Jordan Thompson may need to call an arborist after lining up a French Open rematch with ageless big-server Ivo Karlovic.
The Australian made the most of his slice of fortune to make it three Australian men through to the French Open’s second round for the first time since 2016.
He beat lucky loser Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Paris on a windswept Tuesday, dodging Canadian young gun Felix Auger-Aliassime (groin) after his late withdrawal.
Davidovich Fokina boasted the recent scalp of Gael Monfils but the Australian dominated 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-3) to join Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin in the next round.
He will next play 40-year-old Karlovic, who beat Thompson in five sets at the same stage three years ago and on Tuesday became the oldest player to win at Roland Garros since 1973.
“Remarkable (to be performing at this age) … he’s serving out of a tree, unbelievable reach, volleys well,” Thompson said of Karlovic.
“I had a heartbreaker against him three years ago.
“I’d just made the top 100, I was a wildcard, I was so disappointed because I thought I’d missed a massive opportunity, but life goes on.”
Wildcard Priscilla Hon will join Samantha Stosur and Ashleigh Barty in the second round after a 3-6 6-2 6-1 comeback win over Timea Babos – her first in the Roland Garros main draw.
Daria Gavrilova, whose thigh was heavily strapped, was forced to retire while trailing in the second set and Matthew Ebden was felled by French qualifier Gregoire Barrerre in four sets.
Earlier, Bernard Tomic bombed out in just 82 minutes to hand American Taylor Fritz his most dominant grand slam victory.
Denying that he wasn’t giving his best effort, Tomic said he agreed with compatriot Nick Kyrgios’s assessment last week that the French Open “sucked” but added that the tournament was just “not for me”.
On centre court John Millman was barely into the second set of his titanic battle with Alexander Zverev when Tomic was talking to media.
Like Tomic he will receive about $75,000 for his first round exit, despite toiling for more than four hours as he fought back from two sets behind the fifth-seeded German only to fall in a quality five-setter.
HOW THE AUSSIES FARED ON DAY THREE (PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING):
* Taylor Fritz (USA) d Bernard Tomic 6-1 6-4 6-1
* 5-Alexander Zverev (GER) d John Millman 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 2-6 6-7 (7-5) 6-3
* Jordan Thompson d Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-3)
* Priscilla Hon d Timea Babos (HUN) 3-6 6-2 6-1
* Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) d Daria Gavrilova 6-3 2-2(ret)
* Gregoire Barrerre (FRA) d Matt Ebden 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-1.
STILL TO PLAY ON DAY THREE
* Ajla Tomljanovic v 3-Simona Halep (ROU)
