BriefTea
Every story in sixty words
Explained in plain English
Professional tennis matches, especially in Grand Slams, can vary greatly in length. They are played in sets, and there's no fixed time limit, meaning matches can extend for many hours. Djokovic's four-and-a-half-hour match, combined with his health condition and the heat, clearly pushed him to his physical limits, contributing to his unexpected defeat.
Stories that explain this
Ailing Djokovic loses US Open first round for first time in 20 yearsRelated explainers
What causes heat illness? Why is Djokovic's loss so big? What is a Grand Slam? Why are airport runways so long? Why do artists take long breaks? How do boxing matches work? What is a 'century-long partnership'? Why close stations for so long?The full catalogue
Browse every card filed under L →