Marin Cilic prevailed over Gilles Simon in a five-set epic to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open on Monday.
The 14th seed recovered from losing the first set to record a 5-7 7-6(3) 6-4 3-6 6-3 triumph in New York.
Simon was looking to become the second Frenchman into the last eight of the final Grand Slam of the year, after Gael Monfils beat Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets, and started well by claiming an early break.
Cilic bounced back in the next game, but Simon made two breaks to one on his way to winning the opener, and then saved four break points in the early stages of the second to retain his momentum.
It would take a one-sided tie-break for Cilic to level the match at a set apiece, and the Croatian would take consecutive sets after breaking Simon late in the third, having missed chances to do so in game five.
One break again proved to be decisive in the fourth, but it went the way of Simon, who forced a decider with some determined defence on the baseline and some impressive returning of the Cilic serve.
A tense fifth set went with serve until the eighth game, with each player saving one break point before Cilic made the crucial breakthrough, and he went on to serve out for victory in four hours and 17 minutes.
The world number 16 will face Tomas Berdych or Dominic Thiem in the next round at Flushing Meadows.
Joe Fish
