After winning the longest Centre Court match in history, Kevin Anderson pleaded for sanity.
Anderson showed courage and class out-dueling old college rival John Isner, 7-6 (8), 6-7 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-4, 26-24, to advance to his first career Wimbledon final in the second-longest Grand Slam match in history.
Watch: Anderson's Lefty Forehand Keys Epic Win
After prevailing in a six hour, 36-minute epic, the 32-year-old South African called on Grand Slams to shorten fifth sets.
The US Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that employs a fifth-set tie break. Wimbledon, Roland Garros and the Australian Open requires men to play out the fifth set.
Anderson, who was coming off a grueling four hour, 14-minute victory over eight-time champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, suggested he could be physically spent after spending nearly 11 hours on court in his last two victories.
"It's tough; I just try to do the same protocols," Anderson said when asked about his recovery plan for Sunday's final. "Honestly, I hope this is as sign for Grand Slams to change the [fifth-set] format.
"For us to be out there that length of time... It's happened to John before. I really, really hope we can look at it and address it."
Isner edged Nicolas Mahut in the longest match ever played at the 2010 Wimbledon staggering through an epic 11 hour, 5-minute epic before prevailing 70-68 in the fifth set.
That marathon match earned an exhibit in the International Hall of Fame and pained Isner's body for months afterward.
Today, Isner joined Anderson calling for fifth-set tie breaks in majors.
"I think it's long over due," Isner said. "I'm a big part of the discussion, of course. I don't know if Rafa and Djokovic can even finish tonight. It's tough.
"I'm a proponent of changing that rule for sure. I think it needs to be done."
Anderson asserts it should have been done already.
"I think if you ask the players, when you get stuck in these positions, playing such long matches, it's very tiring," Isner said. "It's very tough, playing six-and-a-half hours, whatever we were out there for. I personally don't see the added value or benefit compared to, say, at the US Open where we're playing tiebreaks in the fifth set.
"I mean, it's no different decades ago when there were no tiebreaks at all. Matches were even longer then. I think progress was made to introduce a tiebreaker. I personally don't see the reason not to include it now at least at all the slams. I mean, obviously John's match in 2010 when it was ridiculous, I feel like a lot of people were talking about it then. Things didn't change."
ESPN analyst and Hall of Famer John McEnroe, who has called for a fifth-set tie break in all majors for years, said shortening fifth sets benefits all.
"I think it's more exciting for the fans," McEnroe said on ESPN. "I think it adds an element of intensity for the players... They're barely standing, they're out on their feet, certainly Isner was.
"You've got to think about the people watching, increase the popularity of the sport. You've got the people in the audience, the players waiting, Novak, Rafa and it just makes no sense to me. It's gonna impact the final by the way."
Ultimately, Anderson was both depleted and living the dream after a surreal semifinal.
"At the end you don't feel that great out there, but at the same time I'm through to the Wimbledon final," Anderson said. "What can I say about that? Either [Rafael] Nadal or [Novak] Djokovic [in the final]. Neither of those guys need an introduction.
"I think it will take a long time to process what happened today, but I do know I'm into the Wimbledon final and it's a dream come true."
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport