Andy Murray will face Grigor Dimitrov in the Brisbane tournament. Photo
The best-of-five-sets format of the season’s four Grand Slams has been the foundation for some of the most memorable comebacks in tennis history.
Andy Murray knows this better than anyone. The former World No. 1 won from two-sets-to-love down for a record 11th time in his career at January’s Australian Open. The Briton’s near-six-hour triumph against Thanasi Kokkinakis features as ATPTour.com reflects on the best Grand Slam comebacks from the 2023 season.
5) US Open R32, Djokovic d Djere 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3
Aside from his Wimbledon final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic enjoyed a perfect year at the majors in 2023. Yet the World No. 1 was forced to dig deep by his fellow Serbian Laslo Djere in order to stay on track for his third Grand Slam crown of the season at the US Open.
Djere led 6-4, 6-4 under the lights inside Arthur Ashe Stadium as the New York crowd braced itself for one of the biggest upsets of the year, but Djokovic then flipped the script in trademark fashion. He gave himself what he later described as “a little pep talk in the mirror” during a bathroom break after the second set, and raised his level impressively once back on court to ultimately seal a three-hour, 45-minute win shortly before 2 a.m.
“I hope [the fans] enjoyed the show, it was definitely not so enjoyable for me, especially in the first two sets,” said Djokovic. “It was one of the toughest matches I’ve played here in many years. Huge, huge credit to Laslo for playing some of the best tennis that I’ve ever seen him play.”
4) Wimbledon R32, Rune d Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(10-8)
Holger Rune may not have trailed by more than a set at any point during his Wimbledon meeting with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, but the way the Dane had to rally in the closing stages of the third-round clash confirmed it as one of the most memorable comeback wins of the season.
The sixth-seeded Dane had saved two match points on serve at 4-5, 15/40 in the fifth set to extend an absorbing clash on No. 3 Court at the grass-court major, but that effort appeared in vain when Rune subsequently fell 5/8 behind in the deciding tie-break. Cue a rousing late surge, as Rune reeled off five points in a row, including one of the more remarkable mini-breaks of the season at 8/8.
Having already lost three points in a row, Davidovich Fokina tried to surprise Rune with an underarm serve, which he then followed to the net. Even in the closing stages of a three-hour, 58-minute epic, however, Rune was switched on. He ripped a forehand return past the Spaniard to bring up match point, which he converted to book his fourth-round spot.
“I was not expecting for sure that that was going to come,” said Rune of the underarm serve. “Actually it was nice, because he was serving unbelievable. So I was like, ‘OK, it’s a chance to get a match point.’ Again, I was not expecting it, so I had to be fast on the feet. But wow, what a match!”
3) Australian Open R16, Rublev d Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(11-9)
Rune’s Wimbledon comeback would have been all the more satisfying for the Dane given he came out on the wrong side of a similarly see-saw match against Andrey Rublev at January’s Australian Open.
The first Top 10 Grand Slam matchup of the year lived up to its billing and more, as Rublev rallied from 2-5 in the fifth set, saved two match points at 5-6, and then hauled himself back from 0/5 in the deciding tie-break for a stunning fourth-round triumph.
“I never in my life was able to win matches like this,” said Rublev. “This is the first ever time that I won something like this, especially in a very special tournament, the Australian Open, to be in the quarter-finals. So it’s something I will remember for sure all my life. I have no words, I am shaking and happy.”
Rublev clinched his victory in a suitably dramatic way on his third match point of the tie-break at 10/9, although it also involved a big slice of luck for the fifth seed — his backhand return clipped the net, but nonetheless dribbled over to leave a helpless Rune with no chance.
2) Roland Garros R128, Monfils d Baez 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5
An emotional triumph at his home major for one of the ATP Tour’s most-loved characters, but Gael Monfils’ first-round win against Sebastian Baez looked anything but likely for most of the fifth set at Roland Garros.
The French star trailed Argentina’s Baez 0-4, 30/40 in the decider of the pair’s battle on Court Philippe-Chatrier, but Monfils channelled the vociferous support of the home fans before repaying them in style with a stunning late surge to victory. Even as he struggled to walk between points due to cramps, the 36-year-old Monfils’ defensive skills ensured he prevailed in a match during which he faced 20 break points.
After shaking hands with Baez, Monfils walked back onto the centre of the court to absorb the post-midnight atmosphere. He held his arms out to the crowd on each of the four sides of the court before lying down on his back and beginning to cry with joy.
“It’s definitely in like [my] top two [matches],” said Monfils later. “I had the same one almost some years ago against [Pablo] Cuevas on [Court Suzanne] Lenglen… Of course this one is another flavour. I’m older, and had even less chances, let’s say, to win this match today. It was [a] great atmosphere tonight, I guess for some spectators as well.”
1) Australian Open R64, Murray d Kokkinakis 4-6, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-3, 7-5
Even by Murray’s standards, his second-round Australian Open win against home favourite Kokkinakis stood out.
Just two days after overcoming Matteo Berrettini in five sets to begin his 2023 Grand Slam season, Murray clawed back from 4-6, 6-7(4), 2-5 to seal one of the most remarkable wins of his career at 4:05 a.m. on Rod Laver Arena.
“It was unbelievable I managed to turn that around,” said Murray, a five-time Australian Open finalist. “Thanasi was serving unbelievably and hitting his forehand huge. I don’t know how I managed to get through it. I did start playing better as the match went on, but I have a big heart.”
Kokkinakis fired 102 winners, including 37 aces, but was still unable to put Murray away as the former World No. 1 gave yet another reminder of his tenacity, resilience and unwillingness to give in. Murray played particularly aggressively in the fourth and fifth sets to earn the 11th win of his career from two-sets-to-love down, more than any other active player.
“I now [have] outright the most wins coming from two-sets-to-love down, so I have done it before. I have experience of it,” said Murray after his five-hour, 45-minute win. “I just rely on that experience and drive. That fight and love for the game and competing and my respect for this event and the competition and that is why I kept going.”
