Andy Murray grinded his way past qualifier Ricardas Berankis at the Australian Open, but Juan Martin Del Potro met his match in Jeremy Chardy in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.
Murray entered the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 victory over Lithuanian Berankis, who would just not go away without a fight at the Rod Laver Arena.
The world number three stormed into a 3-0 lead against the 22-year-old, and was seemingly on his way to an easy first set, leading 5-1. However, the youngster fought back gamely and broke Murray's serve, before the Brit just about held on.
The second set began with Berankis in control, his variety of shots throwing the U.S. Open champion off his stride. However, Murray clawed his way back from a 4-2 hole, winning four games in a row to take the second set.
The third set was also in the balance for a long time, before the crucial break allowed Murray to seize the victory and with it a place in the next round, where he will face either Gilles Simon or Gael Monfils.
Meanwhile, Del Potro, touted as one of the outside contenders for the title, crashed out in an epic five-set battle with Chardy. The unseeded Frenchman, who at one point led by two sets before Del Potro, seeded sixth, fought back, eventually prevailed 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 3-6, 6-3.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had no such problems, however, with the seventh seed easing past Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. Tsonga, who said he was unhappy with his performance in the previous round, despite winning in straight sets, was happier with Saturday's performance.
"I played a better match," he said. "I mean, was not easy because it was really windy today and not easy to feel the ball really well. So I'm happy to go through this one in three sets."
Marin Cilic, the No. 12 seed, was packed off by No. 21 seed Andreas Seppi in another five-setter 6-7 (2), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, while Frenchman Richard Gasquet earned a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-0 victory over Ivan Dodig of Croatia.
