Australian Open: Seppi edges out Karlovic

Italian Andreas Seppi edged out Croatia's Ivo Karlovic in a titanic five-set battle of the veterans to claim a place in the round of 16.

Italy's Andreas Seppi plays a forehand return to Croatia's Ivo Karlovic during their third round match of Australian Open.

Italian Andreas Seppi edged out Croatia's Ivo Karlovic in a titanic five-set battle of the veterans to claim a place in the round of 16 at the Australian Open on Friday.

Seppi, ranked 76, fought off the 89th-ranked Karlovic 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (3/7), 6-7 (5/7), 9-7 in 3hr 51min on Hisense Arena. The Italian, 33, reached the fourth round for the second consecutive year where he will now face Britain's Kyle Edmund on Sunday.

The victory levelled his head-to-head record with Karlovic at 2-2.

Seppi is appearing in his 51st consecutive Grand Slam event, while Karlovic, 38, was bidding to become the oldest man to reach the round of 16 at a Grand Slam since American Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open.