Australian Open 2023: Murray v Kokkinakis, Vondrousova v Jabeur ...

*Murray 4-6, 6-7 (4), 2-5 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Murray has a look at a couple more break points, but Kokkinakis rouses himself yet again, and manages to strike back to hold.

Kokkinakis has played far, far above his world ranking of 159 … could this be a result that kick-starts his injury-plagued career in the singles game?

The Tunisian, No 2 seed in the women’s draw, is out.

A defensive GOAT.

Murray 4-6, 6-7 (4), 2-4*Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Chances for Kokkinakis at 0-30 and then 15-40 on the Murray serve … Murray overhits a forehand and the Australian has his break back, leading 4-2.

Kokkinakis looked in danger of a meltdown a few minutes ago but has steadied himself impressively and is two games away from the most famous singles result of his career.

It’s past 1am in Melbourne.

Spectators at the Australian Open were in the spotlight on Thursday after separate incidents sparked player anger on the court at Melbourne Park:

*Murray 4-6, 6-7 (4), 2-3 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Some of this hitting is off the scale now. Kokkinakis is unloading again and again from the baseline. Murray is battling, battling, battling to keep the ball in play. With one such rally, Kokkinakis fights back to 30-30, and more power hitting from the Australian sees Murray wither and it’s 40-30, a turnaround in the game after a glimmer of hope for the Scot.

Another massive rally – and Murray ends it with a stunning drop shot! Kokkinakis slips, but probably wouldn’t have made it anyway. At deuce, Murray fashions an awkward second-serve return down the line … Kokkinakis cracks a wonderful winner straight back at him and follows it up with an ace out wide.

Murray yells in frustration, knowing he let a golden chance slip there.

Vondrousova is 5-0 up on Jabeur in the third and final set on Rod Laver Arena.

Murray 4-6, 6-7 (4), 2-2 *Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

A love hold for Murray including his fourth ace of the match. Now, how are Kokkinakis’s nerves on his own serve after the fireworks of the previous service game?

The players sit down for a drink and Murray questions why Kokkinakis is allowed to get away “with swearing 60 times”.

He knows Kokkinakis has not really been here before in singles tournaments. He knows he has by far the better big-game experience. Can he make it count?

*Murray 4-6, 6-7 (4), 1-2 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Another break point for Murray, No 4 in this game. The first serve is big but fractionally long …

And then – WOOOOOOOOW what a point. What a point! What defence from Murray! Kokkinakis smashes three, four times at the net. Murray sprints around at the back of the court and somehow manages to get them all back. How??? He fights his way back to parity at the baseline and Kokkinakis dumps a shot into the net! The Australian is furious and smashes his racket on the floor! Murray whips up the crowd! That was insane.

Murray has broken back! Could that be a turning point?

The umpire calls time on Kokkinakis as he’s about to serve. He loses his temper and has a strong word with the umpire. Murray patiently waits at the other end of the court, knowing full well that this may be a lifeline in the match, if his opponent continues to lose his cool.

Murray 4-6, 6-7 (4), 0-2 *Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Murray musters three break points at 0-40 with some very impressive, resourceful defence. Kokkinakis saves the first with a big forehand that kisses the line.

Murray is groaning with effort each time he has to sprint to run down another ball. Physically that five-setter in the first round is really starting to catch up with him, you fear.

Kokkinakis saves two more break points, the final one with a wondrous drop-volley, then belts an ace to win a game point of his own!

Murray grapples it back to deuce thanks to a fine half-volley but Kokkinakis booms a volley to the corner for another game point … Murray fights like a tiger again to force an error from Kokkinakis for deuce once more …

Murray 4-6, 6-7 (4), 0-2 *Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

It’s one of those nights for Kokkinakis when things are just clicking and all the shots are dropping in. He slaps a forehand down the line which curls in a perfect arc and finds its target in the corner. Murray can only watch the ball flash past him.

Soon it’s 0-30, and when Murray hits long for 0-40, the Scot petulantly thrashes at a ball bouncing at his feet. He hits long again, it’s an early break for Kokkinakis, and Murray launches a ball into the air in frustration.

*Murray 4-6, 6-7 (4), 0-1 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

At 15-15 Kokkinakis belts a brilliant wide serve that Murray does exceptionally well to get back. The return arrows to the far corner but Kokkinakis is all over, in position to batter a winner down the line that drops into the corner.

First blood to the Australian in the third, and potentially final, set.

Murray has been off the court for a comfort break. He is back now and wanders out on court to face Kokkinakis, who is currently brandishing a box of tissues by his chair. But here he is now, ready to serve.

Will this be the final set of Murray’s Australian Open? After that memorable win against Berrettini it would be a big disappointment to go out in straight sets here.

Vondrousova 6-1, 4-5 Jabeur

In the women’s singles, Vondrousovais serving to stay in the second set against Jabeur on Rod Laver Arena.

