Chris Eaton earned himself a place in Great Britain's Davis Cup team last week, largely due to his effort in beating James Ward in a truly epic encounter.

The little-known pair slugged it out for nearly seven hours at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton to prove their commitment to the cause.

Had their match taken place on the main ATP Tour, it would have been the longest in its history.

Such a marathon got me thinking about some classic epics of years gone by, so here are 10 of my favourites.

Fabrice Santoro beat Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 3-6 16-14 French Open 1st rd, 2004

At six hours and 33 minutes, this remains the longest-ever match in Open era history. Two days were needed, the first day's play being halted with the score at 5-5 in the final set. The French duo returned the following morning and managed to play for almost two more hours, Santoro saving a second match point before prevailing. Victory put him into round two. Clement had his name in the history books, but he didn't care. "Frankly I don't give a damn, what world record?" he said afterwards. "Do I get a medal? If I'm not getting anything, frankly I'm not interested."

Boris Becker beat Omar Camporese 7-6 7-6 4-6 0-6 14-12, Australian Open 3rd rd, 1991

A five-hour 11-minute contest which Becker took 14-12 in the final set. It proved crucial to Becker's career as just over a week later he would lift the trophy and become world number one for the first time. It had looked curtains for Becker when he lost the fourth set to love and saw his two-set lead evaporate. However, despite the intense Melbourne heat he managed to find another wind in a final set that lasted more than two hours. At the time, it was the longest match in tournament history.

Rafael Nadal beat Fernando Verdasco 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-7 6-4, Australian Open semi-final, 2009

A recent epic this one and it eclipsed Becker and Camporese from the Melbourne Park record books by three minutes. Two Spanish baseliners were probably always more likely to produce a record-breaker but few felt this one would go the distance. In their previous meeting, Verdasco had won just three games. However, this time he pushed the world number one all the way in a match of the highest quality. Even 95 winners from the underdog failed to bring him victory though.

Boris Becker beat Ivan Lendl 5-7 7-6 3-6 6-2 7-6, The Masters final, 1988

This is a match not best known for its longevity - still pretty long at four hours and 42 minutes - rather the fact that it was decided in the most agonising of ways. After a 37-shot rally on match point, a net cord from a Becker shot dropped dead on Lendl's side of the net to give the German victory. "Physically, it was the hardest match I've ever played," Becker declared afterwards.

Stefan Edberg beat Michael Chang 6-7 7-5 7-6 5-7 6-4, US Open semi-final, 1992

In terms of chasing balls down, Chang was the Rafael Nadal of his day and at Flushing Meadows in 1992 he showed he really was prepared to run and run. He got so much back against Edberg, it was incredible. Yet still it wasn't enough. He agonisingly lost to the defending champion in the fifth set after a remarkable five hours and 26 minutes of play. It remains the longest match in US Open history. Perhaps even more remarkable was that Edberg came back the next day and beat Pete Sampras to retain his title.

Michael Chang beat Ivan Lendl 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-3, French Open 4th rd, 1989

Chang had famously beaten Edberg to win the 1989 French Open and become the youngest ever male Grand Slam winner. However, his most famous win of that tournament was undoubtedly his quarter-final victory over Ivan Lendl. Top seed Lendl led by two sets and a break but couldn't finish off the scampering teenager who went down with cramp but still forced a decider. It was then that he produced one of the most famous images in tennis - his underarm serve. "I was trying to break his concentration. I would do anything to stay out there," the American later explained. The robot-like Lendl was rarely fazed but on this occasion he certainly was. On match point Chang stepped up almost to the service line to return. Lendl complained bitterly before finally serving - a double fault. A four-hour-and-37-minute classic was over.

Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7, Wimbledon final, 2008

Few grasscourt matches last longer than four hours, but this one certainly did. The world's two best players were both in awesome form on the famous Centre Court and produced the longest final in Wimbledon history. It was four hours and 48 minutes of pure drama and few wanted it to end. It almost didn't - at least not on that Sunday. Nadal eventually clinched victory (and the title for the first time) in near darkness at 9.16pm after one of the sport's greatest ever matches.

Andy Roddick beat Younes El Aynaoui 4-6 7-6 4-6 6-4 21-19, Australian Open quarter-final, 2003

You wondered if this one would ever end, such was the serve dominance in the final set. Roddick, the biggest server in the game, finally edged it with almost five hours on the clock. The length of the match proved too much for Roddick, who duly lost his semi-final to Rainer Schuettler two days later. However, it probably did him the world of good in the long run. By the end of the year he was world number one. He'd shown the heart needed to become a champion and many feel his path to the top can be traced back to this match.

Boris Becker beat John McEnroe 4-6 15-13 8-10 6-2 6-2, Davis Cup World Group relegation play-off, 1987

Oh for the days before the tie-break! Well, in 1987 the Davis Cup still hadn't adopted the breaker as Becker and McEnroe found out in Hartford, Connecticut. Becker admits in his autobiography that he wasn't sure he could win the match even after levelling at one set all. He described the match as "a war". The match lasted six hours and 39 minutes, although the record books show it at six hours and 21 minutes due to a (much-needed) 18-minute break between the third and fourth sets.

Pancho Gonzales beat Charlie Pasarell beat 22-24 1-6 16-14 6-3 11-9, Wimbledon 1st rd, 1969

Of course, no 'epic matches' list would be complete without meniton of this one, arguably the most famous of marathon encounters basically due to the fact it gets dragged up every year when Wimbledon comes around. Pre-tiebreak, the match featured 112 games - a statistic which will surely never be beaten. In time terms, it was five hours and 12 minutes long, Pasarell squandering no less than seven match points in the process. Perhaps what was most remarkable was that the victor was aged 41 at the time.

Do you have any memories of an epic encounter, perhaps one we've not mentioned? Send us your feedback to tennisfeedback@sportinglife.com