Marathon match all the talk of the locker-room

As would be expected, compared with the "same old same old" questions to the No.1 seed regarding his admittedly stuttering four-set win over Ilija Bozoljac, a qualifier ranked No.152 in the world, there were far more pressing issues to discuss. "It's unfortunate these guys are going to be a little bit tired tomorrow and the next day… and the next week… and the next month..." grinned Federer. "I've been following this as closely as I could. I walked on court at about 11‑all in the fifth, and they're still going. This is absolutely amazing. In a way, I wish I was them, in some ways I wish I wasn't them. This is a very special match. I hope somehow this is going to end. They'll be fresh again tomorrow if they have to come back."

A match which stretches into a 10th hour raises the inevitable questions of fifth set tie-breakers in Grand Slams, which only occur at the US Open. "I love this, I think it's perfect the way it is," countered the No.1 seed. "I know they're maybe not loving this, but I guess this is unheard of in our game. Normally there are breaks in tennis matches. John (Isner) is barely moving anymore, but he's still able to produce good serves when he has to. It's so impressive to see. I was watching this, and I don't know if I was crying or laughing. It was too much."

"I guess once you get to the point of 10‑all, 20‑all, you don't doubt anymore," the six-time champion continued. "You just go point by point. You hope not to be down 0‑30 and if it happens, you concentrate a bit extra. But I guess in some ways you're also relaxed. You just say: 'whatever happens, happens'. When it gets important, you try to focus. Like this, you don't have that extra pressure and tension in your body. Maybe that's why these guys can do it for so long and so good. You just go with the flow. Obviously once it's 50‑all, you're like: 'I don't want to lose this match anymore after putting in a heroic effort already'. Unfortunately there's going to be a loser, but I think both will come out as winners, that's for sure."

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The idea that both Mahut and Isner will emerge full of credit, regardless of who eventually wins, was a common theme among the other players. "I'm amazed that they can both hold their serves this comfortably for the whole day. It's unbelievable, and you have to give them credit, both of them," enthused No.3 seed Novak Djokovic after emerging unscathed from his second round clash with big-serving Taylor Dent, winning in three sets. "Everybody's watching it in the locker rooms, everywhere. That's the longest match by far any tournament, any Grand Slam. Whoever wins today, I think both of them are winners. Obviously the loser will be disappointed."

Women's No.2 seed Venus Williams, who dropped only four games to Eastbourne winner Ekaterina Makarova, looked at it from a spectator's point of view. It's amazing. It's a marathon - longer than a marathon. I don't think I'd move - if you moved, you lose your seat! Around the grounds, there has to be a buzz around that this match is going so far."

Djokovic also had a novel compromise solution, saying: "Maybe they should agree on playing tie-break if it's 50‑all!" Perhaps the referee's office will implement a version of this new rule should we be in the same situation at 9pm on Thursday night, when the score stretches into three - or rather six - figures