Murray isn’t playing badly. But Kokkinakis is in exceptional form. He smashes an ace down the middle to emphatically win the second set. Kokkinakis taps an index finger to his forehead as he looks over at his team in the stands. The crowd are making a LOT of noise. Murray’s a big favourite here, too, and I reckon they’d be pretty happy to see either of these players make it through to play Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round. But the Australian is on his way right now.

On the Eurosport mic, Simon Reed asks: “We all knew how good Kokkinakis was … but did we really think he was this good?

“It’s the best I’ve ever seen him play,” replies the co-commentator Jo Durie.

Second-set tiebreak! Murray 4-6, 6-6 (2-3) Kokkinakis

On the first point, having served, Murray breaks up a crushing baseline exchange with a superb slice into the corner … he creates the chance for a regulation volley at the net, but gets it wrong, and it’s a mini-break for Kokkinakis to begin. Costly?

Murray has a word with the umpire after it becomes 2-0, and laughs dismissively about something, but I am not sure what – he must have been challenging a line call somewhere. Kokkinakis soon batters a 200km/h serve down the middle for 3-0.

A slice of luck allows Murray to put away a volley, after his double-handed backhand flicks off the top of the net. A big serve from Murray, and it’s 3-2 to the Australian.

Second-set tiebreak! Murray 4-6, 6-6 Kokkinakis

Kokkinakis makes it to 40-0 but an unforced error lets Murray in momentarily.

No matter, the home hope wins the next point, and we will have a tiebreak to decide the second set.

Ruud (2), Davidovich Fokina (30), Zverev (12), Schwartzman (23), Fritz (8), Carreno Busta (14), Van de Zandschulp (32) and of course Nadal (1) are the seeded players in the men’s draw who have been eliminated in the second round. It’s opening up.

Murray 4-6, 6-5 *Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Murray wins the game thanks to a stroke of luck with a ball that sneaks over the net, but it was 40-15 and he was in control.

Kokkinakis must serve and try to force a tiebreak.

Some US-themed news, hot off the press:

Thanks Tom. Well, well, well. This is shaping up to be another vintage Murray tussle, especially if the five-times finalist can hold serve here and force Kokkinakis to serve to stay in the set …

*Murray 4-6, 5-5 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Murray breaks after a brilliant game that showcases the best of both men. Kokkinakis pushes Murray wide and forces a backhand return into the net – he’s fully reasserted his dominance now, and a whipped forehand following a strong second serve takes it to 30-0. Murray digs in though and produces a fine double-handed passing shot down the line.

But Kokkinakis responds with another forceful serve to give himself two set points. Murray saves the first smartly, approaching the net and inducing an underhit return into the net. And then saves the second with a driving angled crosscourt forehand. The first time he’s taken his opponent to deuce in this set. A brilliant return then sets up his first break point of the match.

Kokkinakis saves that break point after a magnificent rally from both players eventually ends with Murray being powerless to do anything but net. Then a fierce forehand sets up set point No 3. Murray saves again, after another superb exchange, with a lovely lob. Then the Aussie double-faults to hand Murray another break point. This time he converts after Kokkinakis sends a forehand wide. Incredible stuff.

And with that I’ll hand you back to Luke

Murray 4-6, 4-5 Kokkinakis* (*denotes next server)

Kokkinakis breaks to love and is on the verge of going two sets up! A lucky net cord gives Kokkinakis the first point though it was a soft serve from Murray, and the Australian bosses the second too, Murray eventually netting with a backhand. He’s struggling with his first serves and Kokkinakis makes him pay, dominating the next rally and settling it with an emphatic volley at the net to gain three break points. He takes the first of them when Murray hits long at the end of another rally defined by Kokkinakis’s powerful initial return.

*Murray 4-6, 4-4 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Kokkinakis holds to love, just as we think Murray might be becoming more competitive and his opponent more erratic. A booming Kokkinakis forehand winner sets him on his way. A 10th ace ensues. Murray does well to stay in the next rally but has no answer to a whipped crosscourt forehand winner from the Australian. Nor does he to being pointed around the back of the court next point. An emphatic hold.

Murray 4-6, 4-3 *Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

It’s Kokkinakis’s turn to err at the end of a long rally as an errant forehand wide of the tramline gives Murray a 30-0 lead but he atones with a stunning forehand return down the line. A decent serve from Murray helps him to 40-15 and some proficient serve-volleying gives the Scot the game.

Jabeur is really struggling and has lost the first set to Vondrousova 6-1.

*Murray 4-6, 3-3 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Murray looks comfortable in the game’s opening point but overhits a crosscourt backhand to undermine it all. Yet another Kokkinakis ace makes it 30-0. The Australian then skews a forehand wildly wide, and another error – this time a forehand at the net – makes it 30-30. It’s a chance for Murray … but he squanders it with a soft forehand into the net after a decent rally. A similarly frustrating moment follows after another competitive exchange ends with a backhand into the net. We stay with serve.

