Australian Open 2023, Day 4: Andy Murray scripts sensational comeback on day of main upsets

Australian Open 2023, Day 4 wrap: Andy Murray performed 5 hours and 45 minutes to beat Thanasi Kokkinakis in a second-round epic on a day when an injury-hampered Novak Djokovic progressed to the third seed. 2nd seed Casper Ruud and Ons Jabuer had been surprised of their respective 2nd-round match.

Andy Murray defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis in a 5-hour and 45-minute battle (Reuters Photo)

By Reuters: Injury-hampered Novak Djokovic moved into the third spherical of the Australian Open on Thursday as the trail to a twenty second Grand Slam title opened up for him with the untimely exit of second seed Casper Ruud.

Ruud’s second-round exit got here a day after Djokovic’s nice rival Rafa Nadal, the highest seed, had been evicted after struggling a hip flexor harm that may sideline him for as much as two months.

Nine-times Melbourne Park champion Djokovic was delayed solely barely by an impressed second set from French qualifier Enzo Couacaud in his 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2 6-0 victory however was troubled by his heavily-strapped left thigh.

With world primary Carlos Alcaraz absent injured, Djokovic will worry few opponents on the blue courts the place he’s unbeaten since 2018 however provided that his hamstring holds out.

“I have to take it day-by-day. I am worried. I cannot say that I’m not. I have reason to be worried,” stated the Serbian.

“My physio and medical team have been doing everything possible so that I can be able to play every match. There’s not much more to talk about. There’s two choices: leave it or keep going. So I’m going to keep going.”

ANDY MURRAY MAGIC

Andy Murray, who Djokovic has crushed in 4 Australian Open finals, stays within the hunt after coming by a late-night epic in opposition to Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis, successful 4-6 6-7(4) 7-6(5) 6-3 7-5 victory after 5 hours and 45 minutes — the second longest match within the match’s historical past.

Former world primary Murray, who has defied medical logic to proceed his profession with a partly steel hip, trailed 5-2 within the third set earlier than digging himself out of a gap to mark his 250th Grand Slam match along with his eleventh victory from a two-set deficit.

The match completed at 4.05am native time, after which the 35-year-old Murray stated: “I think now we should all go to bed.”

ONS JABUER STUNNED

Women’s second seed Ons Jabeur additionally departed after an error-strewn efficiency in opposition to former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova, however there have been wins for title contenders Aryna Sabalenka, Caroline Garcia and Belinda Bencic.

Ruud was merely outplayed for all however a number of video games of his 6-3 7-5 6-7(4) 6-2 loss to 22-year-old Brooksby over practically 4 hours on Rod Laver Arena.

“I didn’t feel like I played particularly bad,” stated Ruud. “He just ended up winning many of the longer rallies and had sort of an answer to all the questions that I asked him.”

Brooksby’s win was adopted by fortunate loser Michael Mmoh beautiful German former world quantity two Alexander Zverev 6-7(1) 6-4 6-3 6-2 to make it eight American males within the third spherical.

“I think we all push each other to really get better, regardless of each guy’s situation,” stated Brooksby.

“I think that’s shown in a lot of the guys having strong results lately.”

Eighth seed Taylor Fritz was unable to hitch the American cost as he was upset 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-4 6-7(6) 6-2 by Australian Alexei Popyrin, whereas Danish ninth seed Holger Rune despatched Californian Maxime Cressy 7-5 6-4 6-4.

There was additionally early American success within the ladies’s draw when Katie Volynets surprised ninth seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4 2-6 6-2 to develop into the primary U.S. qualifier to succeed in the third spherical since Lindsay Davenport in 1993.

TRICKY TIE

Shelby Rogers, nonetheless, was no match for Belarusian Sabalenka, who recovered from a sluggish begin to energy previous the American 6-3 6-1.

French fourth seed Garcia likewise got here by a probably tough tie in opposition to former U.S Open finalist Leylah Fernandez 7-6(5) 7-5, whereas Bencic continued her fantastic type with a 7-6(3) 6-3 win over American Claire Liu.

Magda Linette joined fellow Pole and high seed Iga Swiatek within the third spherical with a 3-6 6-3 6-4 upset of sixteenth seed Anett Kontaveit, whereas Croatian Donna Vekic downed 18th seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-3 6-0.

Jabeur, although, was a shadow of the participant who reached the finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open final 12 months, making 50 unforced errors in her 6-1 5-7 6-1 loss to Vondrousova.

Andrey Rublev continued to carve his manner by the lads’s draw with a 6-2 6-4 6-7(2) 6-3 win over Emil Ruusuvuori, the third-set setback coming after a row with the umpire over whether or not the fifth seed was swearing in Russian.

He will subsequent face Briton Dan Evans, who beat Jeremy Chardy 6-4 6-4 6-1 after the Frenchman additionally fell out with the chair official when a ball dropped from his pocket throughout a rally.

After two days of extreme climate disruptions, Melbourne Park escaped excessive warmth or rain on Thursday with play persevering with effectively into the early hours of the morning to get the second spherical accomplished on schedule.

Published On:

Jan 19, 2023