Andy Murray desperately needed a restroom break.
Murray’s match against Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round of the Australian Open had already lasted for over four and a half hours by the time it started at 3 a.m. He was hoping to take a little break in the locker room before continuing the match for another set and more than an hour.
However, chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore did not budge; Murray had already left the court twice. Thus the three-time Grand Slam winner was scolded by the official: “That’s just a funny way of putting it. Also, you are aware of this.”
Oh, the hazards of playing into the night, which happens more frequently in tennis than in other professional sports.
“As a parent, I would lose my cool if I found out my kid was working as a ball kid at a tournament and would have to pick them up at 5 o’clock in the morning. No good could come of it for them. Officials like umpires aren’t helped by this. Fan-wise, I don’t think it’s all that great. For the sake of the players, this is not a good idea, “according to Murray, a family man and father of four.
“To put it simply, it’s a topic of constant conversation. It’s been discussed for a long time. These sorts of things are inevitable under such conditions, especially when night matches are started late.”
Particularly for tournaments like the Australian Open and the U.S. Open, there are night sessions daily that typically feature two matches on various courts.
Therefore, similar circumstances can lead to Murray vs. Kokkinakis, which occurred 15 years to the day after that match.
“That isn’t possible in any sporting event. For my part, I don’t believe it’s all that great… Who wants to sit through a five- or six-hour match? Even for a TV show, that’s a lot of time. “Jessica Pegula, whose family owns several professional sports franchises in the NFL and NHL, said this.
She and others noted that the adrenaline from such a fight makes it challenging to get to sleep, which hampers the body’s ability to heal.
For the sake of one’s physical health, it’s not a good idea to party till 1:00 in the morning, “Vondrousova said. I’m exhausted and need to sleep.”
Jamie Murray, brother of those mentioned earlier, is a Grand Slam doubles champion. “It’s time for tennis to switch to single-match evenings. Competition in the early morning hours is unacceptable and must be stopped. Garbage for all parties involved (players, spectators, event workers, etc.).”
However, everything will remain the same.
Tournament director and Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said Friday to local television partner Channel 9 that the schedule would remain the same.
On Saturday, Murray will return to the court to take on No. 24 Roberto Bautista Agut for a spot in the fourth round.
Murray returned to Melbourne Park before 1 p.m. on Friday after spending more than 11 hours on the court.
“Andy doesn’t find it amusing at all. Before my match today, I ran into him. “After advancing to the third round on Friday, 2021 French Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas made the following statement.
This match will be remembered for the wonderful story behind it, Tsitsipas stated. “The match between Baghdatis and Hewitt is one that I recall clearly and with great detail.
Last year’s U.S. Open final, between eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz and rising sensation Jannik Sinner, went on for 5 hours, 15 minutes, until 2:50 a.m., setting a new record for the latest completion in tournament history.
On Friday, he had a stronger performance and a less complicated schedule: After beating Marton Fucsovics in five sets (4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0), he called it a day at 2:45.
“No, I really couldn’t care less. In any case, I’m thrilled to be here on the court. Instead, I’d start at 11 and then play at night, but both are accepted practices in our sport.
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