Andrey Rublev rallied from the brink to dump Holger Rune out of the Australian Open and book a second quarter final at Melbourne Park courtesy of a lucky net cord on match point that sealed a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (11-9) cliffhanger on Monday.

Fifth seed Rublev did it the hard way, coming back from 5-2 down in the final set at Rod Laver Arena and saving two match points before a 10-point tie-break of unrelenting tension.

He slipped 5-0 behind in the breaker but roared back to lead 9-7 before ninth seed Rune saved two match points in another late twist.

It took the net cord to separate them, with Rublev’s final return clipping the net and popping over to leave the Danish 19-year-old no chance.

“(Tennis is) not a rollercoaster, it’s like they put a gun to your head,” Rublev joked on court.

Rublev will meet the Novak Djokovic in the quarters.

Shelton’s ‘dream’

American Ben Shelton extended his dream run at the Australian Open by overcoming compatriot J.J. Wolf in a five-set battle, exceeding his own low expectations he had about his first trip to Melbourne Park.

The 20-year-old Shelton had never travelled outside the US until this year but he is making the most of his first international trip, having reached the quarter finals in only his second grand slam main draw appearance.

“It’s been a dream so far,” Shelton said after his 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-2 win on Monday. “It’s definitely a surprise. I got on the plane with no expectations,” Shelton, who will next face compatriot Tommy Paul, told reporters. Shelton and Paul, who beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, join Sebastian Korda in the last eight, ensuring three American men will contest the quarter finals for the first time since 2000.

Linette on course

It was smoother sailing on the women’s side as Aryna Sabalenka, seeded fifth, eased into the quarter finals for the first time but fourth seed Caroline Garcia was bundled out and 17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova’s dream run ended.

World No. 45 Magda Linette ensured Poland would be represented in the last eight by stunning Garcia 7-6(3) 6-4, while Croatian Donna Vekic held her nerve to down Fruhvirtova 6-2, 1-6, 6-3.

Vekic will next play Sabalenka and Linette will take on Czech former world No.1 Karolina Pliskova, who breezed past China’s Zhang Shuai 6-0, 6-4.

Garcia, who reached the US Open semi-finals last year, led 3-0 in the first set against Linette before it all went downhill.

Linette fought back and Garcia’s unforced error count soared, leaving the French woman unleashing a stream of expletives to earn a code violation.

Garcia’s exit leaves Sabalenka and American Jessica Pegula as the only top 10 seeds in the quarter finals.

Sabalenka looks to have as good a chance as anyone of winning the Daphne Akhurst Trophy if she can conquer the demons that sometimes take hold when her power game misfires.

On Monday, the 24-yearold Belarusian got her head straight after going down an early break to blast Swiss Belinda Bencic off the court 7-5, 6-2.

Vekic looked to be coasting to victory over Fruhvirtova but the Czech has been confounding her olders throughout her fairytale campaign. The teenager showed maturity beyond her years to even up the contest, sending Vekic scurrying for a bathroom break to regroup.

It worked and the 26-year-old Vekic prevailed to secure her first Australian Open quarter-final in 11 attempts.