Tsonga makes Olympic tennis history after marathon match

Story highlights

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga wins longest match in Olympic history, breaking two records

Andy Murray is the lone Brit remaining in singles as two UK women lose

Novak Djokovic and David Ferrrer also progress into last 16 of men's competition

No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams progress in women's event

CNN  — 

World No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga entered the record books on Tuesday by winning the longest tennis match in Olympic history.

The Frenchman’s second-round clash with Canada’s Milos Raonic took three hours 58 minutes to complete, with the final set ending 25-23.

Tsonga drew first blood, comfortably taking the opening set 6-3. But Raonic, who is ranked 23rd in the world game, notched up the reverse score line in the second set and was increasingly looking like the man to beat.

Three match points came and went for the fifth seed before he finally found a volley at 40-15 in game 66 of the match,which was met with a desperate, failing lunge by Raonic.

It ensured the encounter beat the previous record of 48 games in one match between Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez and American Taylor Dent in the Athens Olympics of 2004. A men’s match at the 1920 Olympics lasted 76 games, but that was played over five sets.

It also claimed the record for the longest third set played at an Olympic match. Officials at Wimbledon have become used to rewriting the history books of late. The tennis venue was also the home of the longest game in all competitions when another Frenchman, Nicholas Mahut was beaten by American John Isner in a match lasting 183 games over three days in 2010.

Tsonga admitted this was one of the rare chances he had to shine in the tough world of men’s tennis.

“It’s good because this is the only way to write my name in history for the moment. With Rafa, Roger and Novak, even Andy (Murray), it’s tough to go through big tournaments. So I’m really happy. I hope I will have some more,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Australian wildcard entry Lleyton Hewitt pulled off the shock result of the day in the second round.

The former world No. 1, now ranked 159th, beat Croatia’s No. 13 Maran Cilic, 6-4 7-5 to set up a last-16 clash with Serbian second seed Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic ensured there was no such giantkilling for veteran American Andy Roddick, beating his fellow former world No. 1 6-2 6-1.

British hopes in the competition remain in the hands of Wimbledon finalist Andy Murray, who beat 43rd-ranked Jarkko Niemenen from Finland 6-2 6-4. Third seed Murray will next face Cypriot Marcus Baghdatis, who beat French 16th seed Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-4.

Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer also went through, and will play Japan’s Kei Nishikori in round three.

But no more Brits remain in the ladies’ singles, as third seed Maria Sharapova edged closer to her first Olympic medal by overcoming Britain’s former junior Wimbledon winner Laura Robson 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

The English teenager admitted being outplayed by the French Open champion, but also had some less than kind words about the state of the hallowed turf on Center Court.

“At 5-5 she (Sharapova) hit a serve that bounced a bit funny so I was already a bit gone with that one. Then I hit a pretty solid serve and her return just died. But it happens on grass courts, especially when they’re really worn, like Center is at the moment,” she told the UK Press Association news agency.

Sharapova, who was the first woman to carry Russia’s flag at the opening ceremony, faces a rematch with German 15th seed Sabine Lisicki – who beat her in the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Heather Watson lost 6-3 6-2 to another Russian, 14th seed Maria Kirilenko, to complete a bad day for the women in Team GB. Kirilenko earned a third-round clash with Germany’s Julia Gorges, who upset Poland’s Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska in the opening round.

World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka strolled into round three with a 6-1 6-2 demolition of Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, earning a match with Russia’s Vera Zvonareva.

Venus Williams joined younger sister Serena in the last 16 as the Sydney 2000 singles champion progressed with a 6-1 6-3 win over Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak.

The American will next play German seventh seed Angelique Kerber, who thrashed Hungary’s Timea Babos 6-1 6-1.