Longest tennis rally-world record set
by Ettore and Angelo A. Rossetti
NORTH HAVEN, CT, USA -- Identical twin brothers
and tennis teaching pros Angelo & Ettore Rossetti played a
tennis rally which lasted 14 hours and 31 minutes, with 25,944
strokes of a tennis ball-setting the world record for the
Longest tennis rally.
Photo: The rally was part of USPTA's
Tennis Across America which included Cardio Tennis, team clinics,
private lessons, fast serve contest and open court time. In
addition, it was recognized as an official Lessons for Life
fund raiser. (enlarge
photo)
Last August 18-19, the brothers had
set the U.S. record of 19,490 successful rallies over the
span of two days, taking 10 hours and 38 minutes. This year
the Rossetti Brothers more than doubled the 7 hours it took
for the past world record set in 2005, eclipsing the world
record by 1,248 strokes. The previous two records were from
the UK and Germany.
These activities are part of USPTA's Tennis for
the Health of it, it's theme for 2008. "We are so pleased
and excited to be a part of this admirable event," stated
Stephen Tagliatela, one of the owners of North Haven Health
& Racquet.
Tennis teaching pros Steve Rogers, Steve O'Connell,
Paul Coorssen, Al "Skip" South, Bryan Adinolfi, Mike McManus,
Paul Brower, and Mike Quitko were on hand to teach the clinics
and support the attempt. The event an official Rally for the
CureŽ, a grassroots partnership between Susan G. Komen for
the Cure and Conde Naste Publications. Photo: About half of the fans who
were still left when the record was set. (the others left
just a few minutes prior right after the record) Angelo in
the middle holding the plaque with Stuart Claxston of Guinness
World Records, with Ettore to the right followed by the Rossettis'
parent (father in red). (enlarge
photo)
The head counter this year was Tom Ettorre
assisted by his two sons and a volunteer crew of clickers.
He coordinated the team of counters throughout the day and
evening. Given the duration of the attempt, volunteer counters
had to rotate shifts.
During the event, there were fund raisers to
benefit charity including a car wash, point-of-a-sale tennis
ball donations, tennis lessons and a silent auction.
A partial list of auction items included:
two signed items by Roger Federer, one signed tennis ball
by Andre Agassi, JetBlue airline tickets and Prince tennis
racquets, a case of Pro Penn tennis balls and Wolf Blass wine
and a Connecticut Sun autographed team jersey.
The Rossettis
are still counting the money they raised for charity while
they continue to raise money toward their new goal of $25,944
to match the number of strokes they hit in the rally through
December 31.
"We did our part" said Ettore Rossetti, who also
works for Save
the Children as Associate Director of Internet Communications
and Marketing.
The two questions had inevitably been "How did
you go to the bathroom?" and "Who missed?" They aired on the
side of dehydration and starvation rather than have to succumb
mother nature.
As far as not missing, they instructed the counters
to tell them when they had an even number of strokes just
after midnight. So once the clock showed 12:01 a.m. on Sunday
August 10, Angelo let the ball pass without even making an
attempt at it, thus preserving the fact that neither Rossetti
twin missed a shot.
They each struck the identical number of shots,
12,972, which is apropos since they are identical twins.
Sponsors of the event were: USPTA (United
States Professional Tennis Association), Prince racquets,
Pro Penn tennis balls, North Haven Health & Racquet club,
JetBlue airlines, Pilot Pen Tennis and Wolf Blass wine.
