Nick Kyrgios has beat Frenchman Gilles Simon to advance to the third round of the Australian Open.

It was a hard-fought four set match on Thursday night, but Kyrgios proved determined, taking out the win 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

The Greek Australian was in good stead to win in straight sets, but he dropped serve twice, and Simon saw an opening, going on to win the third set.

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But the 24-year-old managed to come back in the fourth with a crucial break of serve in the 11th game of the final set.

While there were moments of tension, for the most part Kyrgios maintained his composure, playing entertaining tennis and sending a total of 28 aces down the net.

In a post-match interview on court, Kyrgios acknowledged “I lost my way. I could have gone to a very dark place in that fourth set but, somehow, I pulled it away”.

“It was a tough match. I’m just glad to get through. It would have been interesting if it went to a fifth set,” he added.

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Now Kyrgios will go on to face either Russia’s Karen Khachanov or Sweden’s Mikael Ymer in the third round.