Matt Ebden has this evening booked his place in the quarter finals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters event with a 6-2 2-6 7-6 (10-8) victory over the eighth seeded world #12 Gilles Simon.
In his finest career performance to date, the Australian took the first set before Simon drew on all his experience and rallied to force a third and deciding set.
Although Simon, the former world #6, recovered from a break down in the final set, Ebden held his nerve to serve out a close tie-break, 10-8 on his fifth match point.
Waiting for Ebden in the quarter finals is defending champion and current world #4 Andy Murray.
Speaking after the match, Ebden was looking forward to the challenge against Murray.
“I guess the situation, to play for a quarter final spot in a Masters tournament is huge,” he said.
“I was definitely a bit nervous out there today closing out the match. But I think he was too. The third set tie break, it was very exciting, and an incredible feeling when I eventually won.
“But more importantly I am looking forward to the opportunities for me that lie ahead.”
This week is just the second time Ebden has competed in the main draw of a Masters tournament, with his only previous match coming at Indian Wells earlier this year when he lost to Mischa Zverev.
His victory against Simon was on the back of successfully qualifying in Tokyo last week, where he pushed world #5 David Ferrer to three sets in a match that further convinced Ebden that he can match, and beat, the best players in the world.
Significantly, Ebden’s ranking will rise to well inside the top 100 at the conclusion of this tournament, thereby granting him direct entry in to Grand Slams and other higher-level ATP Tour events.
This rise will see Australia’s #2 tennis player also become the highest-ever Western Australian tennis player on the ATP Tour.
Ebden plays Murray in the late match on Centre Court on Friday evening, with the encounter not due to get underway before 11pm AEST. The match will be televised live on Fox Sports.