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Australian Jordan Thompson has beaten Ivo Karlovic in four sets to progress to the third round of a grand slam for the first time.
Jordan Thompson has another giant task ahead of him after breaking new grand slam ground with a win over Ivo Karlovic in the French Open second round.
The 25-year-old found a way to diffuse the 40-year-old's massive serve, prevailing 6-3 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 in a tit-for-tat French Open clash.
Thompson will play eighth seed Juan Martin Del Potro on Saturday in what will be his first third round appearance in a grand slam.
It was revenge of sorts after the Croatian beat Thompson in five sets at the same stage three years ago and leaves him as the last Australian man standing in Paris.
Thompson is also set to at least equal his previous career high ranking of 60 thanks to his latest feat.
Incredibly he made just five unforced errors in the two hour, 31-minute contest to go with 47 winners as he calmly picked his moments against the 206cm veteran.
But Thompson said it was his mental application that made the difference.
Three times Thompson disagreed with the chair umpire over line calls late in the third set and early in the fourth.
But, after losing a third-set tiebreak, Thompson played three near-perfect games to secure the decisive advantage.
"It's so hard to play someone like that," he said of the ace-machine, who became the oldest male winner at Roland Garros since 1973 earlier in the week.
"I did keep focused most of the time - there were lapses - but I thought my mental effort was pretty good.
"I still think I need to work on that, but it's getting better and better and has to be against someone like that."
Del Potro, himself measuring in at 198cm, survived a tense five-setter against nimble Japanese favourite Yoshihito Nishioka.
"Del Potro is a big unit too; great serve, big forehand and backhand's not bad either," Thompson said.
"I've never been in a third round (at a major) before - want to keep going, don't want to stop there - but I should be going out there playing freely."
