American Andy Roddick took the points in his heavyweight bout with 2007 finalist Fernando Gonzalez on Sunday night to set up a showdown with Marin Cilic in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
In a heated battle that lasted almost three-and-a-half hours and didn't finish till just after 1am (AEDT), the No.7 seed came from two sets to one down to prevail 6-3 3-6 4-6 7-5 6-2.
In their 12th career meeting, Roddick blasted his way through the first set before the Chilean - who lost here three years ago to Roger Federer - came storming back to claim the next two sets.
But just as Gonzalez looked like causing the second boilover of the day, Roddick leveled the match at two sets apiece, albeit in controversial circumstances.
Gonzalez saved four set points in the 10th game of the fourth set before Roddick eventually claimed it in the 12th game on a challenge.
A Roddick forehand was initially called out by a line umpire with Gonzalez stopping mid-point, in range of the ball.
The video replay showed the ball had hit the line, but instead of replaying the point, chair umpire Enric Molina ruled Roddick's shot a winner, handing him the set and leaving Gonzalez angry and frustrated.
The 11th seed's emotions spilled over at the start of the fifth set, double-faulting to drop his opening service game before smashing his racquet and earning a warning.
Roddick, who has reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park on four occasions, was never headed from there, sealing victory on another Gonzalez double fault.
The win was built on an impressive serving display, Roddick belting down 32 aces and no double faults.
The American now holds a 9-0 record in 2010, including his win at the Brisbane International, and has made the last eight of the Australian Open six times.
There he will take on Cilic, who produced one of the upsets of the tournament to dump US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in a five-set marathon.
The two youngest remaining players in the draw slugged it out for more than four-and-a-half hours before the 14th seed prevailed 5-7 6-4 7-5 5-7 6-3 to advance to his first quarter-final at Melbourne Park.
Little separates the pair on paper- they are both 21, born just five days apart, and stand 198cm tall - and it was the same on Hisense Arena in an epic struggle on Sunday night.
After splitting the first four sets, Del Potro was clearly feeling the pinch from his second five-setter of the week, having beaten American James Blake 10-8 in the decider in the second round.
The Argentine world No.4 defeated Cilic on his way to the title at Flushing Meadows last year and also won their quarter-final clash at Melbourne Park.
Del Potro came into this tournament hampered by a wrist injury that forced him to withdraw from the AAMI Classic at Kooyong in the week leading into the year's first Grand Slam.
Cilic, who beat Australian Bernard Tomic in a second-round match that did not finish until after 2am, successfully defended his title in Chennai to start 2010 with his win over del Potro stretching his unbeaten run this year to nine.
A crucial break of serve in the fourth game of the final set proved the difference in the end for Cilic, who smacked 67 winners and fired down 20 aces.
"It was hard. It