LUCKY loser Australian Max Purcell has stunned top seed Gael Monfils in a three-set win overnight to book his spot in the Viking International Eastbourne quarter finals. The Australian needed two hours and 10 minutes to down Monfils, who has admittedly had a forgettable year, moving to a 2-8 record in 2021. Having battled with injury the past few years, Monfils was bundled out by the world 283, as Purcell grabbed what was only his third ATP Tour main draw win – and second back-to-back – with a 6-4 5-7 6-4 triumph.

“It feels unbelievable,” Purcell said post-match. “I’ve struggled to get into any singles events over the past nine months and primarily played doubles, so to get on a run here, on my favourite surface, is great. I thought I’d come out and have a go. When I missed the opportunity to close out the match at 5-4 in the second set, Gael showed what a good player he is.”

Purcell weathered 16 aces, whilst serving nine of his own, but won 76 and 52 per cent of his first and second serves compared to Monfils’ 71 and 45 per cent. He also broke four times to three, with the last of those proving crucial in grabbing the biggest win of the Australian’s career.

The win allowed Purcell to move into hist first ever ATP Tour quarter final, to take on former Eastbourne champion – and remarkably another lucky loser – in Andreas Seppi. Taking down top seed Monfils allowed Purcell’s compatriot Alex de Minaur to be the highest remaining seed at the grass court event, defeating home nation talent Liam Broady in straight sets, 6-3 6-4.

Australia’s top ranked ATP Tour player needed an hour and 40 minutes to defeat Broady, describing the match as “very intense” having reached number 18 in the world recently, a career-high. The rising Australian will take on veteran Canadian Vasek Pospisil who took out a retiring Spanish sixth seed, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who called it quits following the first set tiebreak loss.

“A very tough match at a high level, against a tricky opponent, who has been playing great,” de Minaur said post-match. It’s a part of the year that I love. I enjoy the grass-court swing and I want to make every match count.”

In the other result, the news was not as good for John Millman, with the Aussie falling to third seed Italian Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets, 6-4 6-2. In a draw that is wide open – due to three lucky losers and one qualifier making it to the final eight – Sonego will take on eighth seed Kazakh Alexander Bublik, with Belarusian qualifier Ilya Ivashka and lucky loser Soonwoo Kwon battling it out in the other quarter final.

Meanwhile in Mallorca, the Spanish contingent had a good day, with third seed Roberto Bautista Agut and fourth seed Pablo Carreno Busta both advancing to the quarter finals. Bautista Agut knocked off Italian Stefano Travaglia 6-3 7-5, whilst Carreno Busta was too good for Czech Jiri Vesely, 6-4 6-4. United States’ Sam Querrey had the easiest match of the day with a walkover against seventh seed Ugo Humbert, whilst Australian Jordan Thompson made it three out of four Australian wins overnight, defeating Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein, 6-4 6-4.

MALLORCA CHAMPIONSHIPS ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[3] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) defeated Stefano Travaglia (ITA) 6-3 7-5
[4] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated Jiri Vesely (CZE) 6-4 6-4
Sam Querrey (USA) defeated [7] Ugo Humbert (FRA) W/O
Jordan Thompson (AUS) defeated [Q] Lukas Klein (SVK) 6-4 6-4

VIKING INTERNATIONAL EASTBOURNE ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[LL] Max Purcell (AUS) defeated [1] Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-4 5-7 6-4
[2] Alex de Minaur (AUS) defeated [WC] Liam Broady (GBR) 6-3 6-4
[3] Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) defeated John Millman (AUS) 6-4 6-2
Vasek Pospisil (CAN) defeated [6] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 7-6 0-0 RET

Picture credit: ATP Tour