CNN
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Andy Murray was left fuming after he was denied an opportunity to go to the bathroom in the midst of his five-set marathon towards Thanasi Kokkinakis on the Australian Open.
The previous world No. 1 had battled again from a two-set deficit towards Kokkinakis to depart a deciding fifth set between him and victory.
Within the break earlier than the ultimate body, Murray requested to make use of the lavatory, solely to be advised by the chair umpire that he wasn’t allowed to as he’d already been as soon as within the match.
“Have you learnt one thing? I respect the principles. It’s a joke, it’s a joke and you understand it as nicely,” the 35-year-old stated to the umpire.
“It’s so disrespectful that the match has us out right here till three, f***ing 4 within the morning and we’re not allowed to take a piss.
“It’s disrespectful to you, it’s disrespectful to the ball youngsters, disrespectful to the gamers and we’re not allowed to go to the bathroom. It’s ridiculous.”
2003 US Open winner Andy Roddick agreed with Murray’s complaints, writing on Twitter: “Appropriate. That is simply so dumb.”
It isn’t the primary time throughout this grand slam that restrictions over gamers utilizing the bathroom have made the headlines after Novak Djokovic appeared to take issues into his personal palms to take an early rest room break in his first-round victory.
The Serbian requested to go to the lavatory simply 5 video games into his match towards Roberto Carballés Baena on Tuesday, however the umpire appeared to not hear Djokovic so may very well be heard saying “hi there” 3 times to get her consideration earlier than Djokovic stated: “I’m going to the bathroom.”
The 21-time grand slam winner ran off the court docket with the umpire shouting “Novak” after him. Though the umpire may very well be heard saying he had 30 seconds to return, Djokovic was again on court docket earlier than the timer ran out, profitable the next sport comfortably.
Afterwards, Djokovic denied that he had defied the umpire’s orders as he went to the bathroom.
“So she advised me (you didn’t seize that with a digital camera), I needed to hurry up. Once I virtually exited the court docket, she referred to as me (I didn’t hear) and it was to inform me rest room was on the other facet of the court docket,” Djokovic wrote on Instagram.
“I discovered one the place I went additionally, and I needed to be fast due to the time. I didn’t ‘defy’ her or the principles. She gave me permission and advised me to be fast.”
The outburst or the lack to go to the bathroom didn’t hinder Murray although within the closing set as he clinched a well-known victory which took 5 hours and 45 minutes in whole – the longest match of Murray’s illustrious profession.
The match, which went on previous 4 a.m. in Melbourne, was one other reminder of the qualities we’ve come to know Murray for: grit, willpower and that ‘by no means surrender’ perspective.
Murray will now play the No. 24 seed Roberto Bautista Agut within the third spherical.
