Sorribes Tormo breaks four-hour mark, wins fourth longest match of Open Era

Wait 14 years for a Hologic WTA Tour match to break the four-hour mark, and two come along in as many weeks.

Beijing: Scores | Order of Play | Draws

Just eight days after Laura Siegemund

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Photos: All of 2024's three-hour matches

Sorribes Tormo is known for her marathon habits. The 27-year-old has now featured in four of the 13 longest matches of the Open Era, but this is the first time she has broken the four-hour mark at tour level. She seemed to have escaped Gao as she built a 5-1 lead in the third set, only for the World No.171 start hitting out with bold first-strike power. Gao saved two match points trailing 5-2, and levelled the match at 5-5 -- but could not take two break points to go up 6-5. Instead, it was Sorribes Tormo who closed the contest out with consecutive winners.

The 17 longest matches of the Open Era (as of Sep. 26, 2024)

1. Vicki Nelson-Dunbar d. Jean Hepner 6-4, 7-6(11), 1984 Richmond R1 (6:31)
2. Francesca Schiavone d. Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 1-6, 16-14, 2011 Australian Open R4 (4:44)
3. Barbora Strycova d. Regina Kulikova 7-6(5), 6-7(10), 6-3, 2010 Australian Open R1 (4:19)
4. Sara Sorribes Tormo

View Profile d. Gao Xinyu 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-5, 2024 Beijing R1 (4:15)
5. Laura Siegemund

View Profile d. Wang Xiyu 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(1), 2024 Hua Hin 2 R2 (4:09)
6. Virginie Buisson d. Noelle Van Lottum 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-2, 1995 Roland Garros R1 (4:07)
T7. Kerry Melville Reid d. Pam Teeguarden 7-6(7), 4-6, 16-14, 1972 Roland Garros R3 (3:55)
T7. Kristina Kucova d. Ekaterine Gorgodze

View Profile 6-7(4), 7-6(7), 7-6(3), 2021 Gdynia QF (3:55)
9. Sara Sorribes Tormo d.  Camila Osorio

View Profile  7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3, 2022 Cleveland R1 (3:54)
10. Lesia Tsurenko

View Profile  d.  Kamilla Rakhimova

View Profile  6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5, 2022 Budapest R2 (3:53)
11. Martina Trevisan

View Profile  d.  Marie Bouzkova

View Profile  6-4, 6-7(8), 6-4, 2021 Indian Wells R1 (3:52)
T12. Sara Sorribes Tormo d. Camila Giorgi 7-6(4), 6-7, 7-5, 2021 Rome R1 (3:51)
T12. Beatriz Haddad Maia

View Profile  d. Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-5, 2023 Roland Garros R4 (3:51)
14. Francesca Schiavone d. Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-7(11), 7-5, 10-8, 2015 Roland Garros R2 (3:50)
15. Karolina Pliskova

View Profile  d.  Kristina Mladenovic

View Profile  6-3, 4-6, 16-14, 2016 Billie Jean King Cup F (3:48)
16. Monica Seles d. Gabriela Sabatini 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 1990 WTA Finals F (3:47)
17. Chanda Rubin d. Patricia Hy-Boulais 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 17-15, 1995 Wimbledon R2 (3:45)