In a repeat of last year’s final, in which Reid emerged the 7-6, 6-4 winner, the Belgian managed to gain revenge as he claimed a 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 win in an enthralling match.

It was Gerard's first win over Reid at a Grand Slam.

“The match, honestly, was not a good match between us,” Gerard said.

“But even at 5-3 down in the third I believed the match was not finished.

"I didn’t even know I saved a match point until my coach told me.”

The start of Reid’s rise to the top of the world rankings began when he won his first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open last year.

He followed that result with winning the Wimbledon singles event and also secured a Rio 2016 Paralympics singles gold medal.

Unlike Reid, second seed Stephane Houdet of France had no issues in defeating unseeded Alfie Hewett of Great Britain as he won 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

In women’s action, top seed Jiske Griffioen also played the same opponent as she did to win last year’s Australian Open title, overcoming fellow Dutchwoman Aniek van Koot 6-4, 6-3.

The duo came up against each other on three ocassions in 2016 and all three times it was Griffioen who won, taking the title at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the Paralympic Games.

Second seed Yui Kamiji of Japan also posted a quarter-final win with a 6-1, 6-2 success against Katharina Kruger of Germany, while Great Britain's Lucy Shuker upset world number four Marjolein Buis of The Netherlands 6-2, 6-3.

World number seven Sabine Ellerbrock of Germany made the most of her experience as she collected a 6-4, 6-3 win against 20-year-old Diede de Groot of The Netherlands. 

The 41-year-old won the Australian Open title in 2014.

“I’m always looking forward to playing the Australian Open because it’s my favourite Grand Slam tournament,” Ellerbrock said.

“So far I hadn’t been able to win against Diede, so I wasn’t so happy with the draw when I first saw it.

"I’m really happy that I won.”

The quad wheelchair competition got underway with top seed Dylan Alcott defeating fellow Australian Heath Davidson 6-1, 6-4.

The other quad match experienced something of an upset when Andy Lapthorne of Great Britain defeated second seed and three-time Australian Open champion David Wagner of the United States 6-3, 6-3.

“It’s always nice to come to a Grand Slam and get a win under your belt early on,” said Lapthorne, who won Paralympic singles silver at Rio 2016.

“Last year here I didn’t have a great tournament here.

"In the past I had made the singles final here, although never managed to win the title, but I won four doubles titles. 

"But last year coming away from here was very tough to take.

“So to go out there today and play the way I did was so pleasing,” he added.