The big-serving Hemery's nearly 20 aces were not enough to see off Lajal, who famously held up his own in a round-one clash with Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon back in July.

The players are ranked very closely together at present by the ATP – Lajal is 230th in the world, Hemery just eight places lower.

In a match that lasted two hours and 16 minutes, Lajal was 5:4 up in the deciding set with three match points in his favor but was unable to convert any of them.

Hemery pushed the set to a tiebreak, where Lajal again took an early 4:1 lead, this time eventually prevailing 7:3.

Lajal served up five aces and committed one double fault.

Hemery served an impressive 18 aces, to two double faults.

Lajal's first serve success rate was 80 percent, and he won 71 percent of points on his first serve, compared with 60 percent and 67 percent respectively for Hemery.

Lajal converted three of the 10 break point opportunities presented to him, to Hemery's three out of four.

Lajal next faces either former world No. 10 Denis Shapovalov (Canada, ATP No. 101) or 19-year-old Belgian Alexander Blockx (ATP No. 248)

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