Thompson saves 3 match points against Kovacevic to book Houston QF against Tiafoe

Australia’s Jordan Thompson has outlasted USA’s Aleksandar Kovacevic to win a three hour and 34 minute match, the longest in the tournament’s recorded history.

Thompson took the match 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(7) after saving a match point on serve in the second set at 5-6, and then two more in the third set tie-breaker, one on his serve and then on return.

“I was up against it for most of the match. I was really struggling on serve but somehow found a way,” said the sixth seed. “I guess that’s the beauty of clay, it’s just a long gruel.”

“To be honest, I think it’s just making me tired and upset and not happy,” he said of his penchant for long-running thrillers. “So hopefully they don’t keep happening.”

Next for Thompson is the no. 3 seed Frances Tiafoe, the defending champion at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship.