How long are tennis matches? -The Ultimate Guide

How long are tennis matches? On average, a best-of-3 tennis match lasts about 90 minutes. A best-of-5 match lasts 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Have you ever wondered how long are tennis matches? Or what determines how long they are? I’ll dive deeper into this for you and even reveal the longest tennis match on record!

I am Chris, a British tennis player based in London, ERSA Pro Stringer, and a fan of all things tennis. I could write for hours on this one topic, having researched it in depth, so you don’t have to (you’re welcome!). Seeing as you got this far, let’s jump straight in! Feel free to skip ahead to the bit that interests you!

Have you ever wondered how long are tennis matches at Wimbledon or the US Open? You have come to the right place!

If, like me, you’re a geek, I know you’ll want some stats to get your teeth into, so let’s jump straight in! Here are some stats for how long professional tennis matches are:

• Mens Singles (ATP tour [1]) – best of 3 sets: These matches usually last between 1.5 to 3 hours.
• Women’s singles (WTA tour [2]) – best of 3 sets: These matches tend to be shorter, averaging between 1 to 2 hours.
• Men’s Singles (Grand Slam) –  These are best-of-five sets, so matches can often last longer, sometimes as much as 4 or 5 hours.
• Doubles tennis – These matches are best of 3 sets and last on average 1 to 2 hours (this is the same for men and women).

I bet you’re already exhausted thinking about a 5-hour match; I know I am! Not all matches last that long, but what impacts the length of a tennis match? Let’s explore this a little further.

Factors affecting how long a tennis match is

Several factors can determine how long a tennis match lasts. These can include the surface it’s played on, the fitness of the player, and even the weather! I’ll deep dive a little into each of these:

• Court surface type: This has a big impact on how long a tennis match is. Clay court matches tend to last longer. The bounce of the ball is slower, while matches are shorter on faster surfaces such as grass.
  
  
• Weather conditions: Hotter weather or heavy rain can also affect the duration. In hotter weather, players have to take on more fluids, so they need longer breaks. Rain will also lead to delays or suspend play.
  
  
• Player fitness: The physical and mental endurance of professional players is fine-tuned. So, you often get longer rallies as a result. In an intense match, grueling rallies can test this, which will affect the match duration as a result.
  
  
• Advancements in technology: Technological advancements such as Hawk-Eye technology [3] can impact match length! The umpire can wait for a decision on a line call before awarding the point. It’s not something I have to worry about in my local club match – thank god for that!
  
• Player style: Defensive players can get involved in longer rallies. They tend to wait for an opportunity to attack or wait for a mistake from their opponent. Aggressive players may look to finish the point quicker.

How long are tennis matches on the professional tour?

Ok, so we have an idea of what impacts the match length, but how long are tennis matches on the professional tour? In this section, I’ll take a closer look:

1) Grand Slam Tournaments: The men’s game is a best-of-five set match. The women’s game is a best-of-three set match. The US Open, Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon all fall under this category.

On average, men’s singles matches last between 3-4 hours. Women’s singles matches usually last between 2-3 hours.

2) 2) ATP/WTA Tour Tournaments: Often referred to as Masters Events, these are one level below a Grand Slam or major.

They consist of best-of-three set matches for both the men’s and women’s singles. Men’s singles can last anywhere between 2-3 hours. Women’s singles can last from 1-2 hours on average.

3) Challenger Tour/ITF Futures: I love watching these events as you get to see up-and-coming players. These can be exciting to watch as players are trying to earn ranking points.

Men’s singles matches can last between 1-2 hours on average. Women’s singles are around 1 hour in duration.

4) Exhibition Matches: These are non-official tournaments. They are often played for charity or promotional purposes. These matches have no fixed format, so the duration of the game will depend on the organizers.

As you can see the average length of a professional tennis match will vary depending on the level of competition.

I don’t know about you, but whatever the match is, it is the intensity and excitement that keeps me watching!

How long are college tennis matches?

College tennis matches usually last between 2 and 3 hours, though the exact duration may vary. A doubles match will usually last about 30 to 45 minutes. Singles matches typically last between 90 minutes and 120 minutes.

The format of college tennis differs from traditional tennis matches.

In college tennis, both men and women compete in a team setting. Each match contributes to their total score.

College matches use a dual-match format. Both doubles and singles play across the day.

In college, tennis players accumulate points for their teams through individual victories.

College tennis will consist of two rounds of three doubles matches, followed by six singles matches, to determine the winner.

Players can receive on-court coaching; there are no ad rules, and net serves are available.

I enjoy watching college tennis as there is an element of excitement and pressure in each match!

How long was the longest tennis match?

Have you ever wondered what is the longest tennis match ever played? I am tired of even thinking about it! This match was between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010.

This marathon match lasted 3 days and lasted a massive 11 hours and 5 minutes! The final score was an unbelievable 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7), 7-6(3), 70-68 [4] with Isner finally winning the match.

I watched this match and remember the final fifth set lasted nearly eight hours. That is longer than most matches in their entirety!

Both players were understandably exhausted and served over 100 aces throughout the match.

This match took place on one of the outer courts at Wimbledon, court 18. It came to be known as “the court of pain” due to this marathon clash!

These are the top 5 longest tennis matches ever played:

Duration (hh:mm)	Match	Score
11:05 (3 days!!)	John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut (1R Wimbledon 2020)	6-4, 3-6, 6-7(7-9), 7-6(7-3), 70-68
07:01	Tomáš Berdych Lukáš Rosol vs Stanislas Wawrinka Marco Chiudinelli (1R Davis Cup 2013)	6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–7(3–7), 24–22
06:43	Leonardo Mayer vs João Souza (1R Davis Cup 2015)	7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–5), 5–7, 5–7, 15–13
06:36	Kevin Anderson vs John Isner (SF Wimbledon 2018)	7–6(8–6), 6–7(5–7), 6–7(9–11), 6–4, 26–24
06:33	Fabrice Santoro vs Arnaud Clément (1R 2004 French Open)	6–4, 6–3, 6–7(5–7), 3–6, 16–14

Are tennis matches getting longer?

As a fan, I cannot help but admire the displays of athleticism and skill during these marathon matches. But are tennis matches getting longer?

There is a trend toward tennis matches becoming longer. They are also becoming more grueling.

To find an edge, players are pushing themselves to the limit both physically and mentally. As a result, we are starting to see matches last longer.

There have also been advancements in technology and training methods. As a result, tennis players are able to push their bodies further.

This trend has led to an increase in the number of long rallies and intense points.

I checked into this further and found a report in The Athletic [5]. It references data from The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

It provided information on the average length of a men’s grand-slam matches. It stated that this was 2hr 21min in 1999, and this increased to 2hr 54min in 2023. That is more than half an hour throughout a match, exhausting!

It does make you wonder what this holds for the future of tennis. Can players keep pushing themselves to new limits, and will we see even longer matches? Only time will tell, but I, for one, am hoping this trend continues!

Over to you!

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