the scotsman Andy Murraywho achieved an epic comeback against the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis on the Australian Open second round in five hours and 45 minutes of the match, he stressed that the love he feels for tennis, his eagerness to compete and the respect for this tournament propelled him towards victory.
Murray managed for the eleventh time in his career to lift two sets down and win a match. He is already the player in history who has managed to overcome two sets against him the most times and achieve victory, ahead of tennis players such as Boris Becker, Roger Federer, Aaron Krickstein and François Jauffret.
The second straight victory in five sets in this edition of the Australian Open was sealed after four in the morning in Melbourne. won by 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 y 7-5. The longest match in the Briton’s career, an unsuccessful finalist five times in the first Grand Slam of the season.
Murray emerged unscathed from the 102 winning shots and the 37 direct aces of his rival. “It was amazing that he managed to resist that. Thanasi was serving amazingly and hitting his huge forehand. I don’t know how I managed to get over it. I started to play better as the match progressed. But it is true, I have a big heart“said the Scotsman after the success.
“Now I have the most comebacks from two sets down. So I’ve done it before. I have experience in that. I only trust in that experience and in following the path. It is fight and love for the game and for competing, and my respect for this event and the competition. That’s why I moved on“, he indicated.
Murray demonstrated great mental and physical strength. For the second time in a row, he managed to overcome a five-set match after Matteo Berrettini’s in the first round.
The 35-year-old has a new challenge. He hasn’t advanced to the fourth round at a Grand Slam since 2017, when he reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Roberto Bautista will be his next rival. The Spaniard also needed a comeback to beat American Brandon Holt 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