Vondrousova, meanwhile, is now 4-1 up on Jabeur.

Murray 4-6, 3-2 *Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Murray’s actually playing decently here, even if he is second best so far, and holds to love. The Scot moves into a 30-0 lead on his serve and then pushes Kokkinakis around sufficiently to force him to dump a forehand in the net, and a glorious whipped forehand down the line completes a morale-boosting hold. His competitive energy remains a thing of wonder after all these years.

*Murray 4-6, 2-2 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Another Kokkinakis hold – I just can’t see him being broken at the moment. Murray nets a backhand return sloppily and reprimands himself in the familiar style. A brutal ace from Kokkinakis, his eighth, then rubs it in, but he nets at the end of a long-ish rally for 30-15. Murray produces some trademark athleticism to return respective smashes and volleys from Kokkinakis but can’t get the third such shot over the net, and Kokkinakis dominates the next point to hold.

Murray 4-6, 2-1 *Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Murray dominates the first, long rally then undoes it all with a soft drop shot into the net. A good wide first serve restores parity, before a brilliant rally characterised by Kokkinakis reaching for a couple of near-impossible returns is finally won by Murray’s volley at the net. A beautiful Murray backhand down the line takes him to 40-15, as he tries to pep up his fans in a raucous crowd. He then dumps a forehand into the net before settling the game with a strong first serve.

Marketa Vondrousova has broken Ons Jabeur already, leading 2-0 in the first set. Injury catching up with the Tunisian?

*Murray 4-6, 1-1 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Kokkinakis holds again, of course he does. Kokkinakis skews a forehand wide of the tramline after another rally marked by the Australian’s power and athleticism. He swiftly makes amends with an unanswerable ace down the middle for 15-15. Another error, an overplayed backhand from Murray’s clever return gives the Scot an opening, which Kokkinakis shuts with two forceful serves for 40-30. It’s another hold in the end.

Jabeur v Vondrousova is under way.

Murray 4-6, 1-0 Kokkinakis* (*denotes next server)

A doughty hold for Murray. Yet again Murray is dragged all round the court on his own serve and Kokkinakis makes him pay with a low flat forehand winner. Murray responds with two fine aces for 30-15. A compelling rally ensues and this time Murray comes out on top, leaning into a gorgeous whipped forehand winner, but Kokkinakis gets him back to 40-30 with a fierce return that Murray can’t but help send out. A rare wayward forehand then hands Murray the game after another demanding rally. It’s a good hold but none of this looks easy for him

*Murray 4-6 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Kokkinakis holds to take the set. First, Kokkinakis settles a long rally by upping the power to belt a forehand winner from the back of the court. An ace down the middle takes him to 30-0, and he gets three set points when Murray nets a return of another strong serve. Murray saves the first of them when Kokkinakis hits long, but can’t save any more as a long gruelling exchange ends when the Scot dumps a forehand into the net.

The Australian deserves to be ahead, and Murray will have to dig deep now. What’s he got left?

Murray 4-5 Kokkinakis* (*denotes next server)

And while I was looking in on Djokovic, Murray races to 40-15 on his serve before a booming crosscourt forehand keeps Kokkinnakis in the game but he sends a low backhand just wide of the tramline next point to give Murray a relatively comfortable hold by recent standards.

Kokkinakis to serve for the set.

The favourite bagels Couacard in the fourth set to complete an eventually emphatic win after the Frenchman made him sweat in the second.

*Murray 3-5 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

Kokkinakis holds to love. An absorbing rally ends when an almost-exquisite lob from Murray lands just beyond the baseline. A forceful serve down the middle takes Kokkinakis to 30-0, and another one sets up a forehand winner at the net for the Australian. And an ace wraps it up in an instant.

There’s been a bit of a pattern to Murray’s slam campaign in recent injury-ravaged years: one rousing rolling-back-the-years win to get everyone misty-eyed before being overpowered in the next round. We do appear to be in that zone here.

Murray 3-4 Kokkinakis* (*denotes next server)

As Murray approaches the net at 15-30, Kokkinakis belts a stunning, dipping forehand on to the Scot’s toes. He tries to control a volley at the net but there is just too much heat on the ball and it floats long. Two break points for the double break, for the Australian.

Murray saves both of them, the second with a viciously spinning backhand slice, and from deuce he manages to cling on and force an error from his opponent, edging to advantage and a game point.

A gynormous wrong-footer, inside-out on the forehand side, drags it back to deuce with Murray nowhere … now, handing over to Tom Davies for the next little while during this deuce battle.

Thanks Luke, Tom here grasping the baton, to tell you Murray’s held serve at last, but not without graft and error.

*Murray 2-4 Kokkinakis (*denotes next server)

A horrid Murray forehand, that balloons high and long, seals a love hold for Kokkinakis.

It’s not looking too great for the Scot right now, because his opponent has been exceptional thus far. Murray needs to raise it, and he almost certainly will.