John Millman has scored his first top-20 win in more than a year to advance to the second round at the Madrid Masters.
The world No.42 had to fight hard, saving match points in a stunning 5-7 7-6(7) 6-3 victory against world No.16 Hubert Hurkacz.
The No.12-seeded Pole, who recently won the Miami Open, held three match points during the second-set tiebreak. But Millman fought back to record victory in two hours and 21 minutes.
It is Millman's eighth career top-20 win - and only his second ever on clay. His last top-20 win had been against Russian Karen Khachanov in Auckland in January 2020.
Fellow Aussie Alexei Popyrin, who earned his place in the draw as a qualifier, also progressed to the second round. The 21-year-old defeated world No.40 Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets.
Alex de Minaur is through to the third round, scoring back-to-back wins for the first time since the Australian Open when South African Lloyd Harris retired with a back injury while trailing 6-2 3-0 in their second-round clash.
Ellen Perez made it a perfect day for Aussie players, teaming with China's Zheng Saisai to upset fifth seeds Alexa Guarachi and Desirae Krawczyk in women's doubles action. Now through to the quarterfinals, it matches Perez's career-best result at a WTA 1000 event.
Aussies in action - Madrid
RESULTS
Men's singles, first round
John Millman (AUS) d [12] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 5-7 7-6(7) 6-3
[Q] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) d Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-3 7-6(4)
Men's singles, second round
Alex de Minaur (AUS) d Lloyd Harris (RSA) 6-2 3-0 ret.
Women's doubles, second round
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Zheng Saisai (CHN) d [5] Alexa Guarchi (CHI)/Desirae Krawczyk (USA) 6-4 6-4
COMING UP
Women's singles, quarterfinals
[1] Ash Barty (AUS) v [9] Petra Kvitova (CZE)
Men's singles, second round
John Millman (AUS) v Dan Evans (GBR)
[Q] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v [14] Jannik Sinner (ITA)
Men's singles, third round
Alex de Minaur (AUS) v [3] Dominic Thiem (AUT)
Women's doubles, quarterfinals
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Zheng Saisai (CHN) v [3] Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN)/Demi Schuurs (NED)
Men's doubles, second round
Max Purcell (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS) v [2] Nikola Mektic (CRO)/Mate Pavic (CRO)