It’s back

The plaque is back at Wimbledon.

And the All England Club insists there is a simple explanation for why the marker posted on a brick wall outside Court 18 — pointing out that it was the site of John Isner’s record-breaking 70-68 fifth-set victory over Nicolas Mahut in 2010 — was missing for a bit.

A spokesman for the club said the plaque was temporarily taken down for “refurbishment,” because there was “a little wear and tear” on the green-and-purple tournament logo at the bottom. She said a new logo was affixed to it, but otherwise it is the same sign that was there before.

The 6-10 Isner wondered about the official explanation.

“Why would they refurbish it?” Isner asked. “Even if they refurbished it, that would take 20 minutes.”

Seven years ago, Isner and Mahut, a Frenchman who lost in the first round this week, played the longest match in tennis history, an 11-hour, 5-minute marathon at Court 18 that stretched over three days in the first round.

The plaque announces in white capital letters on a black background that “the longest match” was played at that court “22nd-24th June 2010.” It also includes the score — 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (9), 7-3 (3), 70-68 — and notes the “match duration.”