Ireland's James McGee has stormed to a final round place in the singles qualifying draw of the Australian Open.
Defying the odds, the unseeded 195-ranked Dubliner put the No 30 seed, France’s 145-ranked Vincent Millot to the sword on a 6-2 6-4 margin after an hour and 53 minutes in the second round contest at Melbourne Park.
After wrapping up the opening set, thanks to two break points from seven opportunities while facing no break points, the Castleknock man rallied back from a 1-3 deficit in the second set to clinch a final round place in the preliminary stages of the first Grand Slam of the year for the second year on the trot.
McGee, who had won one and lost one of his two previous matches against his 30-year-old opponent, then looked to be in the driving seat when he broke for a 4-3 lead, only for left-hander Millot to break back immediately to love.
But in the next game the 29-year-old ace broke to 15 for a 5-4 lead, and in the next game after Millot saved one match point, McGee sealed victory when he forced a netted backhand error off his opponent.
In today’s final round, McGee, who lost to Germany’s Daniel Brands 7-6 (7/1) 6-4 at the corresponding stage of last year’s tournament, faces 20-year-old Australian Blake Mott, ranked at a lowly 286, who yesterday pulled off a shock 6-2 6-4 win over the No 12 seed, Germany’s 118-ranked Tobias Kamke.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN (Melbourne Park, Melbourne) – Men's Singles Qualifying Draw second round: James McGee (Irl) bt (30) Vincent Millot (Fra) 6-2 6-4.
