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Two tennis players who battled out the longest ever tennis match could be invited to the House of Commons to celebrate their achievement, the Speaker has indicated.
John Isner and Nicolas Mahut broke records yesterday as their 11-hour match ended after 11 hours, five minutes and 183 games.
Isner of the US beat Frenchman Mahut 70-68 in the final set of their first-round match.
Raising a point of order in the Commons, Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes told John Bercow: "Yesterday you may have noticed that there was the most titanic tennis match ever played, in this great city of ours and in our country.
"Nicolas Mahut, a Frenchman, and John Isner, from the US, ended up in the fifth set at 59-all when, for the second day running, they weren't able to complete that match.
"I wondered whether at the end of the match you might consider inviting the two players to this House to show, in this great summer of sport, how much we value sport in this country and how much we value people from all over the world coming to show their talents in this great country of ours."
Bercow, a qualified tennis coach, said that he himself had watched "significant parts" of the match, and was as "fascinated by it" as the honorable member.
He told the MP: "Your suggestion is an interesting one but sadly it doesn't qualify as a point of order.
"I am more than happy to invite the two gentlemen concerned but I've not the foggiest idea whether they would be interested in accepting the invitation."
Hughes has since tabled an early day motion to highlight the achievements of the two players.
During questions on future Commons business, Liberal Democrat Greg Mulholland said England should have its own national anthem for fans to sing to as they support their sporting heroes.
He asked: "Following the historic decision to use Jerusalem at the Commonwealth Games, can we now have a debate in this House about properly establishing an English national anthem for when England compete as opposed to the UK?"
Commons leader Sir George Young said the MP had raised an "important issue".
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