The match between the French Constantin Bittoun Kouzmine (22 years old, 1139th worldwide) and the British Gilles Hussey, in the quarter-final of the Futures de Cancun (Mexico) on Saturday, won by the latter (6-7 [7], 6-4, 7-6 [4]), lasted almost 5 hours! The record for a match in two winning sets was hitherto 4:26, the duration of the Federer-Del Potro meeting at the London 2012 Olympics. Constantin Bittoun Kouzmine recounts this particular match in the so special world of tennis.
“I saved a lot of match points, I went two points away from the game …”
” It is bullshit (smiles) ! It’s obviously hard after the defeat, especially since we were playing under 30 degrees, but I did not realize the duration. It was only when I got out that I found out. I was in my game, and towards the end completely roasted, I was just trying to save as much energy as possible for the next point. I hadn’t imagined it had lasted nearly five hours, even though there were over a hundred people around the court during the end of the game. Here, we are all gathered in a resort …
It was played on hard, but rather slow hard, against a left-hander like me, whom I saw for the first time. A good fighter … It really played in the diagonals, we moved well, but there was not one who really managed to overwhelm the other. There were mostly long games tied. Because we still came to the net, there were a few serve-volleys, it was not a game between two guys who “filed”. The battle, really. I saved a lot of match points, I went two points away from the game …
“There it was more than going beyond one’s limits. It’s purely mental, in fact, it goes beyond the notion of physical capacity ”
I came out broke. And the worst part is that if I had won, I should have replayed two hours later, and my doubles final! Well, my opponent had to go on, he led 7-6 before the interruption by the night. Physically, I knew I was a tough guy, but it’s always good to know that I can last for a long time.
$ 750 at stake
Tennis is brawl. There, it was more than exceeding its limits. It’s purely mental, in fact, it goes beyond the notion of physical capacity. We say to ourselves that we have no more strength, but we still have some. It’s just the head that makes us chain the points over and over again. And I beat Federer and Del Potro (for the duration record) ! There was $ 750 at stake to qualify for the semi-finals.
Earlier, I have my doubles final, and I’m going on three weeks of touring. Physically? Frankly, it’s okay. I did my recuperation. I don’t feel so tired. At the moment I am coming back well. Three years ago, I had climbed a little beyond 500th at ATP, but I injured myself (fractured left wrist), it took a long time to come back. There, I feel good, ready to come back. “
.
