A drained and delighted Shelby Rogers covered her face with her hands and wept.
Making history was a deeply moving moment on Court No. 10 today.
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Rogers edged 25th-seeded Daria Gavrilova, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (5) in the longest US Open women’s match since the tie break was implemented in 1970.
This marathon of wild momentum shifts eclipsed the previous longest US Open women’s match of three hours, 23 minutes set by Johanna Konta and Garbine Muguruza at the 2015 US Open.
It was a cathartic experiencing moving the 2016 Roland Garros quarterfinalist to tears though Rogers joked afterward she cries watching sad movies.
"I cry a lot. We saw at the French Open last year," Rogers said. "You know, reading a book, watching sad -- I just cry, that's what I do.
"It was a very special moment for me today being down in the third, coming back, having a few match points. Just so many ups and downs for both of us today. To get through that on the winning side was just really incredible. The crowd helped me so much. They gave me some energy in the third, for sure. I was just so grateful to them for staying there three and a half hours.
"Yeah, I just had to let it all go."
The pride of Charleston, South Carolina squeezed out an emotional triumph of wild momentum shifts to advance to the US Open third round for the second time in three years.
Rogers’ commitment to keeping calm—and moving forward—was crucial. She won 32 of 50 trips to net, rallied from 2-4 down with a three-game run then saw a defiant Gavrilova dig and deny three match points to hold for 5-all after three hours, 10 minutes.
“I’m pretty disappointed. It feels like I played for three-and-a-half hours for nothing,” Gavrilova said. “But I will sit down eventually and watch my match and I think I can learn a lot.”
Fresh off her first career title in New Haven last week, played some brave points in the tie break, but her inability to connect on her favorite forehand—and a resolute Rogers—cost her. “The two last points (were the difference),” Gavrilova said. “I think in the tie breaker I was trying to be aggressive and take chances.
“In the end, if I won I could be proud of my efforts. I was tough, I was trying to find a way. I didn’t play the best match today, but I was just trying to hang in there.”
Rogers' reward for her second straight three-set win is a third-round date with fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina.
"Another similar player, gets a lot of balls back. Makes you win every point," Rogers said. "Makes you work for it. We had a battle earlier this year actually. I got to bring it. I'm going to be ready, but she's going to bring it, too. It will be another good battle."
And maybe another marathon.
Photo credit: @USOpen