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Alexander Zverev and Jenson Brooksby played one of the contenders for the 'Match of the Season' at the 2022 Mexican Open in the early hours of Tuesday. The encounter, which lasted three hours and 20 minutes, also included a 44-shot rally that is a safe bet for the Rally of the Season.
Brooksby won the first set 3-6 to push the World No. 3 on the backfoot early on in the fixture. Both players began the second set cautiously, holding their first two service games. Serving at 40-40 in his third service game, the American made Zverev run from corner to corner by hitting the ball as deep into the baseline as possible.
Not one to give up, the German responded by doing the same and the two exchanged cross-court backhands and forehands one after the other untiringly for more than a minute. That was when Zverev finally attempted a surprise drop shot to put an end to the proceedings.
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The World No. 47, however, was expecting the move and came rushing to the net and tried to hit a passing shot past the German tennis stalwart with a light push. What he did not expect was a giant lunge by Alexander Zverev. Unfortunately for the German, his touch did not lob the ball as high as he would have wanted and instead came at the perfect height for an overhead smash.
Brooksby finished off the point with a smash that came agonizingly close to hitting his opponent, prompting Zverev to stare in disbelief at the American. To his credit, Brooksby quickly apologized, but not before lifting his arms into the air in exultation and stirring up the crowd.
Here is a video of the rally uploaded to Twitter by the ATP Tour's official handle:
Unfortunately, the 21-year-old could not capitalize on the momentum from winning the rally. Alexander Zverev ended up taking the second set in a tiebreaker after saving two match points. He then broke the American twice in the third set to take the match 3-6, 7-6(10), 6-2.
The 24-year-old squares off against compatriot Peter Gojowczyk in the next round, who scored a straight-sets victory over Brandon Nakashima in his opener.
The match between Alexander Zverev and Jenson Brooksby broke the record for the latest ever finish to an ATP match
The clocks in Acapulco read 4:54 am by the time the encounter between Alexander Zverev and Jenson Brooksby ended, making it the latest ever finish to an ATP match.
The previous record was held by the third-round fixture between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis at the 2008 Australian Open. The five-set marathon, which went 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6(4)-7, 6-3 in favor of the Australian, ended at 4:34 am local time.
Zverev and Brooksby's record was helped in part by the two previous matches that took place on center court, both of which lasted more than three hours. John Isner defeated Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 6(4)-7, 7-6(3) in three hours and 13 minutes in the first tie, while Stefan Kozlov shocked Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(8), 5-7, 6-3 in three hours and 21 minutes.
Interestingly, all three matches are now the top three longest matches in the history of the Mexican Open.
