Longest US Open match in history: Dan Evans and Karen Khachanov play an epic game on Court 6

Dan Evans defeated Karen Khachanov on a thunderous Court 6 to win the longest match in US Open history, lasting five hours and 35 minutes.

Evans won 6-7(8), 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4, settling the match in a blur of attrition that saw both players push each other to the limit.

What began as a thrilling first-round match between two of the most solid Grand Slam players on the ATP Tour slowly evolved into a historic moment as the sun sank behind the stands of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The bleachers on the edges of Courts 4, 5 and 6 were packed, and the concrete walkers themselves became bleachers as Evans and Khachanov propelled each other into US Open history.

The longest match at the US Open to date lasted five hours and 26 minutes and was set by Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang in the 1992 semifinals.

Evans looked beaten when he was 4-0 down and faced more break points in the final set, but he fought back to stage a stunning comeback – helped along by a packed crowd that largely cheered him on. The turnaround follows his run to the men’s doubles quarter-finals at the 2024 Paris Olympics with Andy Murray, where the British pair won twice after trailing multiple match points. Evans really is the comeback boy this summer.

It is also a very welcome win for the world number 169 after he missed the Citi Open in Washington, DC due to his participation in the Olympic Games.

By skipping the event, he lost the 500 ranking points he would have received for a win in 2023. His world ranking subsequently plummeted 111 places from 58th, and this win will help Evans fight his way back into the world’s top 100.

For Khachanov, the defeat is a bitter blow against an opponent against whom he has now lost all five matches.