Mario Vilella continues with his dream in Australia

Mario Vilella continues his great start to the 2021 season at Melbourne's Great Ocean Open Road. After sealing his pass to the final draw of the Australian Open, the tennis player from Elche is already in the round of 16 of the previous tournament in Melbourne after winning in straight sets against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, fifth seeded, 7-6, 6-3.

Vilella was very solid against Basilashvili, number 39 in the ATP ranking. The Georgian took advantage in the first set with a break in the seventh game but when it served to win the heat, Vilella achieved a decisive break and two games later closed the set for the fifth time she had. With Basilashvili groggy, Vilella put land in the middle at the start of the second set with a new break and, despite not taking advantage of the first two match balls he had, he did manage to close the match with his serve to reach the round of 16, where he will now face the Australian Jordan Thompson (he won the French Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 3-6 and 6-3).

Nor did the other big favorites for the title fail at this Great Ocean Road Open. Karen Khachanov beat Australian Max Purcell (7-6 (5) and 6-3) in two sets, Hubert Hurcakz did not face the Danish Mikael Torpegaard (6-4 and 6-3) and Jannik Sinner beat Australian Aleksandar Vukic (6-2 and 6-4).

Along with the defeat of Basilashvili, another of the surprises of the day was the defeat of Tennys Sandgren. The American, ninth seed, was overtaken by Italian Salvatore Caruso, who beat him in three sets 6-4, 6-7 (2) and 6-1. Caruso will now face Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic (he beat Soonwoo Kwon 6-3 and 6-4).

Great Ocean Road Open results and draw