Aslan Karatsev battled past Jaume Munar 3-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-4 in an epic first round match after 4 hours and 55 minutes to advance to the second round on Kia Arena at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Karatsev reached the semifinal at the Australian Open as a qualifier in 2021 and won his third ATP Tour level title at the Sydney Tennis Classic last week beating Andy Murray in the final.
Karatsev hit 87 winners to 107 unforced errors, compared to Munar’s 24 winners to 35 unforced errors.
Munar broke serve in the fifth and ninth games to win the opening set 6-3. The Spanish player lead by a set and a break to take a 3-0 lead in the second game of the second set. Karatsev broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3 before winning the tie-break 7-1 with three mini-breaks.
Munar went up an early break in the first game of the third set at deuce. Karatsev converted his third break-back point to draw level to 3-3. Munar broke serve in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead earning a chance to serve for the set. Karatsev broke straight back to force the fourth set to the tie-break. Munar went up a 3-1 lead with a mini-break. Karatsev pulled back on serve for 3-4, but Munar won the final three points to win the tie-break 7-3.
Karatsev converted his fifth break point in the first game of the fourth set went up a double break to take a 3-0 lead, but Munar pulled both breaks back in the seventh game. Karatsev earned another break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Munar saved three break points to hold serve for 4-5 but Karatsev served out the fourth set 6-4 in the 10th game.
Karatsev broke twice in the third and fifth games to take a 4-1 lead. Munar pulled one break back at love in the sixth game and held his serve to claw his way back to 3-4. Karatsev saved three break points in the eighth game from 0-40 down before converting his second break point in the 10th game at deuce to close out the fifth set 6-4.
Karatsev set up a second round match against Mackenzie McDonald.
Munar was making his fourth appearance at the Australian Open. The Spaniard reached the quarter final at the Melbourne Summer Set last week. German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann cruised past last week’s Adelaide International’s champion Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-2 6-3 6-2.
