Top five longest rallies in men's singles tennis history

Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas’ record 86-shot rally at the 1978 French Open remains unbroken in tennis history.

Occasionally, tennis offers dramatic moments that remain etched in memory. Longer-than-average rallies, which have to be seen to be believed, would have their place among them. These competitive moments of top-level tennis highlight the ability of players to maintain concentration even under pressure.

A face-off between two evenly matched players has greater odds of producing longer rallies. Though not as common, such moments showcase the athleticism of the sport’s best players. Reminiscing about some of the greatest rallies ever witnessed on a tennis court is a meaningful way to appreciate the sport. 

Here are some of the matches that have produced those bruising and long-drawn-out rallies. 

2025 Canadian Open – Alexander Zverev vs Adam Walton

Alexander Zverev made a winning start to his Canadian Open campaign against unseeded Australian Adam Walton. The 2017 champion overcame an opening set hiccup to defeat Walton in their maiden encounter, 7-6(4), 6-4 in an hour and 42 minutes. The top seed withstood a 52-shot rally en route to his opening round win in Toronto. 

The 28-year-old German earned a set point after the crucial exchange in the opener. Zverev will be one win away from 500 career wins when he takes on Italian Matteo Arnaldi in the third round. Walton squandered a 5-3 lead in the tie-break, missing his chance to take the opening set.

2013 US Open – Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal

The Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal rivalry, one of the defining ones of the 21st century, gave us the 2013 US Open final. Djokovic and Nadal gave the fans at the Arthur Ashe Stadium what they came for, as they fought tooth and nail for every point.

The Spaniard carved out a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory in three hours and 30 minutes for his second US Open title. It was their third meeting in the finals at New York, with the pair splitting their previous two in 2010 and 2011. 

Nadal countered Djokovic’s defensive game well but lost the 54-shot rally between them. The Spaniard was trailing 2-3, 30-40, when his backhand found the net to give Djokovic a 4-2 lead in the second set. 

2023 Australian Open – Jason Kubler vs Karen Khachanov

The 70-shot rally between Jason Kubler and Karen Khachanov at the 2023 Australian Open is among the longest recorded in the history of the sport. The prolonged rally was on Khachanov’s serve with the score 5-4, 30-40 in the second set. The 70-shot rally ranks just behind Khachanov’s 55-shot exchange with Casper Ruud at the 2022 US Open.

Eventually, Khachanov prevailed 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in their second round match after spending nearly three hours on court, leaving the Australian wildcard disappointed at his home event. Kubler won the lengthy exchange when his backhand clipped the netcord to land on the opposite side.

2013 Australian Open – Giles Simon vs Gael Monfils

In the third round of the 2013 Australian Open, two Frenchmen, Giles Simon and Gael Monfils, battled it out for four hours and 43 minutes. Simon finally defeated his compatriot, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 1-6, 8-6 in their second meeting at the Grand Slam event. 

One of the highlights of the evening was the 71-shot exchange, an Australian Open record, between the French duo. Simon eventually won when a backhand from Monfils went wide at 4-4 in the second set.  

1978 French Open – Bjorn Borg vs Guillermo Vilas

Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas were facing off in the 1978 French Open finals. Borg led 12-4 in their head-to-head going into the final, with Vilas as the defending champion. Borg unseated Vilas, the defending champion, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 for his third title at Roland Garros.

They engaged in a marathon 86-shot rally — the longest ever recorded in men’s singles tennis. Borg was on serve, and the longest rally recorded in the sport ended when Vilas’ attempted lob went long. The record stands unbroken nearly five decades later.

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