By Chris Oddo

(July 31, 2012)--Olympic tennis history was made today as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France battled past Milos Raonic of Canada 6-3, 3-6, 25-23 in a three-hour, fifty-seven minute dogfight.

The match featured a 48-game, three-hour third set that became the longest set in Olympic tennis history and the second-longest set ever to be played at Wimbledon.

Tsonga and Raonic's titanic serve-a-thon was also the longest three-set Olympic match in terms of games, and it tied for the second-longest set in terms of games in tennis history.

The previous longest Olympic set came in 2004, when Fernando Gonzalez defeated Taylor Dent 16-14 in Athens to win the Bronze medal.

"I think it's good for my confidence but not really good for my body," said a fatigued Tsonga afterwards.

The Frenchman, who saved all four break points he faced in the final set, won a wild scramble on the match's final point with Raonic serving at 15-40. After slipping and falling at the baseline, Tsonga recovered to keep the point alive, then finished with a winning smash as the delighted crowd roared its approval.  

"It was really difficult, very long," said Tsonga, who failed to convert his first match point while leading 16-15 in the third set. When he was asked in a post-match on-court interview whether the struggle was more mental and physical, he replied "both."

Tsonga's 17 ace, 60-winner performance lands him in the last 16, where he will play Feliciano Lopez, who defeated Juan Monaco 6-4, 6-4 today.

Djokovic Hammers Roddick to Reach Last 16

Second-seeded Novak Djokovic struck early and often to eliminate Andy Roddick on Tuesday, as the Serb connected on all four break points he earned to cruise to a 6-2, 6-1 over the three-time Wimbledon finalist.

Djokovic, who cracked 34 winners against only six unforced errors, will next face Lleyton Hewitt in the round of 16.

Hewitt surprised fifteenth-seeded Marin Cilic today 6-4, 7-5, saving all four break points he faced against Cilic. The World No. 159 is fresh off a finals appearance in Newport; he had not won consecutive tour-level matches since the Australian Open before that.

Hewitt also lost to Djokovic in Australia in four sets.

Murray, Ferrer Keep Rolling

Local favorite Andy Murray produced a straightforward 6-2, 6-4 victory over Jarkko Nieminen of Finland today, saving the two break points he faced and losing only three points on second serve. Murray will face Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus next. The World No. 45 took out Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 6-4.

Fourth-seeded David Ferrer was also in the winner's circle today, as he defeated Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia 6-2, 6-2. Ferrer will face Kei Nishikori of Japan, who took out Russian Nikolay Davydenko in three sets, in the round of 16.

(Photo Credit: AP)