Ivo Karlovic served a world record 78 aces but still lost to Radek Stepanek in an extraordinary match lasting nearly six hours as Czech Republic took a 1-0 lead over Croatia in the Davis Cup semi-final.
The players were exhausted at the end of a thrilling encounter, won 6-7 7-6 7-6 6-7 16-14 by Stepanek in a pulsating Zatika Arena in the northern city of Porec.
"I have no words right now, it was like a lottery and I managed to seize my chances," said Stepanek at the end of the fourth-longest Davis Cup match.
"It was a long and exhausting match but when you play for your country it's worth it. It wouldn't matter if it lasted for another few hours," he told Croatian television.
The match lasted five hours 59 minutes and the games total (82) equalled the highest number in a Davis Cup rubber since the tie-break was introduced in 1989. The games total was also just three short of the overall record for a World Group tie.
Karlovic failed to convert five match points but the Croat took some consolation by obliterating the all-time aces record of 59 held by American Ed Kauder since 1955.
World No31 Karlovic took the opening tie-break 7-5 before Stepanek hit back by taking the second set decider by the same margin. Stepanek won the third-set tie-break 8-6 before his opponent raced through the fourth set decider 7-2. The world number 17 then achieved the all-important break of serve in the 29th game of an epic fifth set.
Marin Cilic faces world No18 Tomas Berdych in the second match of the tie.