The French Open is a Grand Slam that takes place in the second week of the tennis season. Top tennis players from around the globe compete on the red clay. The Spanish legend Rafael Nadal has won the French Open a record 14 times.
Along with the epic matches, the fans have also witnessed marathon matches here, which are some of longest matches in the history of tennis. Tennis is unlike other sports in that it does not have a set time limit. It can go on for many hours before a winner is determined.
The longest tennis match at Wimbledon was in 2010, while the longest French Open match was Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clément. The epic match between Daniel Altmaeir vs Jannik Sinner in 2023 ranked among the top five.
Five longest matches in French Open History
Here is all you need to learn about the five longest French Open matches.
Daniel Altmaeir vs Jannik Sinner (2023)
Daniel Altmaeir vs Jannik Sinner
After a five-hour and 26-minute battle in the second-round of the 2023 French Open, Germany’s Almaier defeated Italy’s Jannik Siner 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 1-6.7-6(4),7-5. Altmaeir, ranked 79th, reached the third round at Roland Garros in his first appearance since 2020. He also defeated a top 10 opponent for the second consecutive time. His first victory was over Matteo Berrettini in Roland Garros, 2020.
Altmaeir saved two matchpoints when Sinner was serving to win the match at 5-4 in the fourth game. The German was able to make it through the second round at the French Open for the first time.
Alex Corretja vs Hernan Gumy (1998)
Alex Corretja vs Hernan Gumy
Alex Corretja of Spain, the 14th seeded player, won the French Open final in 1998 by defeating Argentina’s Hernan Guimy with a score of 6-1, 5-7, 6-7, 7-9, 9-7, all within five sets and 31 minutes. Corretja reached his first Grand Slam final. Carlos Moya, his Spanish counterpart, defeated him in the final.
John Isner vs Paul-Henri Mathieu (2012)
Alex Corretja vs Hernan Gumy
In 2010, Isner beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in a three-day match at Wimbledon that lasted 11 hours, 5 minutes. Isner, then the 10th seed, faced Paul- Henri Mathieu again in the second round at the 2012 French Open.
The result was that the American lost. He lost to Mathieu in five sets and 41 minutes, with scores of 6-7, 6-6, 6-6, 6-4, 3-6 and 18-16.
Lorenzo Giustino vs Corentin Moutet (2020)
Lorenzo Giustino vs Corentin Moutet
The Roland Garros in 2020 was held during the autumn due to the coronavirus epidemic. In the first round of the tournament, Italian qualifier Lorenzo Giustino defeated local boy Corentin Moutet with a score of 0-6, 7-6 (7-6), 2-6, 18-16, after six fours and five minute.
Fabrice Santoro vs Arnaud Clement (2004)
Lorenzo Giustino vs Corentin Moutet
Fabrice Santoro, who was Arnaud’s Davies Cup teammate, and Fabrice Clement, who became fierce rivals in 2004, had the longest French Open first-round match ever. The encounter lasted six hours, 33 minutes. Santoro beat Clement, who was ranked 32, in a two-day match. Santoro won 6-4, 6-1, 6-7-6, 16-4.
