Andy Murray left fuming as he’s not allowed to use toilet during five-set marathon at Australian Open
CNN
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Andy Murray was left fuming after being denied a chance to go to the toilet midway through a marathon five-set match against Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Australian Open.
The former world No. 1 came back from a two-set deficit against Kokkinakis to leave a decisive fifth set between her and victory.
In the break before the final frame, Murray requested to use the bathroom, only to be told by the chair umpire that he was not allowed because he had already gone once in the match.
“Do you know something? I respect the rules. It’s a joke, it’s a joke and you know it,” the 35-year-old told the umpire.
“It’s so insulting that the tournament has kept us out here until three, four in the morning and we’re not allowed to urinate.
“It’s disrespectful to you, it’s disrespectful to the children, it’s disrespectful to the players and we’re not allowed to go to the toilet. This is ridiculous.”
2003 US Open winner Andy Roddick agreed with Murray’s complaints, Writing on Twitter: “Right. It’s just so stupid. ”
It is not the first time during this Grand Slam that bans on players using the toilet have hit the headlines after Novak Djokovic appeared to take matters into his own hands for taking an early toilet break in his first-round win.
The Serbian asked to go to the bathroom just five games into his match against Roberto Carballes Baena on Tuesday, but the umpire didn’t hear Djokovic, so Djokovic was heard saying “hello” three times to get his attention. Could: “I’m going to the toilet.”
The 21-time Grand Slam-winning umpire then ran off the court shouting “Novak”. Although the umpire could be heard saying he had 30 seconds to return, Djokovic returned to the court before the timer ran out, winning the next game comfortably.
Afterwards, Djokovic denied that he had disobeyed the umpire’s orders as he went to the toilet.
“So he told me (you didn’t capture it on camera), I had to hurry. When I almost left the court, he called me (I didn’t hear) and it was to tell me that the toilet was on the opposite side of the court,” Djokovic wrote on Instagram.
“I got where I went too, and I had to hurry because of time. I didn’t ‘break’ him or the rules. He allowed me and asked me to hurry up.
Anger or the inability to go to the toilet did not stop Murray though in the final set he famously won a match that took a total of five hours and 45 minutes – the longest match of Murray’s illustrious career.
The match, played at 4am in Melbourne, was a reminder of the qualities we know Murray for: composure, determination and that ‘never give up’ attitude.
Murray will now play 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round.
