David Ferrer recovered from a set down to book his place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with victory over Florian Mayer.
© AFP
The duo could not be separated after winning six games apiece in a thrilling opening set, before the German edged the tie-break 7-5.
However, Ferrer - a two-time semi-finalist in the tournament - soon began to replicate the form that has seen him climb to third in the ATP rankings.
The Spaniard broke Mayer's serve twice in the opening three games of the second set en route to a commanding 4-0 lead, before surviving a spirited comeback by the world number 37 with a 7-5 win to level matters.
The 31-year-old asserted himself in the contest and claimed the third set with a comfortable 6-2 win, before Mayer's resistance waned as Ferrer cruised to victory in the final set by a 6-1 margin to line up an encounter with either Tomas Berdych or Kevin Anderson in the next round.
Shane Callaghan
