France's Nicolas Mahut, pictured, and American John Isner resumed their first-round match Wednesday after splitting the first four sets. Little did they know they were about to make history.

Right from the start, both players' service games were sharp. With Isner, pictured, allowing Mahut very few windows of opportunity.

As the games mounted and the news traveled, more and more fans made their way to tiny Court 18, official capacity 782.

Isner first got a look at match point with Mahut serving at 9-10, but a service ace — one of 95 on Wednesday from Mahut — wiped it away.

The chances came few and far between for Mahut, who failed to generate much of any threat against Isner's serve.

Signs of fatigue started to roll in as the players approached record territory in the set.

After Isner's match point chance at 9-10, there wasn't another break point for 45 games, when Isner lost two more opportunities to win the match at 32-33.

By the end of the set, Isner had fired an all-time match record 98 aces to Mahut's 95. The previous record was 78.

Spectators continued to pour in to the area surrounding the court as Isner and Mahut went longer and longer into the London night.

Mahut finally got a look in the 101st game, earning two break chances at 50-50. Isner dug in and went service winner-overhead winner to erase the deficit, then held for 51-50.

At 53-54 on Mahut's serve, Isner started off with a 0-30 edge. But Mahut nailed a volley winner and three straight aces to hold.

Mahut went all out for this ball late in the match. Isner won the point — and got a laugh out of it — but Mahut showed he still had energy left over.

Isner got one last match point try against Mahut at 58-59, but the resilient Frenchman stayed on his feet to brush it aside.

The scoreboard told the stunning tale at day's end — 163 games in exactly 10 hours once play had completed.

Play was halted for the day at 59-59, with the players set to return to Court 18 the following afternoon to — hopefully — finish the match.

Isner and Mahut both were befuddled by what happened. "Nothing like this will ever happen again. Ever," Isner said in a courtside TV interview. "He's just a champ. We're just fighting like we never did before," Mahut said.

The players returned to the court Thursday afternoon to finish the epic match.

Chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani takes the name boards over to the scoreboard prior to the resumption of play Thursday.

Tennis legend John McEnroe watched Thursday's conclusion from the stands.

Both players' booming serves continued to work Thursday, as the set wore on past the 130-game mark.

At long last, the match ended when Isner cashed in on his fifth point to win the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68.

Isner and Mahut embraced at the net after the match, knowing they will forever be a part of sports history.