Andy Murray advance to 3rd round of Australian Open

• Andy Murray beats Thanasi Kokkinakis.
• Murray’s match lasted five hours and forty-five minutes.
• The 35-year-old British player will now take on Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.

Andy Murray, a seasoned pro, defeated home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis in the early hours of Friday after roaring back in a five-set match that went beyond 4:00 a.m. to advance to the Australian Open third round.

The British player eventually won 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 7-5 in front of a boisterous but worn-out Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne.

The longest match in Murray’s illustrious career lasted five hours and forty-five minutes.

In round three, the 35-year-old former world number one will take against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, the 24th seed.

“It was remarkable that I was able to accomplish it, that I was able to turn it around,” said the three-time Grand Slam champion, who has a metal hip and appeared to be on the edge of retirement four years ago at Melbourne Park.

“I have no idea how I got through it.

“I started playing better as the match progressed, and sure, I have a big heart,” Murray said to applause.

“I’ve always enjoyed competing, I’ve always worn my heart on my sleeve, and I’ve always displayed my emotions when I play.”

“Thank you so much for staying – it’s terribly late,” he said to the onlookers who had witnessed a classic.

Australian Kokkinakis, who is rated 159th overall, quickly took a two-set lead while making no mention of the drama that would follow.

Nick Kyrgios and Kokkinakis are friends, and Kokkinakis exhibited traits of the gifted but erratic Australian’s temperament by shattering his racquet as Murray made one of his signature comebacks.

When Kokkinakis was serving for the match on Friday morning, Murray did not give up easily and broke his 26-year-old opponent to extend the entertainment even later into the early hours of the day.

The unstoppable Murray, who underwent surgery in 2019 to save his career, then successfully held his own serve to tie the third set at 5-5.

The third set was won in a tie-break by Murray, who is currently ranked 66 in the world, after his younger opponent’s outrageously wide volley.

Murray served to start the fourth set at around 2:00 in the morning after defeating Italian 13th seed Matteo Berrettini in his opening encounter in another five-setter.

At that point, some chairs were empty as exhausted onlookers left the event.

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