"I’d be least concerned about practicing" - Andy Roddick offers words of advice for Andy Murray after exhausting Australian Open encounter
Former US Open winner Andy Roddick gave Andy Murray some suggestions about how he should handle his recovery after his mammoth 5 hours and 45 minutes long match against Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Roddick also said that not allowing players to have additional bathroom breaks during late-night matches at the Australian Open is "dumb."
Murray, 35, created ripples in the tennis world as he scripted a sensational comeback to qualify for the third round of the ongoing Australian Open. The Brit beat Kokkinakis, 4-6, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-3, 7-5, to win the longest match of his career, which ended at 4:05am local time.
This was the veteran's second consecutive five-setter at this year's Australian Open. In the opening round, Andy Murray beat Matteo Berrettini, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (10-6), in four hours and 49 minutes to set up the clash with Kokkinakis.
Roddick turned to social media to share his views about Murray being denied an additional bathroom break.
"It's so disrespectful that the tournament has us out here until 3am and we can't even go for a piss," Murray said after using his allocation.
3am and Andy Murray going 5 sets after taking the 4th.
'It's so disrespectful that the tournament has us out here until 3am and we can't even go for a piss,' says Andy Murray, who's used up his allocation.'
The 2003 US Open winner quote-tweeted the post and wrote:
"Correct. This is just so dumb," Roddick said.
Correct. This is just so dumb twitter.com/mike_dickson_d…
Roddick also shared his opinion on how Andy Murray should use the next day to recover from his exhausting match. He suggested that the Brit should get massages and not think about practicing.
"If I’m him, I don’t sacrifice body work for sleep immediately. Have to crush some food before sleep as well. No chance I’d be the least bit concerned about practicing at all between matches. Massage, ice all day. If he can steal a 4-5 hours of sleep today then great. So hard," Roddick wrote.
@OACBBallShow If I’m him, I don’t sacrifice body work for sleep immediately. Have to crush some food before sleep as well. No chance I’d be the least bit concerned about practicing at all between matches. Massage, ice all day. If he can steal a 4-5 hours of sleep today then great. So hard
He made more suggestions for the three-time Grand Slam champion's recovery schedule, including an ice bath and a 20-minute stationary bike ride.
"They’ll have a makeshift ice bath set up in his room and he will be in and out of it all day. Also have to think tourney will schedule him later on in the day on next playing day. All he needs today for motion is 20 easy minutes on a stationary bike. No hitting," Roddick added.
@OACBBallShow They’ll have a makeshift ice bath set up in his room and he will be in and out of it all day. Also have to think tourney will schedule him later on in the day on next playing day. All he needs today for motion is 20 easy minutes on a stationary bike. No hitting
He also hoped that Murray would get some sympathy from the organizers and that his third-round clash would be scheduled for later in the day.
"Later in afternoon or even 7 pm isn’t the same as starting at 11 pm. You have to survive before you advance. His best chance of survival is playing next match as late in day as possible. In this scenario worrying about recovering after another win is the goal."
@tennisalt @OACBBallShow Later in afternoon or even 7 pm isn’t the same as starting at 11 pm. You have to survive before you advance. His best chance of survival is playing next match as late in day as possible. In this scenario worrying about recovering after another win is the goal.
"You don't want people taking advantage of the rules, but when you're sticking on the players at 3 in the morning, there needs to be little bit of leeway" - Andy Murray
After the fourth set of the high-voltage match, Andy Murray was outraged at being denied a bathroom break.
Murray hoped to take an additional bathroom break at the end of the fourth set, given the long duration of the match. However, the chair umpire declined his request, stating Murray had already used up his allocation.
In the post-match press conference, Andy Murray reflected on the situation and expressed his displeasure with the rules regarding bathroom breaks. Interestingly, Murray had criticized Stefanos Tsitsipas for the duration of his bathroom breaks after their first-round encounter at the 2021 US Open.
"Look, I understand obviously the rules on the tour with the toilet breaks and the bathroom breaks. I've obviously been very vocal about that. But it's 3 in the morning. I've been drinking all day. Need to go to the toilet. Yeah, it's obviously frustrating in that moment."
"I understand you don't want people taking advantage of the rules. But when you're sticking on the players 3, 4 in the morning, sometimes there needs to be a little bit of leeway," Andy Murray added.