Having avenged two previous grand slam losses to Blaz Kavcic with victory at the Australian Open on Monday, local hope James Duckworth now has French star Richard Gasquet squarely in his sights.
Two years ago at Melbourne Park, Kavcic and Duckworth slugged it out for more than four hours before the Slovenian emerged triumphant.
Kavcic backed that up with an easy win over the feisty Australian later that year at the French Open.
But Duckworth had his revenge on Monday, hanging tough to win 6-2 5-7 7-6 (9-7) 3-6 6-2.
"It was big to get one back on him after he beat me in that thriller a couple years ago," said the 22-year-old Duckworth, who has got off to a flying start in 2015, also reaching the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International after only winning one match at ATP level last year.
"It was mostly just playing a better sort of style and then being able to give myself the best opportunity to play in the next round."
The reward is a second-round date with the 24th-seed Gasquet who edged Duckworth in another five-setter at Wimbledon last year.
"He's a quality player, he's been around for a while, been inside the top 10," Duckworth said.
"Obviously he's got a great one-handed backhand.
"He's going to be really tough, but I'm looking forward to it.
"I've just got to play aggressive tennis and really just take it to him, make him beat me.
"That's the goal."
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