At first glance, the first-round match between Dan Evans and 23rd seed Karen Khachanov didn’t raise many eyebrows when the 2024 US Open draws were released.
When the two men met on Court 6 at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday, few could have predicted they would witness one of the longest matches in tournament history.
Yet that is exactly what England’s Evans and Russia’s Khachanov achieved, playing out a memorable five-set thriller that captivated spectators in person and on national television.
Here’s everything you need to know about the longest match in US Open history, including how Evans and Khachanov set the record in a marathon match.
What is the longest match in US Open history?
Evans and Khachanov played five hard-fought sets in Queens before a crowd that grew considerably as word of the marathon match spread. The match featured three tiebreaks and lasted five hours and 35 minutes, setting the record for the longest match ever played at a US Open tournament.
After losing the first set to Khachanov, Evans won the second and third sets before returning the favor to the Russian in the fourth set. The winner eventually found himself in a fifth set after more than five hours of play.
The 34-year-old Briton won the match after a 40-second rally after trailing 4-0 in the final set. Ranked 184th in the world, Evans was not expected to beat Khachanov, who is ranked in the top 25. Nevertheless, both players showed fighting spirit and resilience throughout the first-round encounter.
5 HOURS AND 35 MINUTES!!!
Say hello to Dan Evans and Karen Khachanov ? pic.twitter.com/noiPnkVDGU
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2024
Each series exceeded one hourthe third set being the longest at 72 minutes. an interview with Sky Sports after the victoryEvans said: “I just want to go to bed,” highlighting the impact the match had on his body.
“I almost blew it at the end, but I’m really happy,” he added. “It was a hell of a game.”
The longest matches in US Open history
Tuesday’s match tops the list of longest matches at the U.S. Open, becoming the fifth match at Flushing Meadows to exceed five hours. It’s worth noting that this year’s No. 1 and No. 3 seeds Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz played the third-longest match in tournament history just two years ago.
Here are the longest matches in US Open history, according to Sportskeeda.
| Rank | Year | Confrontation | Results | Time |
| 1 | 2024 | Dan Evans against (23) Karen Khachanov | 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-4 | 5:35 |
| 2 | 1992 | (2) Stefan Edberg vs (4) Michael Chang | 6-7 (3-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-4 | 5:26 |
| 3 | 2022 | (3) Carlos Alcaraz against (11) Jannik Sinner | 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-7 (0-7), 7-5, 6-3 | 5:15 |
| 4 | 2004 | (10) Nicolas Massu v. Sargis Sarkissian | 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 4-6 | 5:04 |
| 5 | 1992 | (9) Ivan Lendl against (7) Boris Becker | 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4 | 5:01 |
| 6 | 2016 | (30) Gilles Simon v. Paolo Lorenzi | 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (3-7) | 4:58 |
