Boris Becker backs Murray over “disrespectful” Australian Open rules

20 January 2023 , 19:25

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Murray described his late finish against Kokkinakas as a 'farce' (Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Boris Becker shares Andy Murray's frustration over the Australian Open rules that he believes 'distort the competition'.

The tournament's controversial regulations forced heroic Murray's second round win over home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis to be completed beyond 4am in Melbourne.

British icon Murray battled to one of the most extraordinary victories of his eventful career as he fought back from two sets down to defeat Kokkinakas in a five-set thriller.

But the match lasting 5 hours and 45 minutes, the longest Murray has ever played, has come under fire with both players involved in the epic until 4:05am, just over two hours before sunrise at Melbourne Park.

The contest on the Margaret Court Arena had not begun until after 10pm the previous day and Murray was even refused an additional toilet break as the clash entered the early hours.

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Murray slammed the rules that denied him a toilet break, telling the umpire: "It’s so disrespectful that the tournament has us out here until f***ing three or four o’clock in the morning and you are not allowed to go and take a p***."

The 35-year-old later described the scheduling as a 'farce', with no protocol in place that prevents matches from going on too late.

"I don't know who it's beneficial for," said Murray on court after beating Kokkinakis..

"We come here after the match and that's what the discussion is, rather than it being like, 'epic Murray-Kokkinakis match'. It ends in a bit of a farce."

Murray carried out press duties long after his match finished at 4:05am in Melbourne

And tennis icon Becker, back working as a pundit after his early release from prison, pointed out that late finishes damage the chances for players in subsequent rounds.

"The question is whether it makes sense to play that long," Becker told Eurosport. "It is also a bit of a distortion of competition.

"Murray wins here at five minutes past four in the morning, then there is the cool down and the press conference. He won't get to the hotel before six or half-past six - and you can't even think of sleeping then.

"He may have a day off from playing, but his entire body rhythm is disrupted. In which sport do you play until four in the morning? That is not fair for the players who go on there."

Ben Parsons