Dan Evans stuns Bernard Tomic to continue inspired run

Evans, who beat Marin Cilic in round two, continued his remarkable progression in Melbourne with a straight-sets win over the equally mercurial Australian, taking it 7-5 7-6 7-6.

The 26-year-old Brit held his nerve in a first set that saw five breaks of serve to claim it 6-4 and broke in the very first game of the next set but was pegged back at 5-5 when Tomic broke back.

Evans, however, retained his composure to win the tie breaker to move within one set of the fourth round and battled through the tension and a resurgent Tomic to take the third on another breaker.

An emotional Evans was left to reflect on a fantastic victory which sees join Andy Murray in the fourth round, where he will take on 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The unlikely run from the Birmingham player has given Britain two men in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time since 2002 when Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski reached that stage at Wimbledon.

"It was tough, Bernard is difficult," said Evans. "He is unorthodox and I found it hard at the start. I am happy to come through in three tight sets. It could have gone either way."

Asked about buying his own sponsor-free T-shirts in Melbourne, Evans gave an amusing response:

Evans will not be expected to beat Tsonga, but he has thrived on adversity so far and does not even have a clothing sponsor having been dumped by Nike.

In facing the Frenchman in the fourth round, Evans will be marking the furthest stage he has ever reached at a Grand Slam with the hope of another huge upset.