Andy Murray took center stage and proved again why many wonder what the player is made of. In an excruciating near 6 hours long match in Australian Open 2023, Andy beat Thanasi Kokkinakis at 4:05 AM local time.
This was Andy’s longest match to date, and the midnight feast enthralled everyone. Having won the men’s doubles, the Australian heartthrob entered the match with high confidence. However, Andy Murray managed to win the battle of attrition with a significant effort.
The match carried with 4 – 6, 6 – 7, 7 – 6, 6 – 3, 7 – 5, resulting in Andy winning. It seems like the player has been on a recurring cycle, completing a five-hour match against Matteo Berrettini only days ago.
The match against Thanasi was only 8 minutes short of setting a new record currently held by the legendary names Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Similarly, Murray was quite close to breaking the record set by Marcos Baghdatis and Lleyton Hewitt. The players previously played a game that finished at 4:34 AM.
Given that Andy had already played a long game, every Tennis fan was excited about this match. This was evident across online platforms, as all the best betting sites for Tennis were filled with Andy fans. Although Thanasi has garnered major support, it was Andy who was clearly the fan-favorite.
Nonetheless, it was Andy who turned the tides during the deciding set, similar to what the player did against Berrettini. However, the game did not follow the same pattern through and through. Andy started the match slowly and only seemed to show quality plays after losing two straight sets.
Not only did the player play passively, but Andy’s body language also appeared loose as well. The entire mood was similar to what the player showcased during the 2022 Australian Open. However, the game took a 180 turn in the third set as Andy picked up the pace.
Accruing 10 hours and 34 minutes in two games straight, Andy seemed to be in form. The match is a testament to the player’s resilience and skills.
