Jan 17, 2023; Melbourne, Viictoria, Australia; Casper Ruud of Norway hits a shot against Tomas Machac of The Czech Republic on day two during the 2023 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Highlights of the fourth day of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday, all times local (GMT +11):
0405 MURRAY BEATS KOKKINAKIS
Andy Murray came from two sets down to overcome home hero Thanasi Kokkinakis in an epic five-set battle that ended 4-6 6-7(4) 7-6(5) 6-3 7-5 after five hours and 45 minutes in the second-longest match in Australian Open history in the early hours of Friday.
"Unbelievable. I don't know how I managed to do it, I just started to play better as the match went on. And yeah, I have a big heart," said the 35-year-old after playing the longest match of his career.
Murray, who also set a record of 11 wins after losing the first two sets, will face Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round.
READ MORE
'Worried' Djokovic through as second seeds Ruud, Jabeur bow out
Swiatek renews hunt for maiden Melbourne title with Bucsa clash
Order of play on Friday
Victorious Murray says 4am finishes are farcical
Murray grinds down Kokkinakis in late-night-epic
Djokovic adopts 'day-by-day' approach to deal with hamstring problem
Second seed Jabeur sent packing by Vondrousova in second round
Man on a mission, Djokovic comes through Couacaud test
Bencic unfazed by Australian Open hype
American Mmoh in dreamland after lucky break
Zverev fulfils low expectations with second-round exit
Ruud defends warm-up tour with Nadal after early Australian Open exit
Brooksby delivers Ruud shock to send second seed crashing
Nadal sidelined for 6-8 weeks with hip flexor injury
American Volynets derives strength from family in Ukraine
Chardy drops the ball and fumes at chair umpire during defeat
Tiafoe's eye-catching Nike outfit not one for Britain's Evans
Sabalenka rolls on at Australian Open, Volynets delivers upset
0110 JABEUR ELIMINATED
Tunisian second seed Ons Jabeur crashed out in the second round of the Australian Open following a 6-1 5-7 6-1 defeat at the hands of Marketa Vondrousova.
2303 DJOKOVIC BEATS COUACAUD
Novak Djokovic, bidding to win a record-extending 10th title, survived a scare in the second set to beat France's Enzo Couacaud 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2 6-0.
During the match, Djokovic went over to the chair umpire to voice his frustrations about a heckler in the crowd.
"He's not here to watch tennis, he's provoking," Djokovic said. "So I'm asking you, what are you going to do about it?"
Four men in fancy dress were later escorted from the arena.
2203 BENCIC THROUGH IN STRAIGHT SETS
Olympic champion Belinda Bencic held her nerve and battled back from 5-2 down in the opening set to claim a 7-6(3) 6-3 victory over American Claire Liu.
2254 BONZI OUTLASTS CARRENO BUSTA
Frenchman Bonzi beat Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in a tough five-setter, prevailing 4-6 4-6 7-6(5) 6-1 7-6 (10-4) to reach the third round.
2127 BAUTISTA AGUT BOUNCES BACK
Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut recovered from two sets down to beat American Brandon Holt 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 and reach the third round.
2100 RUNE ADVANCES
Danish teenager Holger Rune, the ninth seed, saw off Maxime Cressy 7-5 6-4 6-4 to reach the third round, where he will face Frenchman Ugo Humbert.
2030 ZHANG FEELS THE LOVE AFTER DOWNING MARTIC
Zhang Shuai set up a third round clash with Katie Volynets after beating Croatia's Petra Martic 6-3 6-3 while being roared on by an enthusiastic contingent of Chinese fans.
"The fans are a lot crazier," Zhang said. "I think I'm at the World Cup. I watched so much football because my coach loves Argentina. He said please cheer for Messi, I said, 'OK, Argentina every day.' So that's what I feel like."
1955 EMOTIONAL POPYRIN SAVOURS STUNNING WIN
Home favourite Alexei Popyrin was brought to tears as the crowd at the John Cain Arena chanted his name after he beat eighth seed Taylor Fritz in a five-set thriller.
"This is the dream for me. And I don't want to wake up at all," Popyrin said in his on-court interview.
"I have won as many matches this year as I won the whole of last year, and it's only January. I don't want that feeling that I had last year ever again. I love this feeling, I want more of it."
1928 MMOH KNOCKS OUT ZVEREV
American lucky loser Michael Mmoh booked his place in the third round with a 6-7(1) 6-4 6-3 6-2 win over 12th seed Alexander Zverev on Margaret Court Arena.
