GORDON REID has cleared the first hurdle in his bid for glory at the Australian Open.

The Helensburgh hero defeated Maikel Scheffers of the Netherlands in his first round tie in the men's wheelchair singles at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.

It was a doubly sweet win for the former Hermitage Academy pupil, who had been defeated in straight sets by Scheffers at the Melbourne Open quarter-finals last week.

But it was a complete role reversal in Reid's first Grand Slam match of 2024, with the 32-year-old easing through 6-1, 6-2 to seal his place in the last eight.

Speaking after the match, Reid said: “I was itching to get started.

"My parents are over here and it’s the first time my dad’s been here and the first time that my mum’s been here for seven or eight years, so it’s great having them in the crowd supporting me and I’ll hopefully get some good results for them.”

The victory secured a quarter-final tie against another Dutchman, Tom Egberink, who defeated American Casey Ratzlaff in three sets.

Reid and fellow Brit Alfie Hewett - who won their 45th doubles title together when they triumphed at the Melbourne Wheelchair Open last week - start their quest for a fifth Australian Open doubles crown against the host nation's Anderson Parker and Ben Weekes later this week.

Hewett began his singles title defence with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Japan’s Takashi Sanada.