by
Tue, Jul 31 2012 11:15:37

Sports

Bruce Arthur's Descent Into Madness

The third set today between France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Milos Raonic featured 257 points, 91 winners, and 45 unforced errors. Tsonga won the third set, 25-23 – the longest in Olympic history. Bruce Arthur was there. Here is his account.

  1. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    Hey, this Raonic-Tsonga tennis match may actually resume! They appear to be removing the tarp and everything.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 07:35:24
  2. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    OK, Tsonga leads Milos Raonic 6-3, 3-6, 2-1, on serve in the third set. Players are back out, warming up.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 07:59:33
  3. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    Wow, did Milos Raonic just hit a world-class running forehand winner past Tsonga and down the line.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:07:26
  4. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    Tsonga came up with three big serves to save three break points. Up 3-2, on serve, third set.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:14:39
  5. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    4-3 Tsonga in the fourth, and both these guys are serving their tails off. Someone's gotta break.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:19:54
  6. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    Raonic, down 5-4, now serving to stay in the match.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:25:34
  7. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    6-6, and they keep playing. No tiebreak. This could be fun.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:35:45
  8. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    Raonic hasn't been broken since his first shaky service game. He hasn't faced a break point since then, either.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:41:19
  9. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    7-7, third set.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:43:48
  10. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    8-7, third set. Windy, gusty, tense. Great stuff.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:47:11
  11. This is where things start to get weird.
  12. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    8-8, third set. Tsonga to serve. Grass turning grey. Time passing by all of us, as it does.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:50:42
  13. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    9-8, Tsonga. The breeze stirs. Memories of an autumn past flit through the mind. A baby cries.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:53:17
  14. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    9-9. Tsonga to serve. Mouths turn dry, but nobody goes for water.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 08:56:55
  15. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    10-9, Tsonga. Seats are taken. Murmurs circulate. Roanic eats a banana.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:00:07
  16. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    10-10, Tsonga serving. The world spins on, into an uncertain future.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:03:03
  17. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    11-10, Raonic serving. One point has been lost on serve over the past six games.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:04:44
  18. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    11-11, Tsonga serving. One of Milos Raonic's serves kills an unfortunately placed sheep.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:09:23
  19. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    Raonic gets to 30-30 on Tsonga's serve. This is notable.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:12:23
  20. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    Tsonga double-faults; Raonic with a break point. Huge.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:12:42
  21. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    Tsonga service winner. Deuce.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:13:05
  22. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    12-11, Raonic serving. A brief chance gone, to be regretted in the idle moments, like when waiting for a traffic light.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:14:50
  23. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    12-12, Tsonga serving. The sun comes out. The shadows are long, like the memories.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:18:18
  24. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    13-12, Raonic serving. Hey, I saw a bird. It was so free, flying around. So free.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:21:08
  25. bruce_arthur
    Bruce Arthur@bruce_arthur
    13-13, Tsonga serving. The third set has taken 94 minutes so far. It took Novak Djokovic 54 minutes to beat Andy Roddick. Poor Andy.
    Tue, Jul 31 2012 09:25:00

Did you find this story interesting? or comment as 2 already did!

Liked!

Erik Malinowski

Sportswriter for @Deadspin and @wired. On the side: @longshotmag, @PopUpMag.

17stories
19followers
19following
Total views
38,203

Sorry.

This URL is already in use. Please choose another URL.
Edit URL

Storify

@Storify

Are you sure?

Are you sure you want to delete this story?

Are you sure?

Are you sure you want to flag this story?