Aussie wins mammoth tennis rally

An Australian tennis player has waged a war of attrition by outlasting his American rival in a mammoth 87-shot rally in a Canadian tournament.

John-Patrick Smith was playing Kevin King in the quarter-finals of the Drummondville Challenger when the two engaged in an epic battle at breakpoint on King's serve with scores locked 3-3 in the deciding set.

Footage of the monumental point, which went for more than two minutes, shows the two combatants slugging it out from the baseline with neither man wanting to give his opponent an opening.

However, the defensive tactics proved fruitless for much of the point with both players' shots cancelling the other's out, until Smith heads into the net on the 87th shot and forces the mistake.

The energy-sapping rally was crucial for Smith, who beat King before going on to the claim the title with a 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 win over Canadian Frank Dancevic.