Australian Open: Murray clinches epic victory over Kokkinakis in longest career match

In
an
epic
match
that
began
on
Thursday
but
ticked
well
into
the
early
hours
of
Friday
(January
20)
in
Melbourne,
Murray
prevailed
4-6
6-7
(4-7)
7-6
(7-5)
6-3
7-5
in
the
second-longest
match
in
Australian
Open
history.

With
the
clock
having
ticked
past
04:00
am
local
time,
the
five-time
finalist
finally
triumphed
to
become
the
first
player
in
Open
era
history
to
win
10
grand
slam
matches
having
lost
the
opening
two
sets.

“I
don’t
know.
Unbelievable
that
I
managed
to
turn
that
round,”
said
Murray,
who
has
reached
the
third
round
of
the
Australian
Open
for
the
first
time
since
2017.

“Thanasi
was
serving
unbelievable.
I
don’t
know
how
I
managed
to
get
through
it.
Yeah,
I
have
a
big
heart.

“I’m
aware
I
don’t
look
particularly
happy
when
playing
but
I’m
at
my
happiest
on
the
inside.

“I’ve
always
loved
competing
and
always
showed
my
emotions
when
I’ve
played.
I’ve
been
criticised
a
lot
for
it
over
the
years
but
that’s
who
I
am.”

Finally,
in
a
message
to
the
fans
that
stuck
around
at
Melbourne
Park,
Murray
said:
“Thanks
so
much
to
everyone
for
staying.
It’s
ridiculously
late.
You
didn’t
need
to
do
that
but
it
really
helps
me
and
Thanasi
when
we
have
all
of
you
creating
an
amazing
atmosphere.
I
think
we
should
all
get
off
to
bed
now.”

Kokkinakis
was
in
cruise
control
when
he
doubled
his
lead
with
a
tie-break
victory
in
the
second
set.

But
he
then
appeared
to
start
feeling
the
pressure
in
the
third
set,
smashing
his
racquet
following
an
angry
dispute
with
the
umpire
after
receiving
a
time
violation.

Taking
advantage
of
his
opponent’s
loss
of
composure,
Murray
battled
back
from
5-2
down
to
force
another
tie-break,
where
Kokkinakis
lost
four
points
on
his
serve
as
the
match
was
pushed
to
a
fourth
set.

Having
been
one
game
from
defeat,
the
tide
was
turning
in
Murray’s
favour,
as
he
teed
up
a
decider
that
had
looked
so
unlikely.

Murray
spurned
his
first
seven
break
points
but
brilliantly
won
his
eighth
attempt
with
the
set
tied
at
five
games
apiece,
putting
the
former
world
number
one
on
the
verge
of
a
stunning
success.

He
made
no
mistake
as
he
clinched
victory
with
a
forehand
winner,
ending
the
match
after
five
hours
and
45
minutes.

Only
the
2012
final
between
Novak
Djokovic
and
Rafael
Nadal
(five
hours
and
53
minutes)
beating
it
in
terms
of
longevity
in
the
tournament’s
history.