Colombia’s Alejandro Falla upset the top-seeded American player Monday at Wimbledon, the most iconic tournament in tennis, in a grueling five-set match.
Falla, who sat at 73rd in the world rankings before the match, defeated 10th-ranked American John Isner 6-4, 6-7 (7), 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5 in the first round of Wimbledon’s All England Lawn Tennis Championships. Isner’s rank fell one spot after the match, while Falla’s rose to 51.
“I’m very happy with my game today. It was a tough match for me to get ahead,” Falla tweeted Monday.
Isner, who is known for winning the longest tennis match in history in 2010, faded down the stretch in the three-hour long war, failing to convert three break points in the final set.
“I didn’t put my opponent away,” lamented Isner. “I had my chances, and I didn’t do it. It’s all on me.” Falla will face Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, who is ranked 88th by the Association of Tennis Professionals, in the tournament’s second round.