Federer sympathises with tennis marathon pair (From Surrey Comet)

Federer sympathises with tennis marathon pair

10:41am Thursday 24th June 2010 in Wimbledon

Number one seed Roger Federers reckons John Isner and Nicolas Mahut may be feeling their Wimbledon exploits for a while.

As the Comet went to press the pair were locked at two sets all and 59 games apiece in the final set, as they played out the longest match in tennis history on Court 18 at SW19.

By contrast, Federer had breezed into the third round with a 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 triumph over Serbian qualifier Ilija Bozoljac, well before bad light eventually called time on Isner and Mahut’s ten-hour marathon match.

“It’s unfortunate these guys are going to be a little bit tired tomorrow and the next day… and the next week… and the next month,” he grinned.

“I've been following this as closely as I could. I walked on court at about 11-all in the fifth, and they’re still going. This is absolutely amazing.

“In a way, I wish I was them, in some ways I wish I wasn't them. This is a very special match.”