Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Tennis starAndy Murraycalled one of the Australian Open rules “a joke” during Thursday’s five-hour-long match against Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Murray, 35, was denied after requesting to use the toilet a second time during Thursday’s match in Melbourne at the Rod Laver Arena. He and Kokkinakis were preparing to enter the fifth set of the match when Murray expressed his frustration.
After the umpire refused Murray a bathroom break, the tennis star told her the rule was “disrespectful” to players and attendees of the tournament.
“It’s so disrespectful that the tournament has us out here until three, f—ing four in the morning and we’re not allowed to take a piss,“Murray said on the bench.
Speaking to the umpire, Murray said while he “respects the rules” of the tournament, he finds the rule prohibiting him from a second bathroom break to be “a joke.”
“It’s disrespectful to you, it’s disrespectful to the ball children, disrespectful to the players and we’re not allowed to go to the toilet. It’s ridiculous.”
Guo Lei/Xinhua via Getty
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Players are allowed one bathroom break in best-of-three set matches, while they get another one for best-of-five matches, with no exceptions in place for marathon matches like Murray and Kokkinakis'.
In response to Murray calling the rule “disrespectful,” Roddick said, “Correct. This is just so dumb.”
Ultimately, Murray defeated Kokkanakis in the match, which finally concluded at 4 a.m. Sydney time after five hours and 45 minutes.
Next, Murray will face Robert Bautista Agut in the third round of the Australian Open.
source: people.com
