Andy Murray, where do you start?<\/p>\n
In perhaps the most riveting storyline of this year’s Australian Open<\/a>, Sir Andy Murray<\/a> is alive and kicking – how he did it, nobody knows. What began as a sprint to the finish line by Thanasi Kokkinakis, turned into an endless marathon. The Scotsman huffed and puffed, and overcame tired limbs. It is a poignant reminder we won’t see a lot of Murray in the foreseeable future on the tennis court, but his sensational five-set win on Thursday is worthy of its own memorabilia inside Melbourne Park.<\/p>\n Less than 48 hours earlier, Murray looked on course to defeat Matteo Berrettini in straight sets in a blockbuster opening-round match. But he was pegged back and had to save a match point deep in the fifth before completing the upset win.<\/p>\n Not many people gave him a chance to record back-to-back wins, especially with his fitness record in mind. But Murray blew our minds. He produced the extraordinary. Murray had never scaled the second-round hurdle at the Australian Open in six years.<\/p>\n From two sets to love down and seemingly out of the tournament, he was the embodiment of grit and perseverance.<\/p>\n Kokknakis threw everything in Murray’s way including the kitchen sink. The Australian crowd rallied behind their warrior, who is nine years Murray’s junior, to deliver one knockout blow. Murray trailed 4-6 6-7 3-5, but he won 4-6 6-7 7-6 6-3 7-5 in five hours and 45 minutes–the longest match of his career, and possibly the longest he will ever play in his lifetime.<\/p>\n Four years ago, we all thought we witnessed Andy Murray’s retirement match<\/a> when he lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in that nail-biting, emotionally-intoxicating first-round match. Fast forward to 2023, Murray with a surgically-repaired hip, is about to fight for a place in the second week of the Australian Open.<\/p>\n The match fell short by just a few minutes from the record of the latest finish at the Australian Open – the third-round dogfight between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis in 2008 which ended at 04:34 in the morning.<\/p>\n Following his stonking win over Kokkinakis, Murray said<\/a>, “I did start playing better as the match went on and yeah, I have a big heart. I have done it before (coming from two sets to love down), I have experience of it and rely on that experience, that drive, and that fight. My love for the game and my respect for this event and that’s why I kept going.”<\/p>\n It was mayhem at times. The Australian Open Twitter page called it madness. And who could argue? It was the sort of drama that is not replicated regularly.<\/p>\n ANDY. MURRAY. \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n Madness in Melbourne!@andy_murray<\/a> \u2022 @wwos<\/a> \u2022 @espn<\/a> \u2022 @eurosport \u2022 @wowowtennis<\/a> \u2022 #AusOpen<\/a> \u2022 #AO2023<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/NaHx1FkJnu<\/a><\/p>\n — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nAndy Murray Beats Kokkinakis in a five-hour, 45-minute epic<\/h3>\n
Murray admits experience key in fighting back<\/h3>\n
Reaction to Andy Murray’s win<\/h3>\n
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