John Isner has backed the change to Wimbledon’s rules which will see the final set decided by a tie-break when the game score reached 12-12.

The 33-year-old American was involved in the longest match in professional tennis history when he eventually overcame Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the final set of an 11-hour clash during the 2010 Championships.

“I’ve been on record saying 12-all is good and my views haven’t changed,” Isner, also involved in the second-longest Grand Slam match in this year’s Wimbledon semi-final when he lost the deciding set 26-24 to Kevin Anderson, told BBC Radio Five’s Sportsweek programme on Sunday,

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“Wimbledon this year was definitely the impetus for it with the schedule messing up the men’s semis and women’s final.

“It is bucking tradition but I think a lot of people believe that is not a bad thing.”

Traditionally, singles matches in Grand Slam tennis tournaments – the best of five sets for men, three for women – were won when a player had six games to their credit but also led their opponent by at least two clear games – 6-4 or 8-6 for example.

In 1969, the then 41-year-old Pancho Gonzales beat Charlie Pasarell 22-24, 1-6, 16-14, 6-3, 11-9 in a singles match at Wimbledon.

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Tie-breaks were first introduced at Wimbledon in the early 1970s and in 1979 officials settled on the current system where they would decide a set once it had reached six games all, except in the final set, which would still be played to advantage – winning by two clear games.

The US Open already has a fifth set tie-breaker in place for singles matches and Isner believes Wimbledon’s move to amend its rules may encourage the Australian and French Opens – tennis’s other Grand Slam events – to follow suit.

“Maybe Wimbledon acting like this could drive them to do it as well,” he said. “They could call it the Isner rule.”