Jordan Thompson has made the most of his slice of fortune to become the third Australian male through to the French Open’s second round.
Thompson was drawn to play Canadian young gun Felix Auger-Aliassime, until his withdrawal through injury allowed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina a surprise start.
The Australian didn’t miss his chance, dominating the Spaniard 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-3) on Tuesday to join Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin in the next round.
Samantha Stosur and Ashleigh Barty also won on day two, giving Australia at least five representatives in the second round with four still to play their first-round matches.
Earlier, Bernard Tomic bombed out in just 82 minutes to hand American Taylor Fritz his most dominant grand slam victory.
A nonchalant Tomic raced between points as Fritz exploited his apparent immobility, with the Australian even trying unsuccessfully to concede defeat prematurely.
Tomic seemed to signal to Fritz where he would direct his serve on match point and then ran to the net once it was hit for a clean winner to shake hands.
He was forced to return to the baseline when his bemused opponent and the chair umpire insisted Tomic had faulted.
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 that Roland Garros 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)
STILL TO PLAY ON DAY THREE
* Ajla Tomljanovic v 3-Simona Halep (ROU)
* Daria Gavrilova v Aleksandra Krunic (SRB)
* Priscilla Hon v Timea Barbos (HUN)
* Matthew Ebden v Gregoire Barrere (FRA).