Evans and Khachanov play longest match in US Open history

Brit Dan Evans and No 23 seed Karen Khachanov played the longest-ever match in US Open history on Tuesday, with the pair fighting it out for five hours and 35 minutes on Court 6 in New York.

Evans prevailed, winning the match 6-7 (6), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-4, breaking the previous record held by Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang of five hours and 26 minutes in 1992.

“I don’t even know how long the match was,” an exhausted Evans confessed after the match. “I just want to go to bed.”

It was a scrappy affair, with both men coming into the US Open desperate for a win.

Evans had managed just four wins on the ATP Tour in 2024 ahead of New York, having lost 11 of his last 12. Khachanov was not much better, having lost seven of his last 10 and desperately needing a run at the US Open to maintain his top 30 position.

While the tennis wasn’t of the highest calibre at times, with 116 unforced errors struck across the match, and both men with first serve percentages in the 50s, the atmosphere was electric.

By the fifth set, there was standing room only on Court 6, as Evans powered his way back from 4-0, 40-15 down to win the final six games and claim a historic victory.

“I haven’t played a bunch of tennis this year. I just tried to keep fighting,” said Evans after the match.

“At four love, I thought I was out of it. I felt a little sorry for myself, and just tried to get myself going. I didn’t want to go out of another slam with not much fight and a whimper.

“I could see he was struggling a bit. I tried to just grab a game at a time. 

“I nearly blew it at the end, but I’m really happy, it was a hell of a match.”

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