Former world No.1 Andy Murray has proven Thanasi Kokkinakis who’s boss, grinding out a gob-smacking five-set comeback victory to earn a spot within the Australian Open third spherical.
Winning the opening two units and main 5-2 within the third, Kokkinakis seemed on observe to finish a uncommon each day treble by Australian males, with Alexei Popyrin and Alex de Minaur earlier banking rousing second-round wins.
But as an alternative the South Australian was left heart-broken with the Scot spoiling the social gathering with a 4-6 6-7 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 7-5 defeat which lasted 5 hours 45 minutes – the second longest in Australian Open historical past.
Starting at 10.22pm and ending at 4.05am, the match threatened the file for the most recent grand slam end which was a 4.34am epic in 2008 at Melbourne Park when Lleyton Hewitt trumped Marcos Baghdatis.
With his early profession ravaged by damage, Kokkinakis had by no means beforehand gone previous the Open second spherical, solely as soon as earlier than reaching the third spherical at a grand slam with that top coming again in 2015 on the French Open.
It seemed like his fortunes would change however never-say-die Murray refused to remain on script.
“It’s unbelievable that I managed to turn that around,” stated the 35-year-old, with the match the longest of his stellar profession.
“Thanasi was serving unbelievably well, hitting his forehand huge and I don’t know how I managed to get through it.
“I did start playing better as the match went on and I have a big heart.
“It’s amazing to win the match but now I want to go to bed.”
“Everyone, including me, I think we should all get off to bed now.”
Visibly shattered as he left the courtroom, Kokkinakis wasn’t accessible to media as he underwent therapy for an undisclosed situation.
Kokkinakis struggled to shut out the primary three units, blowing 5 set factors within the second earlier than taking it in a tiebreak, and within the third he led 5-2.
The 26-year-old quickly misplaced the plot when main 2-0 within the third when he acquired a time violation on his serve after restarting his motion when a fan known as out.
A livid Kokkinakis stormed towards the chair umpire, remonstrating and saying it was payback as a result of the umpire “felt bad” about giving Murray an earlier one.
Kokkinakis then misplaced the sport as he did not put away 4 overheads after Murray scrambled madly, with the Australian smashing his racquet into the courtroom and incomes a code violation.
Three-time main winner Murray, ranked 66, then used the chaos to consolidate, levelling at 2-2.
Kokkinakis managed to regroup, together with his firepower giving him the possibility to serve for the match at 5-4. However, one other wobble allowed the wily Scot again in and the house hope surrendered the tiebreak with a wild volley.
Despite competing with a steel hip, Murray confirmed no indicators of slowing down and dominated the fourth to place the match on stage phrases.
The pair went toe-to-toe within the fifth set, at 3-3 Kokkinakis saving 4 break factors to remain on serve to the delight of the big Margaret Court Arena crowd who stayed till the demise.
He then saved one other 4 at 5-5, however Murray fired a forehand winner to conjure the break, permitting him to serve out the match.
Murray saved a serve for match officers for permitting the match to go forward so late and was the most recent participant to criticise the Open balls.
“I don’t know who it’s beneficial for,” he stated of the late end.
“Rather than the discussion being about an epic Murray-Kokkinakis match it ends in a bit of a farce.
“If I had a ball kid who is coming home at 5am I’m snapping at that; it’s not beneficial for them, the umpires, the officials, I don’t think it’s amazing for the fans or good for players.”
