In Almost a Match for the Ages, Rubin Wins, 17-15, in the Third

It began in the late afternoon sunlight and ended, 3 hours 45 minutes later, at dusk.

A handful of spectators were there at the start. By the end--as word traveled around the grounds of the All England Club--tiny, cramped, far-flung Court 16 was packed.

They came to witness Chanda Rubin of Lafayette, La., and Patricia Hy-Boulais of Canada playing the most games in a women’s singles match in the 109-year history of Wimbledon.

Rubin, the daughter of a district judge, prevailed, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-5), 17-15.

The previous Wimbledon record was 54 games, when Alice Wiewers of France defeated American Rita Anderson, 8-10, 14-12, 6-4, in the 1948 second round.

The third set’s 32 games Wednesday were the most in a women’s match at Wimbledon. The set took 2 hours 4 minutes on one of the hottest days on record here.

Rubin and Hy-Boulais limply shook hands after the match and looked around the court, astonished to find an overflow crowd cheering them.

“I was amazed they were still there,” Rubin said, exhausted after the match. “You know, I would have walked away if I had the chance. I would have been off the court, ‘OK, see you.’ It’s kind of nice to have everybody still watching and hanging in there.”