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Humbert claims battle of France's top men to reach last-16 at Australian Open

Ugo Humbert (left) advanced to the fourth round at the Australian Open for the first time after compatriot Arthur Fils (right) retired from his third-round clash.

France's top player, Ugo Humbert, advanced to the last-16 at the Australian Open for the first time on Friday after compatriot Arthur Fils retired from his third-round match due to a foot injury.

Fils, the French number two, took the first set 6-4. But Humbert, seeded 14th, wrestled control of the tie after claiming the second 7-5 and edging the third 6-4.

Visibly incapacitated by the injury, Fils, the 20th seed, conceded the encounter at the start of the fourth set.

On Sunday Humbert will play the second seed Alexander Zverev, a straight sets winner over the Briton Jacob Fearnley, for a place in the last eight at one of the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit.

The pair met last November in the final at the Paris Masters, where Zverev triumphed in straight sets.

Elsewhere in the bottom half of the men's draw, 10-time champion Novak Djokovic, seeded seventh, advanced 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 past Tomas Machac from the Czech Republic.

Third seed Carlos Alcaraz needed four sets to see off Nuno Borges from Portugal and the 24th seed Jiri Lehecka dispatched the unseeded Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the last-16 in Australia for the second time in four visits.

The 23-year-old will take on Djokovic who is seeking a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.

Marathon


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