Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis’ historic five-set epic, the longest of Murray’s career, lasted 345 minutes.
But it only took 26 seconds for Murray to play an incredible defensive point that defined the match, swung critical momentum behind the Scot and stunned the tennis world.
Murray was down two sets and down 2-0 in the third. He had a break point opportunity but appeared to have no hope of clinching it as Kokkinakis ripped into him with three smashes at the net.
Somehow, Murray survived.
The Scot had sent up a desperate backhand lob in response to a forehand Kokkinakis ripped across court, sending Murray scampering out wide. His sky-high return set Kokkinakis up to save the point with a textbook smash at the net.
But Murray’s swift reflexes and defensive instincts saw the five-time Australian Open finalist anticipate and return the smash, then another, and another as the crowd shrieked in disbelief. The 35-year-old with a metal hip was at his most wilful and determined, defying the impossible as he repelled Kokkinakis back to the baseline.
Suddenly on the back foot, Kokkinakis threw it all away by putting the ball into the net.
Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia fumes to the umpire during his second round match against Andy Murray.Credit:AP
The stunned Australian slammed his racquet into the court, destroying the frame and copping another violation as Murray bellowed to the amped-up crowd. The extraordinary point marked the moment Murray turned the match on its head. He would go on to take a five-set victory at 4am.
At the time of the freak point the match was primed to boil over.
In the minutes beforehand, Kokkinakis raged against the umpire for calling a time violation against him right as he wound up a serve.
“What is that s–t, you cannot call that while I’m waiting for a call out. You’re just saying that because you felt bad about him,” Kokkinakis fumed while pointing at Murray. His opponent had received a time violation earlier in the match.
In the post-match interview, Murray said he relied on experience, fight, drive and his respect for the competition to fuel his comeback.
“It was unbelievable that I managed to turn that around. Thanasi was playing, serving unbelievable, and his forehand [was] huge. I did start playing better as the match went on. And yeah, I have a big heart.”
The freak point defined an instantly iconic match, which was the second-latest and second-longest in Australian Open history. Social media erupted with reactions of spectators and sports commentators flabbergasted by the point and the 35-year-old’s scorching comeback.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King tweeted her congratulations to Murray for winning his longest ever Australian Open match, posting “All guts and glory on his greatest comeback!”
Murray’s viral victory is a far cry from his exit from the Brisbane International in 2019, where he broke down in a press conference after Daniil Medvedev knocked him out in the second round. A tearful Murray said he was considering leaving professional tennis due to a hip injury.
He went on to have hip resurfacing surgery later that year, a part-replacement which saw damaged bone replaced with a cobalt-chromium shell.
Murray, now ranked 66 and again a crowd favourite, will play world No. 25 and 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round on Saturday.
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