'Not finished yet': Defiant Monfils battles into quarters

MELBOURNE: Flashy Frenchman Gael Monfils warned that "I'm not quite finished yet" after winning a drawn-out battle with unfancied Miomir Kecmanovic to reach his second quarter-final at the Australian Open on Sunday (Jan 23).

The 17th-seeded Monfils carved out a torrid straight-sets win over the 77th-ranked Serb 7-5, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in 2hr 34min on John Cain Arena.

Monfils has yet to drop a set in his four wins at the year's first major. He will face Italy's seventh seed Matteo Berrettini, who blasted 28 aces to blow away Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta in three sets, in the last eight.

It is 35-year-old Monfils's first quarter-final appearance in Melbourne since 2016 when he lost to Canada's Milos Raonic.

"It was really tough. He passed me on both sides. I tried to be very aggressive," Monfils said.

"I tried not to let him dictate the points and that went well. It was just a battle."

Monfils does not intend to go home any time soon.

"I want to do better and I will try to play this quarter-final not like the last time... I'm not quite finished yet."

Kecmanovic's winning run is over after he was initially drawn to play compatriot and world No 1 Novak Djokovic in the first round.

After the defending champion was deported, Kecmanovic found himself instead facing lucky loser Salvatore Caruso.

He went on to win three matches to get through to the last 16 and come away with $A300,000 (US$215,000) in prize money and 180 ranking points.