Marcos Baghdatis stuns defending champ Lucas Pouille in Montpellier

Shahida Jacobs
Marcos Baghdatis in action

Marcos Baghdatis rolled back the years as he claimed a battling win over defending champion Lucas Pouille at the Open Sud de France.

Former Australian Open finalist Baghdatis required two hours and 42 minutes to beat the Frenchman 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 for his first win over at top 20 player since July last year.

The Cypriot broke in game three of the deciding set, but top seed and Australian Open semi-finalist Pouille drew level in game six only for the veteran to claim the match-deciding break in the very next game.

Next up for Baghdatis is Radu Albot after the Moldovan beat Ernests Gulbis from Latvia 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4.

Third-seeded Denis Shapovalov is safely into the quarter-finals after the Canadian secured a 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) win over Marcel Granollers.

Pierre-Hugues Herbert stands between Shapovalov and a place in the last four as the Frenchman came from a set down to beat Ilya Ivashka from Belarus 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

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