"I had my bags packed and my flights booked back to the U.S.," Mmoh said in his on-court interview. "Life is crazy. When you think everything is looking dark, there's light at the end of the tunnel."
1924 POPYRIN TAKES DOWN FRITZ
Australian wildcard Alexei Popyrin delighted the home crowd by knocking out eighth seed Taylor Fritz on John Cain Arena.
Fritz fought off a match point to force the deciding set before Popyrin prevailed 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-4 6-7(6) 6-2 for the biggest win of his career.
1915 GARCIA PERVAILS OVER FERNANDEZ
Fourth seed Caroline Garcia stormed into the third round after an impressive 7-6(5) 7-5 win over 2021 U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in just under two hours on Rod Laver Arena.
Garcia fought back from 2-5 in the first set tiebreak and saved a set point in the second with an ace.
1730 PLISKOVA ADVANCES
Former world number one Karolina Pliskova lost only seven points in the first set as the Czech 30th seed beat Yulia Putintseva 6-0 7-5 to reach the third round.
1700 BROOKSBY SHOCKS RUUD
American Jenson Brooksby upset second seed Casper Ruud 6-3 7-5 6-7(4) 6-2 to claim the biggest win of his career and reach the third round.
Brooksby squandered three match points in the third set but regained his composure to send Ruud packing in just under four hours on Rod Laver Arena.
1600 RUBLEV SEES OFF RUUSUVUORI
Fifth seed Andrey Rublev fought off a challenge from Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori in the third set to reach the third round with a 6-2 6-4 6-7(2) 6-3 win.
Rublev, who reached the quarter-finals in 2021, will next face Britain's Dan Evans.
1535 LINETTE TOPPLES KONTAVEIT
Poland's Magda Linette battled from a set down to triumph 3-6 6-3 6-4 over 16th seed Anett Kontaveit in just under two hours on Margaret Court Arena.
1445 MERTENS SETS UP SABALENKA REUNION
Belgian 26th seed Elise Mertens comfortably saw off Hobart winner Lauren Davis 6-4 6-3 to reach the third round, where she will meet her former doubles partner Aryna Sabalenka.
Mertens and Sabalenka won the 2021 women's title in Melbourne and the 2019 U.S. Open crown.
1400 CHARDY FUMES AFTER BALL FALLS FROM POCKET
Jeremy Chardy accused a chair umpire of making "the biggest mistake of the Australian Open" during his second-round match against Dan Evans, which he lost in straight sets.
Defending break point at 3-3 in the opening set, a ball fell out of Chardy's pocket and he put the next forehand into the net. Evans said he did not see the ball and umpire Miriam Bley elected not to replay the point.
"Where are you looking? You looking at the birds? The clouds?" the Frenchman raged. "There's not one umpire on tour that does this mistake, not one."
1321 VOLYNETS OUSTS KUDERMETOVA
Katie Volynets scored the biggest win of her career with a 6-4 2-6 6-2 upset of ninth seed Veronika Kudermetova, and became the first American qualifier to reach the women's singles third round in Melbourne since Lindsay Davenport in 1993.
"I literally have the chills," Volynets said. "Suddenly, you get match point and it's like 'wow I've got match point against the ninth seed'. You just start going for it and let whatever happens happen."
1254 STOSUR BOWS OUT OF WOMEN'S DOUBLES
A tearful Sam Stosur received a standing ovation from the crowd after losing in the first round of the women's doubles with Alize Cornet. The 38-year-old major winner has said she will retire after the Australian Open.
Stosur still has the mixed doubles to come, where she will partner fellow Australian Matt Ebden.
"It's a bit bittersweet but thank you all for coming out today. It's been really special," said Stosur.
"I love playing, I love competing. But you get to a point where the other things become a little more difficult. I've loved being able to do everything I've been able to do."
1244 SABALENKA POWERS INTO NEXT ROUND
Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka swatted aside Shelby Rogers 6-3 6-1 to reach the third round as the big-hitting Belarusian, who warmed up for the year's first major with the Adelaide title, found her rhythm after an error-prone start to the match.
"She always plays fast and puts me under pressure. I expected a great level from her and that's why I had to stay focused to win this in two sets," Sabalenka said.
1114 PLAY UNDERWAY AT MELBOURNE PARK
Second-round action began as scheduled on a pleasant fourth day at the year's first Grand Slam, after extreme heat and persistent rain caused lengthy delays over the past two days.
The weather forecast looks good, with a high of 19 degrees Celsius (66.2 degrees Fahrenheit) and only a slight chance of showers in the morning.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne and Hritika Sharma and Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Peter Rutherford, Sharon Singleton and Toby Davis and Christian Radnedge)
