Epic Australian Open battles mount, but still a long way to go to reach the all-time record
The US Open of 1983 still holds the record for the most five-setters, with 35
Casper Ruud of Norway celebrates after defeating Max Purcell of Australia in their second round match at the Australian Open – © Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP/SIPA
The first five days of this year’s Australian Open have been long. Long in time – play has finished after midnight every single day so far – and in the length of matches.
At the end of day five, there have been a total of 28 five-set matches in the men’s singles.
Twenty of them came in the first round. That’s second only to the 21 played in the French Open in 2023. (There were also 20 at Roland-Garros in 1992, at the US Open in 1991 and at Wimbledon in 1984.)
There is still a long way to go, though, before the all-time record is reached. That was at the US Open in 1983, when 35 of the 127 matches went the distance. The most ever to have been played in one Australian Open was 31, which happened in 1998.
What’s hard to work out, though, is why. Wimbledon accounts for four of the top 10 of all time, but only two have come since they slowed down the grass in 2002. Three of the top 10 are at the US Open and the other three are the French Open.
MOST FIVE-SET MATCHES IN GRAND SLAMS
- US Open 1983: 35
- US Open 2021: 34
- US Open 2004: 34
- Wimbledon 1969: 34
- French Open 2001: 33
- Wimbledon 1994: 33
- French Open 1992: 33
- French Open 2023: 31
- Wimbledon 2015: 31
- Wimbledon 2001: 31
Tennis balls an issue?
The topic of the tennis balls in use at this year’s Australian Open has been an issue in itself in the first few days. According to most players, the balls are flying at first but then fluff up and get bigger very quickly, which makes them more difficult to put away.
That might suggest that conditions are slower. But listen to Cam Norrie, who came from two sets down to win his second-round match on Thursday.
“I think a lot of guys in the draw today played five sets,” he said. “Kind of the underdogs are playing really well. Especially in these quicker conditions with the balls being quick, it being a bit windy.”
Perhaps the weather is a factor. It has not been hot, certainly not by Australian standards, with just one day when temperatures reached 30 degrees. Maybe the cooler conditions are allowing more people to fight for longer in matches.
For the record, the 20 five-set matches in the first round here this year is a record for the Australian Open, putting it joint second in the all-time list, behind the record of 21 at Roland-Garros last year.
But just because they had 20 in round one doesn’t mean they’ll get near the all-time record of 35. The French Open of 2023 had 21 in the first round, but only ended up with 31. Plenty, but not near the record.
