Dallas Open: Reilly Opelka beats John Isner in historic tie-breaker
Feb 13, 2022
Texas [USA], February 13 : Reilly Opelka and John Isner played the longest tour-level singles tie-break in the history of the ATP Tour (since 1990) on Saturday evening.
Opelka won it 24/22 to clinch a 7-6(7), 7-6(22) victory against Isner and with it a spot in the Dallas Open final.
Opelka saved 10 set points before finally converting his eighth match point with a backhand passing shot up the line in the forecourt.
"It was bizarre. It's just next point, kind of back to the guessing game. I've got to take care of what I do and hopefully guess right. And I did. I guessed wrong a lot, obviously," Opelka said as per atptour.com.
"He was in more points than I was. I really hit some big shots, I stayed tough, I also served extremely well. I was very clutch," he added.
Before Saturday evening, the longest tie-break had lasted 38 points. That has happened on seven occasions, most recently in Auckland in 2020, when Leonardo Mayer took a 20/18 tie-break against Marco Cecchinato.
The other players who have won tie-breaks by that score are Andy Murray (2017 Dubai), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2007 Australian Open), Jose Acasuso (2006 Toronto), Roger Federer (2004 Tennis Masters Cup) and Goran Ivanisevic (1993 US Open and 1997 Queen's Club).
