Economy seats prepared me for longest match - umpire 搭經濟艙讓我為史上最長比賽有所準備，裁判說

 ◎管淑平
Economy seats prepared me for longest match - umpire
搭經濟艙讓我為史上最長比賽有所準備，裁判說
When umpire Mohamed Lahyani was assigned to officiate a first-round match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, little did he know his years of travelling around the world cramped in economy class would come in handy.
當裁 判拉亞尼獲任命擔任伊斯納和馬惠的首輪對陣時，他並不太知道他多年來擠在經濟艙往來全球的經驗會派上用場。
Lahyani said a lifetime of flying economy class had prepared him to sit in his chair for hours on end umpiring the longest-ever match in the history of tennis.
拉亞尼說，這一生都搭經濟艙飛來飛去，讓他能夠對在裁判椅上一坐數小時、主持這場網球史上最長一戰的裁判工作到結束有所準 備。
"I travel economy. Seven hours sitting still on court is nothing," Lahyani said.
「我搭經濟艙。坐在場上7小時不動沒什麼」，拉亞尼說。
The 44-year-old Swede, who lives in Spain, said his voice was wearing out after 11 hours and five minutes over three days making the calls on the marathon match.
這位旅居西班牙的44歲瑞典人說，在這場3天來歷時11小時又5分鐘的馬拉松比賽擔任主審後，他的嗓子都啞 了。
"I didn’t get a chance to feel tired. I was gripped by the amazing match and my concentration stayed good - I owed that to the players. Their stamina was breath-taking and their behaviour exceptional." he said.
「我連覺得累的機會都沒有。我被這令人讚嘆的比賽深深吸引，一直保持良好的專注力，這是我對 選手的職責。他們的體力驚人，表現也很傑出。」他說。
American Isner beat Frenchman Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7（7/9）, 7-6（7/3）, 70-68 on Wimbledon’s Court 18.
美國選手伊斯納在這 場於溫布頓第18球場舉行的賽事中，以6-4、3-6、 6-7（7/9）、7-6（7/3）、70-68的比數擊敗馬惠。
◎新聞辭典：
umpire：名詞，體育賽事的裁判（用於不需要跟著選手跑動的比賽）。
come in handy：動詞片語，派上用場。例句：Your military experience will come in handy some time later.（你在軍中的經驗日後將派上用場。）
owe：動詞，除了「欠（債）」的意思，還有如：
「感謝」，例 句：We owe you a lot.（我們很感謝你。）
「做某些事情是對某人的義務、理所當然」，例句：The professional baseball players owe the fans to do their best and do it in an honest way in the game.（職業棒球選手在比賽中拿出最好表現，而且誠實的完成比賽是對球迷的義務。）