Cameron Norrie recovered from two sets down to edge out Italian qualifier Guilio Zeppieri at the Australian Open on Thursday.
The British No1 admitted he was aided by rain delays, one coming just after the second set, which gave him time to talk to his coach Facundo Lugones and regroup.
He broke Zeppieri in the very next game to set him on his way to coming back from two sets down to win for only the third time in his career, the end result 3-6, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in his favour.
It made him the first British player into round three on a busy day for the Brits with Jack Draper, Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu all in action.
Norrie, who downplayed fears over his fitness despite a medical time-out, now faces No11 seed Casper Ruud after a match which lasted three hours and 36 minutes.
Afterwards, Norrie said: “On a day when I was not feeling it, that was massive for me. For the first hour and a half… I couldn’t play. I somehow lifted and won the third set. Then, I knew I was going to win the match and I managed to play solid enough.
“I was bitching and whining too much. I needed to stop making excuses. He was hitting so many winners and serving great. I was able to lift my energy somehow and break him.”
