Australian wildcard Chris O'Connell has stunned world number 13 Diego Schwarztman in the second round of the Australian Open.
O'Connell courageously fought back to take the opening set in a tense tiebreaker, before holding off the Argentinian for a scintillating 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-4 victory in three hours and seven minutes.
The straight-sets win marked the first time O'Connell has beaten a top 20 opponent in his career and sees the 27-year-old progress through to the third round where he'll take on unseeded American Maxime Cressy.
O'Connell showed plenty of grit in a marathon first set that lasted one hour and 24 minutes, coming back from a two-game deficit to win three straight games and snatch the opening set from Schwartzman's grasp.
The 13th seed then missed three set point chances at 5-4 as O'Connell broke and then held his serve to force a tiebreaker, which he remarkably closed out at 8-6 with a forehand winner that sent the fans alight around court three.
A crucial break in the ninth game of the second set was all it took to take a two-set lead, before O'Connell overcame a late break from Schwartzman in the third set that threatened to derail his big moment, breaking his opponent back before holding serve to secure a momentous victory.
"The atmosphere was unbelievable out here and I just channeled it. I can't describe it," an elated O'Connell said after the win.
"I worked really hard in December in the Sydney heat and I was really happy to see the temperature was quite hot today - I knew if I hung tough in that first set it would get easier for me.
"Last year I played a pretty disappointing match on this court so I just wanted to put in my best performance possible and channelled the crowd's energy."
CHRIS COMING THROUGH 🔥
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) January 20, 2022
Wildcard Chris O'Connell scores his first top-20 win over world No.13 Diego Schwartzman to reach the third round in a Grand Slam for the first time 🙌#GoAussies • #AO2022 • #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/iCoLkaM9vV
O'Connell, ranked 175th, made his professional debut in 2011 but has suffered a horror stretch of injuries through his career. The win over Schwartzman marks the first time the Sydneysider has made it past the second round of a grand slam and pockets him $221,000.
It is also the first time Schwartzman has failed to make it past the second round in his last four appearances at Melbourne Park, while he's never lost to a player ranked as low as O'Connell.
He becomes the latest men's singles heavyweight to exit the grand slam after the likes of Ugo Humbert and Hubert Hurkacz were also eliminated in the early rounds.