestor 7-5, 4-6, 20-18
MIXED DOUBLES
1991 Wimbledon, 1R - B.Schultz / M.Schapers d. A.Temesvari / T.Nijssen 6-3, 5-7, 29-27 **
* The longest deciding 3rd set played juniors, at Wimbledon 2002 when R.Henry beat C.Morel 7-5, 6-7(3), 26-24
** The longest MD lasted 4 hours 14 minutes
***
Italic - matches before the Open era