Tough tennis players smash world record

FOUR Irish tennis players have set a new record for the world longest doubles tennis match – playing for a remarkable 60 hours-plus.

The four, Dan O’Neill, Luke Maguire, James Cluskey and David Mullins started their marathon match at 8am on Friday and only called time at exactly 8.24.19 on the Sunday night.

It all ended when Luke McGuire rose to connect with a smash to win the tie-break and end an amazing three days and two nights of tennis. The players battled through sleep deprivation, roasting temperatures on the Saturday and rain on Sunday to achieve an astonishing result.

The total on court time of 60 hours 24 minutes and 19 seconds at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club was enough to set a new Guinness World Record.

The scoreboard at the end registered the final score at 73 sets to 70!

The huge human effort was all in a good cause: to raise funds for Enjoy Tennis which organises access to tennis for people with a disability.

“Despite all the ups and downs over the three days, we always maintained an unwavering confidence that we reach the 60-hour mark,” Dave Mullins said. “We all had our low points, but for me it was getting back on court at 5.30am on Sunday morning after our 40-minute nap and a 10-minute shower. My body just did not seem to want to get going again and every step hurt.

“But it was for a great cause, Enjoy Tennis, and we hope that more money can be raised in the weeks ahead to help fund this great tennis initiative,” added David, a former Davis Cup player.

He was joined on court by James Cluskey, another former Davis Cup and professional tennis player, and Daniel O’Neill and Luke McGuire, who are both members of Trinity Tennis Club.

Daniel O’Neill said: “I can’t believe I played for 60 hours with virtually no sleep. Even at my lowest point, from 12am to 4am, on Sunday morning when I was physically at rock bottom, all I was thinking about was hanging in there. It is an amazing feeling that our reward is not only the personal satisfaction of breaking a world record but also knowing that the funds raised will create so many more opportunities for people with disabilities to play tennis all over the country.”

James Cluskey also described his experience.

 "It makes me very proud to be a part of this world record,” he said. “We were struggling Sunday morning, but we had people to keep us going and push us through.

“It was heartening on Sunday evening when we were about to finish in the pouring rain and yet there was still lots of people cheering us on.

“A personal highlight for me was having some of the Enjoy Tennis groups playing beside us.”