After an exhausting five-set comeback against Thanasi Kokkinakis, Murray now sets his sights on Roberto Bautista Agut in the next round.

Andy Murray has battled his way into the third round of the Australian Open, securing a remarkable comeback victory against Thanasi Kokkinakis in a match that lasted five hours and 45 minutes. The match, which ended at 4am local time, is now the third-latest finish in tennis Grand Slam history.

In a dramatic reversal of his opening match against Matteo Berrettini, where Murray had initially taken a two-set lead only to be drawn back into a struggle, this time it was the Australian Kokkinakis who started strong, winning the first two sets. However, Murray displayed his trademark resilience, clawing his way back to win 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 7-5. The win marks one of Murray’s finest Grand Slam performances since 2017 and renews optimism for the remainder of the tournament.

Next up for the British tennis star is Roberto Bautista Agut, the 24th seed, who also triumphed after coming from two sets down against American Brandon Holt. Bautista Agut now becomes the next hurdle in Murray’s quest for further success, with a potential semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic on the horizon.

Murray’s third-round match will take place on Saturday evening in Australia (Saturday morning in the UK), scheduled to begin at 7pm local time (8am GMT). This allows Murray a straightforward schedule without having to wait for other matches to conclude before heading to Margaret Court Arena.

Fans can follow all the action from the Australian Open through Eurosport in the UK or on Discovery+ for streaming, with various viewing packages available.