Australian Open 2023: Netflix Break Point documentary curse claims Matteo Berrettini
The Australian Open’s ‘Netflix curse’ has struck again as one of the star’s of tennis’ fly-on-the-wall documentary crashed out in an opening-round epic.
Arise again, Sir Andy.
If Andy Murray never wins another match at the Australian Open again, he can walk away with his head held high because he’s got nothing to prove.
His epic victory over Italy’s Matteo Berrettini on Tuesday was the stuff of legends.
Seemingly down for the count after blowing a two-shot lead then facing match point in the deciding fifth set, Murray clawed his way back to win 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-7 7-6, sealing his first-round win in a super tie-breaker after four hours and 49 minutes – the longest match so far in this year’s tournament.
At 35 and after years of serious injuries, Murray probably should be at home, watching the first grand slam of 2023 with his pipe and slippers and a nip of scotch.
Four years ago, Australian Open organisers wrongly assumed Murray would never be back so played a farewell video after he lost his opening match.
Wow, that was a great send off for @andy_murray 😠he CANT come back now after all the farewell videos and tributes 😂😂
— Zoe (@zoehanson1) January 14, 2019
2050 days separate Andy Murray's last two wins against top 20 opponents in Grand Slam tournaments:
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) January 17, 2023
Roland-Garros 2017 against Kei Nishikori
Australian Open 2023 against Matteo Berrettini
Let's talk about perseverance.
But the Scottish braveheart had never said he was going to quit and four years later, he’s still throwing punches.
An old-fashioned brawler who refuses to give in, he’s one Brit who Aussies would proudly call their own if only he’d been born in Melbourne instead of Glasgow.
If tennis was fair, Murray should have won an Australian Open title or two by now but the history books show he’s played five finals and lost them all.
Unseeded, his chances of winning this year are slim, but that hardly matters because his legacy is already assured.
If Tennis Australia awarded honorary titles the same way universities present honorary doctorates, Murray would be one of the most worthy recipients.
Just being here is a victory in itself for a man who sets off the alarms at airport security check-ins because of the metal in his hip but he dug deep to see off Berrettini on a stifling hot day at Rod Laver Arena.
“I‘ll be feeling this evening and tomorrow. But right now I am unbelievably happy and very proud of myself,” Murray said.
I‘ve put a lot of work into the last few months with my team to give me the opportunity to perform in stadiums like this and in matches like this. It paid off tonight.“
Murray looked to be in trouble after Berrettini won the third and fifth sets to force the match to a decider but the numbers were on his side. It had been 18 years since he had lost after leading by two sets and he somehow kept his streak going.
“I didn‘t know any of the stats which probably helped. That’s the first time I have ever played one of those big 10-point tie-breaks. It’s a bit different when you’re 7-1 up it still feels far away. I got there in the end with the net shot,” he said.
“It felt like we were playing really good tennis, I‘m not sure what it looked like.
“He was serving unbelievable, he was serving brilliantly and he is one of the best competitors on the tour. I did well to get through.
“I had a couple of break points early in the first set and didn‘t get them. The momentum changed after that. I made a couple of little tweaks right at the end of the fifth set, maybe I could have changed things earlier.”
HAS TOMIC SNUB BACKFIRED ON TENNIS AUSTRALIA?
Sam Landsberger
Tennis Australia’s dream of attracting a record 900,000 spectators to Melbourne Park has taken another massive hit with Nick Kyrgios the latest star to fall victim to what has been dubbed the “Netflix Curse”.
Kyrgios on Monday joined fellow stars who were trailed for the documentary Break Point Ajla Tomljanovic and Paula Badosa by withdrawing from the Australian Open before serving a ball.
Combined with last year’s retirements of golden girl Ash Barty and legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams and the absence of two-time champion Naomi Osaka, men’s No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Venus Williams, Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber and Marin Cilic and there is a drastic lack of draw cards in 2023.
The Australian Open attendance record was set three years ago, when 812,174 poured through the turnstiles for the grand slam that took place only weeks before Covid brought the world to a standstill.
While soaring to 900,000 would appear a sizeable uplift on that tally, TA boss Craig Tiley cheekily extended this year’s crowd numbers to take in last week’s qualifying events – not just the 14-day tournament.
“We want to return to our pre-pandemic plans of cementing the AO as the biggest annual sporting event in the world in January, while also making it as accessible to as many fans as possible,” Tiley said back when several more marquee names were expected to play.
News Corp asked Tennis Australia on Monday how many spectators attended last week and whether Friday night’s sold-out Rod Laver Arena for the Kyrgios-Novak Djokovic charity match would be included in the Australian Open attendance count.
But TA did not respond. Even with Tiley counting last week’s ticketed days, suddenly 900,000 appears an ambitious target given the shortage of box-office stars.
A Kyrgios run into the second week would’ve pulled thousands through the gates on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and next Monday to soak up the drama of the human headline and his must-watch on-court antics.
That would’ve been complemented by the return of the ‘Special Ks’ – Kyrgios and close mate Thanasi Kokkinakis – defending their doubles crown.
But suddenly with no Kyrgios, Barty of Tomljanovic, who withdrew on Saturday in another bombshell blow on the eve of the tournament, the home nation’s hopes now largely rely on Kokkinakis and the introverted Alex de Minaur.
Kokkinakis must navigate a nightmare early draw. He will face Fabio Fognini on Tuesday before a potential round 2 match against either No. 13 seed Matteo Berrettini or former world No. 1 Andy Murray.
Suddenly, TA’s decision not to award the polarising Bernard Tomic a wildcard could backfire.
“This year is my year, if no one is going to help support me, I’ll get back to top 100 on my own,” Tomic vowed after the snub.
Asked about his low profile on Saturday, de Minaur said: “I’m a very chilled guy, I’m easy with whatever happens”.
De Minaur’s fans who paid $65 for a ticket to Margaret Court Arena on Tuesday night will also be short-changed, with the No. 22 seed relocated to John Cain Arena to replace Kyrgios.
The Australian Open has twice welcomed more than 90,000 on a single day. That occurred on day six (the middle Saturday) in 2020 (93,709) and 2019 (93,178).
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