Top seed Luke Saville has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open wildcard play-off on the opening day of play at Melbourne Park.

Saville, 20, overcame a stern test from Christopher O’Connell before prevailing 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 6-4 to move a step closer to securing a coveted wildcard into the main draw of the Australian Open. The South Australian, ranked 164th in the world, is looking to build on the form that saw him win through to the main draw at Wimbledon this year where he defeated Austrian rising star Dominic Thiem before bowing out.

Saville will face Queenslander Gavin Van Peperzeel after the eighth seed defeated Mithell Robins in straight sets 6-2 6-2 6-2, while SA’s Alex Bolt knocked out Marc Polmans in four sets.

Earlier, John-Patrick Smith, the second seed currently ranked 200th in the world, was one of the first players through to the next round when he defeated Jacob Grills 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.

The big serving left-hander from Queensland was pushed to a tiebreak in a hotly contested second set by the 19-year-old Victorian before progressing to the next round in clinical fashion.

Smith will play Blake Mott after the New South Welshman upset seventh seed Maverick Banes 5-7 6-2 6-1 6-3.

Fifth seed Jordan Thompson, who won last year’s wildcard play-off, also advanced to the last eight.

Thompson, currently ranked 274th in the world, was cruising to a straight-sets win over Harry Bourchier when the Tasmanian retired midway through the third set.

Thompson impressed in pushing Jerzy Janowicz, then ranked 21st in the world, to five sets in the first round of last year’s Open and is confident that experience will prove invaluable as he attempts to claim another spot in the main draw.

“That was my first match here since last year’s Australian Open,” Thompson said.

“Knowing that I can go five sets really helps. I’ve still got to have the ability to beat these guys, but I know that I’ve done it before and I can do it again.”

The women’s wildcard playoff begins on Tuesday.