Murray edges Kokkinakis after 4 a.m. at Australian Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis played deep into the night at the Australian Open, facing down exhaustion and each other for more than 5 1/2 hours in a second-round match until Murray emerged with a 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 7-5 victory that ended at just past 4 a.m.
They began playing on Thursday and finished on Friday at Margaret Court Arena in the chill of a temperature that dipped below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) and before hundreds of enthusiastic spectators.
Those who remained in the seats waved flags and cheered raucously throughout, delighted by the extreme effort and high quality of play displayed by both men. No matter who folks were cheering for, they were sure to leave with a great story to tell.
How tight was this? Murray won 196 points, Kokkinakis 192. And they combined for 171 winners to only 107 unforced errors.