In the minutes after his dramatic five-set victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis at 4am on Friday morning, Andy Murray should have been reflecting on his toughness and celebrating one of the most extraordinary triumphs of his career. Instead, as he was reminded of the time, he was merely frustrated. “Rather than it being: ‘Epic Murray-Kokkinakis match,’ it ends in a bit of a farce,” he said, noting the negative impact on players, officials, ball-kids and fans alike.
His frustration reflected one of a number of issues that have frustrated players at the Australian Open this year, even as the athletes continue to deliver on the courts.
