Despite an injury setback, Novak Djokovic pushed through to the third round of the Australian Open, maintaining his pursuit of a record-breaking tenth victory in Melbourne. In a hard-fought match against French qualifier Enzo Couacaud, Djokovic emerged victorious with a score of 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-0.
Despite facing a setback with an existing hamstring injury, Djokovic managed to secure a victory in his match. The day after Rafael Nadal’s elimination, second seed Casper Ruud also fell in the tournament, losing to American Jenson Brooksby with a score of 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2. In the same quarter of the draw, eighth seed Taylor Fritz was defeated by Australian wildcard Alexei Popyrin with a score of 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-2. Furthermore, Andy Murray put up a remarkable fight, coming back from two sets down to defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis in an intense match that ended at 04:05 local time.
In a match that ended in one of the latest finishes in tennis history, Murray emerged victorious with a score of 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 7-5, after a grueling physical and mental battle. The match, which started at 22:20, lasted a total of five hours and 45 minutes, making it the longest contest in Murray’s 35-year career. Despite being exhausted, Murray remained composed after securing his first match point, and the two players shared a warm embrace at the net. With his mother Judy in tears in the stands, Murray let out a triumphant roar as he reflected on one of the greatest comebacks of his career.
Despite the late hour, a lively and enthusiastic crowd remained in Margaret Court Arena until the end, expressing their admiration for the efforts of both players and providing vital vocal support. The match is only second in the latest finishes in the history of the Australian Open, following a 2008 third-round match between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis that ended at 04:34.