Just as an improbable three way Aussie assault on the men’s singles title seemed to be in full swing, along came the most seesawing of drama during a very late night at Melbourne Park.
Thanasi Kokkinakis, two sets and 5-2 up in the third and ahead until the very death on Margaret Court Arena, will rue a near incomprehensible five set defeat against the warrior Andy Murray for a long, long time, maybe forever.
How do you come back from this? From an extraordinary five hour 45 minute loss?
There will not be a better contest anywhere this year but on the verge of finally putting himself in the third round of the Australian Open for the very first time, it all went gradually wrong for the South Australian.
Credit Murray hugely and his frequent invoking of his inner Novak Djokovic, such was the impossibility of getting the ball past him.
When the last point was won and lost, the clock showed Friday 4.05am.
A time violation on serve late in the third set was a spur to the Kokkinakis slide and rather than taking the warning on the chin (there was no actual penalty) he argued with the umpire while Murray sat back and regrouped.
The Aussie’s action was understandable. All night the players were badly interrupted by individual shouting, often as either man was about to serve. Maybe it had gnawed away at him.
It needed stronger officiating and the removal of persistent miscreants would have done everyone a favour.
But the match. Wow. Kokkinakis was brilliant for the first two hours, battling almost impossible disappointment time and again.
Just when he thought he was there, particularly late in the third set when he was 5-2 ahead and two points from victory, Murray just kept coming back, forcing another shot and another shot and another from the Australian.
The eventual scoreline showed, unbelievably, five sets, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 3-6, 5-7 and a win for Murray.
The scoreline though gives no colour to the Scot’s inner resolve and the Kokkinakis determination to never let the pace drop.
There were times when the Aussie must have thought that while he deserved to win, he never would and it sadly turned out to be true.
He was distraught at the end and will not yet be able to take it in.
“I don’t know how I managed to get through it. I have a big heart,” said Murray minutes after the final point.
It was cold, 16 degrees, when play began around 10.30pm but neither player will have noticed and while there is a discernible madness in promoting such late play, few people were going home.
If there’s a highlights package somewhere then check it now and watch the lot.
Knowing the result won’t matter a jot, this was theatre transcending sport, every emotion possible, a sapping of the body only for the combatants, their soul and spirits never wavering. Champions both.
Should he even be able to walk come Saturday, such was today’s exertion, Murray will face 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
(Ruud was not the only number two seed to lose — way past midnight Ons Jabeur, was also knocked out of the tournament, dropped the third set 6-1 to Czech player Marketa Vondrousova.)
Popyrin’s sensational show
Kokkinakis has the headlines but do not underestimate the enormity of Popyrin’s earlier blitzing of number eight seed, Taylor Fritz.
At 7.20pm, before about 10,000 partisan fans on John Cain Arena, the 23-year-old notched a huge five set win, a power play of belief sending his American opponent scuttling for the next shuttle home.
Popyrin was immense, a deserved victor.
The 196cm American (a height matched by Popyrin) was a decent bet for this year’s title and did not play badly, serving well and taking the first set.
Popyrin though was on another planet. Hampered by injury throughout 2022, he shredded Fritz from the backcourt with a barrage of winners that never looked as if they would stop coming. A missed match-point in the fourth set tie-break did not derail him either
John Cain Arena was packed for this mid afternoon encounter with long queues forming after Popyrin grabbed the second set tie-break to draw level.
Popyrin faces another American, Ben Shelton, on Saturday. They have not played before.
Popyrin credited his coach Xavier Malisse who only joined the Aussie’s camp last October.
“It felt like it was me and X playing against Taylor. We were so mentally locked in. I was looking at him, he was looking at me all the time. We had eye contact after every point. I knew what he was thinking. He knew what I was thinking. We were in it together. That’s not something you get with every single coach,” said the Dubai based Popyrin.
Is even Djokovic a potential victim this fortnight?
“I’m not saying I’m going to beat Novak, he’s the best player in the world. I’m probably going to go out there and lose 3, 3 and 3. (But) I go into every match believing I can win because I do have the game to beat these guys at the top, I do have the ability to do that.”
Alex De Minaur was last match up on John Cain Arena and despite losing the first set on a tie-break to to French veteran Adrian Mannarino, secured the remaining sets in an efficient, rather routine manner.
He faces another Frenchman, the world 50 ranked Benjamin Bonzi in Saturday’s third round clash.
Earlier matches
On Kia Arena, wildcard Kimberly Birrell was the last Australian women to fall, winning just five games in her second round loss to the 17-year-old Czech, Linda Fruhvirtova.
Californian Brooksby, 22-years-old and ranked 39 merited his victory despite missing three match points in the third set and a wild berating of himself at the consequent changeover that made it look like he might wholly self combust.
Somehow he put his pity aside, breaking Ruud three times in the final set for a four set victory.
And to Novak
“I have reason to be worried,” he said. “There’s two choices, leave it or keep going.”
He will, for now, keep going.
Finally we have a celebrity of accomplishment at Melbourne Park.
Each evening Tennis Australia sends out a note to tell the media of the following day’s incoming who-to-watch list.
Previous years have brought repeat visits from the truly great and good – the platinum class Rod Laver, Frank Sedgman and Roy Emerson have been habitual visitors.
Five days in and while Friday largely brings another anodyne crew, Olympic golden girl Cate Campbell is the glorious exception. As big a star as Australian sport would ever hope for, she is the level of name the AO should be aiming for.
