Kyle Edmund into last 16 after beating Nikoloz Basilashvili in five-set epic

The pair duelled for three-and-a-half hours in the Melbourne sun, and it was Edmund who prevailed 7-6(0) 3-6 4-6 6-0 7-5 as temperatures hit 42C on Show Court 2.

Edmund had found himself 2-1 down in sets, but just as he had done in the first round against Kevin Anderson, he fought back to advance into unchartered territory.

“The finish line seemed so far away," Edmund told Eurosport after the victory. "Physically at the end it was very demanding. When he hit that final ball into the net I was so relieved. He kept slugging it and it kept going in - finally he missed it.

“It’s not easy [in the heat]. The accumulation of hours and hours, there’s no give – you just didn't get any fresh air, it’s not forgiving. It was tough, but I knew if I was hurting, he’d be hurting, so I’m just really pleased.”

Standing between Edmund and a first-ever Grand Slam quarter-final will be one of Andreas Seppi or Ivo Karlovic, who face off later on Friday.

A shaky start for Edmund saw Basilashvili break immediately, but the Briton fought back to level at 2-2 before squandering a further two break points in the sixth game.

No break-point opportunities followed in the opening set for either player, but it was Edmund who steamrollered through the tie-break, taking seven points without reply – the sixth coming from a drop-shot of the highest quality.

Edmund took that momentum with him into the second set, breaking the world number 61 in the first game. However, Basilashvili responded remarkably, winning five games in a row to tie the match at one-set apiece.

The Georgian made it seven games on the spin to take a 2-0 lead in the third set, and though Edmund managed to level up at 3-3, Basilashvili broke in the following game before closing out the set.

A titanic 20-minute game came in the fourth set, and after 15 deuces, Edmund converted his eighth break point to take a 2-0 lead.

The wind was in Edmund’s sails after prevailing in that mammoth game, as he took the next four games to bagel his opponent, who had opted to conserve his energy for the decider.

The battle recommenced in the fifth set, with both players holding serve until the 12th game, which saw Edmund convert his first match point to win after three hours and 34 minutes on court.