Australia's Matthew Ebden returns a ball to Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in their tennis ATP tournament match in Halle. (AP)
HALLE-WESTFALEN: Australian debutant Matthew Ebden fought back to beat former winner Philipp Kohlschreiber, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, in the second round of the ATP Halle grass tournament on Thursday.
The 60th-ranked outsider who missed four months of play in early 2017 due to injury, will face the winner of the match between nine-time champion Roger Federer and Benoit Paire.
The Swiss world number one will be seeking his 18th straight grass victory. He has not lost a set in any of his five victories over the Frenchman.
Last week, Ebden reached the semi-finals in the Netherlands, where he lost to Jeremy Chardy.
Ebden needed just over 90 minutes to beat Kohlschreiber, the 2011 titleholder here.
The Aussie fired seven aces while breaking four times.
Kohlschreiber is usually strong in his homeland where he is 121-64 with five of his eight ATP titles coming in Germany.
