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Andy Murray produced another unbelievable performance to come back from two sets down to defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis in an epic Australian Open match that ended at 04:05 local time.
On a grueling physical and mental endurance night, Murray won 4-6 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 7-5 in one of the most recent finishes in tennis history.
The second-round match began at 22:20 and lasted 5 hours and 45 minutes.
It was the longest competition in Murray’s eventful 35-year career.
Response to Murray’s late-night win over Kokkinakis
After taking his first match point, the exhausted Briton kept his face straight before the two players shared a warm embrace at the net.
With his mother Judy in the stands in tears, he let out a huge roar as he reflected on one of the best comebacks of his career.
Second Fastest Tennis Open In Australia Open History
A big, loud crowd stayed in Margaret Court Arena until the end. They thanked both men for their hard work and gave them much-needed vocal support.
The match is the second-fastest finish in Australian Open history, trailing only a match between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis in the third round in 2008.
“There was frustration, tension, excitement, all that stuff,” Murray said of the match.
“It’s fantastic to have won the match, but I’m also ready to go to bed. I need to sleep.”
Murray joins Dan Evans as the second British player to reach the third round at Melbourne Park this year, with Cameron Norrie hoping to join them by defeating Czech youngster Jiri Lehecka on Friday.
It was Murray’s longest match ever, longer than the Davis Cup match he played against Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in 2016.
Murrey Makes A Come Back
Murray makes an extraordinary comeback, even by his standards.
Murray has consistently defied the odds since returning from hip surgery in 2019 that he thought he would end his career, including a first-round win over Italian 13th seed Matteo Berrettini on Tuesday.
Two days later, the Scot did it again, this time with a comeback that was extraordinary even by his standards.
Murray spoke cautiously about the impact the five-set thriller would have on his body – a combination of his advancing years and the strain caused by his implanted metal hip – before facing 26-year-old Kokkinakis.
“I felt physically better today than I did the other day, which is a good thing, but finishing at 4 a.m. is not ideal,” said the former world number one.
Murray could not have asked for more time to recover, but the trade-off was playing in frigid temperatures, resulting in long rallies, points, and a very long night.
Murrey Worked Hard For His Win
The five-time Australian Open finalist got off to a slow start and struggled to find his rhythm, with his frequent chuntering to his support box indicating he wasn’t happy.
On his way to a two-set lead, Kokkinakis, backed by a raucous crowd at an initially packed Margaret Court Arena, punished him with plenty of powerful and precise forehand winners.
You wondered how much mental and physical energy Murray had left in the tank.
We had the answer almost four hours later.
Murray trailed 5-2 in the third set but used his experience to keep his cool as Kokkinakis tightened up when he tried to serve out the match.
Murray used the momentum to dominate the fourth set after a skewed smash summed up the strain felt by the world number 159.
Deep into the decider, it was impossible to predict who would win, but Murray decisively broke at 5-5 and served out for an extraordinary victory.
“It was by far the longest match I’ve played, but that’s what’s going to happen in those conditions,” Murray said.
“Playing in the cold at that time of day with balls like that will result in long rallies and long points.”
The one thing that has eluded the former world number one since his comeback in 2019 is another deep run at a major, which he used to do regularly.
Won 11 Matches
If he can recover enough to beat Spanish 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut – who he played in what he thought was his final Grand Slam match before the hip surgery four years ago – he will reach the fourth round of a major for the first time since 2017.
Andy Murray has won 11 matches from two sets down, making him the player with the most successful comebacks.
‘Who benefits from it?’ Murray is displeased with the late finish.
The late finish raised more questions about why tennis allows this and prompted a closer look at the scheduling.
Murray screamed in frustration after losing a point and asked why they were “still playing at 3 a.m.” during the match.
Afterward, he continued to express his displeasure and told a huddle of journalists, who were waiting in a corridor underneath Rod Laver Arena in a bid to speed up his exit, it was a “farce”.
“Who will benefit from it? A match like that and that is the topic of the discussion. It ends in a farce rather than an epic match, “He stated.
“People stayed until the end and created an atmosphere, which I greatly appreciate. Some people must work.
“But if my child were a ball kid for the tournament and came home at 5 a.m., I’d be furious.
“It’s not good for them, the umpires, or the officials. It’s not fantastic for the fans. It’s bad for the players.”
SOURCE – (BBC)
