The Australian matched the former Wimbledon champion for tenacity, but not for experience and match management
ometimes chants work, sometimes they do not. And the great minds in the gallery who endeavoured to stretch the word “Kokkinakis” across the breadth of the Seven Nation Army riff had been too ambitious with their syllables. It was a bit Billy Mack, except that Christmas is All Around topped the charts – this lot had no excuse. At least back in the Lleyton era we got “Walking in a Hewitt wonderland”. Now we must endure “Let’s go, Kokky, let’s go”.
Not that Murray did not have support. “Go Andy” and “Come on, Andy” rang out at regular intervals. A British flag wrestled with an inflatable kangaroo for space. The Scot is well liked here, and his most ardent supporters stayed to the death. Both players are likable – and also like each other a lot. But this is a grand slam, and the mutual respect was at times outweighed by pressure. Tensions peaked early in the third set after Kokkinakis, up 2-0, set about saving three break points.
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