Dan Evans makes history by winning the longest US Open match

Evans seemed lifeless and buried in opposition to Russian Karen Khachanov when a gruelling encounter in blistering situations took its toll and he trailed 4-0 within the fifth-set decider.

However the 34-year-old, whose season has been disrupted by harm, poor type and prioritising the Olympics, launched the last word comeback, profitable six video games in a row to say a tremendous 6-7 (6) 7-6 (2) 7-6 (4) 4-6 6-4 victory.

It took a mammoth 5 hours 35 minutes, breaking a 32-year-old report at Flushing Meadows set when Stefan Edberg beat Michael Chang in 5 hours and 26 minutes in 1992.

“I feel whenever you’re a child, you’re simply informed to battle till the top,” he stated.

“That’s form of rule one. I’ve performed that fairly persistently for my profession. It form of paid off a bit right this moment.

“I’m immensely proud that I got here by way of the match. I feel that’s the overriding feeling greater than something. I’ve had a whole lot of first rounds this yr. It’s good to win a match.

“In fact, it’s a particular match to win in what style, or nonetheless you need to say. However I’m proud that I’m nonetheless capable of compete.

“It’s the longest I’ve ever been on a courtroom. Within the fourth set, I needed to examine the set to see what set we was in. I wasn’t completely certain what set we have been in.

“However I don’t actually need to try this once more. That’s for certain.”

How Evans pulls up after this marathon stays to be seen however he’ll cherish his piece of historical past, which was additionally his first grand slam victory of 2024.

He might simply have gained in straight units had he taken his alternatives, lacking seven set factors in an opener he ultimately misplaced.

Evans regrouped, although, and in a topsy-turvy battle, gained the following two units, each on tiebreaks.

The fourth set appeared to show pivotal when Khachanov broke at 4-4 and despatched it to a decider.

Evans was visibly flagging bodily at this level and his temper worsened after being damaged within the opening recreation as he smashed his racket on the ground.

The Russian sensed blood and seemed to have moved into an unassailable place when he led 4-0 within the decider.

However, regardless of being out on his toes and barely capable of stroll in between factors, Evans someway reeled off six successive video games to earn the record-breaking victory.

He faces Mariano Navone within the second spherical and admits he won’t practise on Wednesday.

“Clearly, I gained’t practise,” he added. “Simply recuperate and attempt to recuperate as greatest as doable. I used to be hurting throughout actually.

“I don’t suppose I’ve performed 5 hours, that lengthy, in a day ever in two periods, by no means thoughts in in the future.

“I used to be truly considering that on the courtroom. I’ve by no means practised [for] two hours. It’s usually an hour and a half.”